From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Abel Ferrara (born July 19, 1951 in The Bronx) is an American movie screenwriter and director. He started out as a director by making amateur films on Super 8. In 1979, he first achieved recognition for directing and starring in The Driller Killer, a violent exploitation film about an artist who suffers a mental breakdown. His 1981 follow up, Ms. 45 was met with more positive reviews and helped to jump start his career. His theatrical releases through the rest of the decade included Fear City, China Girl, and Cat Chaser and were met with more mixed reviews while his career remained fairly stagnant despite the pictures larger budgets. The early 1990s are generally considered to be the golden period of his work. In 1990, King of New York was released to positive reaction from critics and viewers alike. He followed that up with Bad Lieutenant in 1992 to great critical praise, and although highly controversial upon its release for its unrelenting depiction of moral corruption, it is widely considered to be his finest work. After the successes of "King" and "Lieutenant" Ferrara tackled a remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers in 1993, under the title of Body Snatchers, which when released, was met with lukewarm reviews. Also in 1993 Ferrara released Dangerous Game, his second outing with Keitel, which also starred Madonna and James Russo. Dangerous Game (also controversial) was met with mixed reviews. In 1995 he released The Addiction and The Funeral, both starring Christopher Walken. Since then, he has released The Blackout in 1997, and New Rose Hotel 1998 Ferrara's adaptation of the William Gibson short story. 2001's 'R Xmas 2001 starring Ice-T was followed in 2005 by Mary starring Juliette Binoche as an actress playing Mary Magdalene.

Ferrara is noteworthy for setting the vast majority of his films in New York City. He has also frequently collaborated with Zoe Lund, who wrote and starred in several of his films, and Nicholas St. John, who has written many of his films and was a classmate of Ferrara's in highschool. His work is suggested to be heavily influenced by Robert Bresson. Ferrara's films often feature religion, specifically Catholicism, as a prominent theme.

• Nicky's Film (1971)
• The Hold Up (1972)
• Could This Be Love (1973)
• Nine Lives of a Wet Pussycat (1976) (as Jimmy Boy L)
• Not Guilty: For Keith Richards (1977) short film (now lost)
• The Driller Killer (1979)
• Ms. 45 (1981)
• Fear City (1984)
• Crime Story (1986) TV series Pilot
• China Girl (film) (1987)
• Cat Chaser (1989)
• King of New York (1990)
• Bad Lieutenant (1992)
• Body Snatchers (1993)
• Dangerous Game (1993)
• The Addiction (1995)
• California (1996) (Videoclip for Mylène Farmer)
• The Funeral (1996)
• The Blackout (1997)
• New Rose Hotel (1998)
• R Xmas (2001)
• Mary (2005)

• Abel Ferrara at the Internet Movie Database