Lance Hool
{{Short description|Mexican film director and film producer}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Lance Hool
| image =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Mexico
| alma_mater = Universidad de las Américas Puebla
| occupation = {{hlist|Film producer|film director|actor}}
| years_active = 1970–present
| works =
| spouse =
| children = 3
| parents =
| mother =
| relatives =
| awards =
| signature =
}}
Lance Hool is a Mexican film director, film producer, and actor. He directed the action films Missing in Action 2: The Beginning (1985) and Steel Dawn (1987), the war film One Man's Hero (1999), and the romantic drama film 2 Hearts (2020). He also founded the Santa Fe-based film studio Santa Fe Studios in 2011.
Early life
Hool was born in Mexico{{cite web |last1=Talbot |first1=Paul |title=Cinema Retro Special Report: Paul Talbot on the Making of Charles Bronson's 'The Evil That Men Do' |url=https://cinemaretro.com/index.php?/archives/7907-CINEMA-RETRO-SPECIAL-REPORT-PAUL-TALBOT-ON-THE-MAKING-OF-CHARLES-BRONSONS-THE-EVIL-THAT-MEN-DO.html |website=Cinema Retro |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=February 1, 2014}} and grew up in Mexico City in a family largely involved in the film industry. According to him, his great-grandfather worked as a financier for Charlie Chaplin.{{cite web |last1=Rifkin |first1=Jesse |title=Interview with 2 Hearts Director Lance Hool: 'We've Got To Get This Movie Into Theaters' |url=https://www.boxofficepro.com/2-hearts-interview-lance-hool-freestyle-releasing/ |website=Boxoffice Pro |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=October 16, 2020}} Hool and his brother were childhood friends of Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011.
Hool attended the Universidad de las Américas Puebla, graduating with a B.A. and an M.B.A.{{Cite web |title=Filmmakers |url=https://2heartsthefilm.com/filmmakers/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=2 Hearts |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Holt |first=Conor |date=2023-08-02 |title=Interview: "One Man's Hero" |url=https://conorholt.medium.com/interview-one-mans-hero-cd2c8e00c62f |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Medium |language=en}}
Career
Hool made his acting debut in the Howard Hawks film Rio Lobo, which was released in 1970 and was Hawks's last film before his death. He worked in the Mexican film industry for 20 years,{{cite web |last1=Cullum |first1=Paul |title=One Man's Hero |url=https://www.laweekly.com/film/film_results.php3?showid=870 |website=LA Weekly |access-date=February 12, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010526191102/https://www.laweekly.com/film/film_results.php3?showid=870 |archive-date=May 26, 2001}} and was the U.S. representative for the Mexican national film distribution company Pelmex between 1977 and 1980.{{Cite web |title=Lance Hool - Santa Fe Studios |url=https://www.santafestudios.com/about-us/team/lance-hool/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=www.santafestudios.com}}
He produced the thriller films Wolf Lake (1978), 10 to Midnight (1983), and The Evil That Men Do (1984), the adventure film Flipper (1996), and the comedy films Pure Luck (1991) with Sean Daniel and McHale's Navy (1997).{{cite web |last1=Honeycutt |first1=Kirk |title=Odd couples are the name of the... |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-11-ca-5812-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=November 11, 1990}}{{cite web |last1=Miller III |first1=Randy |title=Wolf Lake |url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/review/71925 |publisher=DVD Talk |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=March 29, 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Shepard |first1=Richard F. |title='10 to Midnight' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/13/movies/10-to-midnight.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=March 13, 1983}} Hool directed the Chuck Norris–starring action film Missing in Action 2: The Beginning, which was released in 1985.{{cite web |author1=Maslin, Janet |title=Screen: Chuck Norris in 'Missing in Action 2' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/02/movies/screen-chuck-norris-in-missing-in-action-2.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=March 2, 1985}} He also directed the 1987 science fiction action film Steel Dawn. It starred Patrick Swayze and was produced by Hool with his brother, Conrad Hool. Walter Goodman of The New York Times wrote, "Steel Dawn,{{nbsp}}... has been directed by Lance Hool to emphasize Mr. Swayze's biceps," and Los Angeles Times critic Michael Wilmington wrote, "Hool directs all this so lethargically you might suspect he's gone missing in action himself."{{cite web |author1=Goodman, Walter |title=Film: 'Steel Dawn' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/06/movies/film-steel-dawn.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=November 6, 1987}}{{cite web |last1=Wilmington |first1=Michael |title=Movie Reviews : 'Steel Dawn': Iron-Age Concept in Film Making |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-11-06-ca-12671-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=November 6, 1987}} Hool directed and produced the historical war film One Man's Hero, about John Riley and the Saint Patrick's Battalion's role in the Mexican–American War, which was released in 1999.{{cite web |last1=Kline |first1=Chris |title=Irish-Americans fight for Mexico, and a film is born |url=http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9712/28/mexico.irish.soldiers/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112055155/http://edition.cnn.com/SHOWBIZ/9712/28/mexico.irish.soldiers/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 12, 2021 |publisher=CNN |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=December 28, 1997}} Hool cast his sons Brett and Jason in the film.{{cite web |last1=Tracey |first1=Olivia |title=Tracings Eagerly awaiting Berenger film on San Patricios |url=https://group.irishecho.com/2011/02/tracings-eagerly-awaiting-berenger-film-on-san-patricios/ |website=The Irish Echo |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=February 16, 2011}} For the Los Angeles Times, Kevin Thomas wrote in a review of the film that it was "directed with vigor and passion by Hool", while Paul Cullum of LA Weekly called his direction "flaccid".{{cite web |last1=Thomas |first1=Kevin |title=Movie Review: 'One Man's Hero' a Heartfelt History Lesson |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-sep-24-ca-13786-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=September 24, 1999}} Hool then executive produced the Simon Wincer film Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001) and the Tony Scott film Man on Fire (2004).{{cite web |author1=Stratton, David |title=Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles |url=https://variety.com/2001/film/reviews/crocodile-dundee-in-los-angeles-1200467889/ |website=Variety |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=April 11, 2001}}
Lance founded the Santa Fe–based film studio Santa Fe Studios in October 2011, where his son, Jason, was hired as president.{{cite web |title=A Recipe for Filmmaking Success: An Interview with Lance Hool, CEO Santa Fe Studios |url=https://santafefilmfestival.com/index/a-recipe-for-filmmaking-success-an-interview-with-lance-hool-ceo-santa-fe-studios/ |publisher=Santa Fe Film Festival |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=May 3, 2014}}{{cite web |title=Honoring Lance Hool: Producer, Director, Actor |url=https://santafefilmfestival.com/index/honoring-lance-hool-producer-director-actor/ |publisher=Santa Fe Film Festival |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=September 26, 2011}} It became New Mexico's second-largest film studio, following Albuquerque Studios.{{cite web |last1=Verrier |first1=Richard |title=New Mexico kicks in $10 million to build Santa Fe movie and TV studio |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-dec-10-la-fi-ct-newmexico10-2009dec10-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=December 10, 2009}} Negotiations to open the studio had taken place the year before, when, in an attempt to increase economic growth in Santa Fe, Richardson offered Hool a ten-million-dollar economic development grant to build the studio south of the city, while then–chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico structured the studio's land and financing package.{{cite web |last1=Alzayat |first1=Dima |title=On Location: New Santa Fe Studios beckons filmmakers |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/company-town-blog/story/2011-11-15/on-location-new-santa-fe-studios-beckons-filmmakers |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=November 15, 2011}} The project was considered controversial among residents of Santa Fe due to Hool's early ties to Richardson. Hool and his associates were sued by attorneys for Santa Fe County for the studio's unpaid debt of over $2.3 million in 2016.{{cite web |last1=Chacón |first1=Daniel J. |title=Santa Fe Studio owners caught by surprise with lawsuit |url=https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-studio-owners-caught-by-surprise-with-lawsuit/article_b4d7c5ff-81bb-5a9e-a04e-640e08ef1385.html |website=The Santa Fe New Mexican |access-date=February 11, 2024 |date=February 6, 2016}}
Hool directed the romantic drama film 2 Hearts, inspired by the story of Leslie and Jorge Bacardi of the Bacardi family after Hool's brother, Conrad, met Jorge on a cruise. It was co-written by Robin U. Russin with Hool's daughter, Veronica, and co-produced by Hool with Conrad with a score by Hool's son, Brett, and casting direction by his niece, Caral.{{cite web |last1=Ortega Law |first1=Jeannie |title=Hollywood filmmaker says 'faith is what should keep us going' in 2020; releases new movie '2 Hearts' |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/2-hearts-filmmaker-says-faith-is-what-should-keep-us-going.html |website=The Christian Post |access-date=February 10, 2024 |date=October 16, 2020}} The film finished principal photography in July 2018. It was released in theaters in October 2020 and distributed by Freestyle Releasing. After being released onto Netflix, the film became the platform's most-watched film for a week in 2021.{{cite web |last1=Vitu |first1=Teya |title=No. 1 movie on Netflix, '2 Hearts,' has ties to Santa Fe Studios |via=Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/no-1-movie-netflix-2-150400880.html |website=The Santa Fe New Mexican |access-date=February 12, 2024 |date=June 22, 2021}}
Filmography
References
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hool, Lance}}
Category:Mexican film producers
Category:Film directors from Mexico City
Category:Film directors from Nevada
Category:Male actors from Mexico City
Category:Male actors from Nevada
Category:20th-century Mexican male actors
Category:Film studio executives
Category:Date of birth missing (living people)
Category:English-language film directors
Category:Mexican male film actors
Category:Mexican expatriate male actors in the United States
Category:Mexican people of American descent