Marcus Nispel

{{short description|German film director}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Infobox person

|name =Marcus Nispel

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birthname =

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1963|5|26}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/marcus_nispel|title=Marcus Nispel|website=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=7 February 2023}}

|birth_place = Frankfurt, West Germany

|occupation = Film director, producer

|yearsactive = 1990–2021

}}

Marcus Nispel (born 26 May 1963) is a German film director and producer, best known for several high-profile American remakes such as The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003). He has also directed various television commercials and music videos, including C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)" and "Things That Make You Go Hmmm...", Janet Jackson's "Runaway", Fugees' "Ready or Not", and Spice Girls' "Spice Up Your Life".

Early life and career

Nispel was born on 26 May 1963 in Frankfurt.{{cite interview |last=Nispel|first=Marcus|interviewer=Paul Stone|title=Marcus Nispel: "Directing Is a Mixture of Symphony and Jazz"|url=http://www.myfirstshoot.com/interview/marcus-nispel/|work=My First Shoot|date=10 April 2013|access-date=21 January 2020}} He grew up near McNair Barracks and was able to learn English from hanging out with children of soldiers.{{cite web|url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/03/25/an-interview-with-marcus-nispel|title= An Interview with Marcus Nispel|first= Andy|last= Patrizio|date= March 25, 2004|access-date=October 25, 2020|work= IGN}} At the age of 15, he got a job at a boutique called Hessler and Kehrer. When he had his first interview at an American ad agency, he was asked what do Oreos mean, and he realized the importance of understanding American culture, and how working in advertising helped him understand that.{{cite web|url= https://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/marcus-nispel-67721/|title= Marcus Nispel|date= October 10, 2003|access-date= October 25, 2020|work= Adweek}}{{cite news |title=Horror Movies |url=https://www.horrormovielists.com/ |access-date=23 June 2024}} He received a Fulbright Scholarship at the age of 20 and attended Brooklyn College and New York Institute of Technology. He was also an art director for Young & Rubicam. He started a production company, Portfolio Artists Network which later merged with RSA (Ridley Scott Associates) Black Dog Films to form Portfolio/Black Dog. He worked at RSA as a commercial director for several years, resigning in 2000.

Feature career

Nispel was set to make his feature directorial debut with End of Days, but stepped down before shooting due to issues with the budget.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/1998/scene/vpage/world-according-to-nispel-1117479307/|title= World according to Nispel|first1= Dan|last1= Cox|first2= Benedict|last2= Carver|date= August 10, 1998|access-date= October 25, 2020|work= Variety}} In 2002, Nispel signed on to direct The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2002/film/news/nispel-to-direct-remake-of-chainsaw-massacre-1117866593/|title= Nispel to direct remake of 'Chainsaw Massacre'|first= Dana|last= Harris|date= May 7, 2002|access-date= November 1, 2020|work= Variety}} He was initially opposed to remaking the film, but Daniel Pearl, the cinematographer for the original film and regular collaborator with Nispel, convinced him to direct. The film was released on October 17, 2003 to negative reviews but was financially successful, grossing $107 million worldwide.

After directing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Nispel signed on to direct a psychological thriller called Need, starring Diane Lane.{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2003/scene/people-news/chainsaw-helmer-feeds-his-need-1117895073/|title= 'Chainsaw' helmer feeds his 'Need'|first= Dave|last= McNary|date= November 3, 2003|access-date= October 25, 2020|work= Variety}} He picked the film as he wanted something 'diametrically opposed to TCM', but it was never released. Throughout the 2000s and into the 2010s, Nispel would direct several more remakes of prominent genre films, such as Friday the 13th (reuniting him with Platinum Dunes, who made Texas Chainsaw) and Conan the Barbarian. In 2015, Nispel directed the ghost exorcism film Exeter, formerly titled Backmask.{{cite web|url=http://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3326261/trailer-f13-chainsaw-directors-exeter/|title=Awful Trailer for 'F13' and 'Chainsaw' Director's 'Exeter' - Bloody Disgusting|website=Bloody-disgusting.com|date=30 December 2014|access-date=7 November 2017}}

Personal life

He is married to singer/songwriter/commercial editor Dyan Humes-Nispel who has written songs for various artists including Whitney Houston. They have two children.

Filmography

Film

class="wikitable"
Year

! Title

! Director

! Producer

! Notes

2003

| The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

| {{Yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2004

| Frankenstein

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| TV movie

2007

| Pathfinder

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

|

2009

| Friday the 13th

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2009

| His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th

| {{no}}

| {{No}}

| Himself

2011

| Conan the Barbarian

| {{yes}}

| {{No}}

|

2015

| Exeter

| {{yes}}

| {{yes}}

| Also story writer

Trailers

  • "Regenerate", a teaser trailer for Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004).{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/nispel-takes-an-evil-turn-1117904191/ |title=Nispel takes an 'Evil' turn |last=LaPorte |first=Nicole |date=2 May 2004 |work=Variety |archive-url=https://archive.today/20171204112639/http://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/nispel-takes-an-evil-turn-1117904191/ |archive-date=4 December 2017 |url-status=live }}

Videography

{{cite web|url=http://www.mvdbase.com/person.php?id=C372|title=mvdbase.com - Marcus Nispel technician videography|work=Music Video DataBase|last=Garcia|first=Alex S|access-date=3 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921131409/http://www.mvdbase.com/person.php?id=C372|archive-date=September 21, 2018}}

{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2011/08/the-15-most-accomplished-music-video-directors/marcus-nispel|title=complex.com - 15 most accomplished music video directors - Marcus Nispel|work=Music Video|last=Nispel|first=Marcus|access-date=25 August 2011}}

{{incomplete list|date=February 2015}}

;1990

;1991

;1992

;1993

;1994

;1995

;1996

;1997

;1998

;1999

;2000

;2001

;2006

References

{{Reflist}}