- Born
- Birth nameJohn Randal Kleiser
- Randal Kleiser has been an internationally known film director since the release of his first feature, Grease (1978). Other features include Le lagon bleu (1980) with Brooke Shields, Amours de vacances (1982) starring Peter Gallagher and Daryl Hannah, Stock-car city (1984) with Jamie Lee Curtis, Le vol du navigateur (1986), featuring the first use of digital morphing in a motion picture; Chérie, j'ai agrandi le bébé (1992) and Croc-Blanc (1991). In London he directed the critically acclaimed comedy Getting It Right (1989) starring Lynn Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, Jane Horrocks and Sir John Gielgud. In 1996 he wrote and directed It's My Party (1996) starring Eric Roberts, Gregory Harrison, Lee Grant, Bruce Davison and Marlee Matlin.
As a writer-producer, he was responsible for the surfing classic Ultime épreuve (1987) for Universal Pictures. He also directed the thriller La dernière preuve (1998) with Melanie Griffith and Tom Berenger. Working in 70mm 3-D, he directed Chérie, j'ai rétréci le public (1994), which drew record crowds at the Disney Theme Parks in Anaheim, Orlando, Tokyo and Paris. His television movies include L'enfant bulle (1976) with John Travolta; the Emmy Award-winning The Gathering (1977) and Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976).
As a freshman at USC, he appeared in George Lucas' first student film, Freiheit (1966). Kleiser's award-winning Master's thesis film, Peege (1973), launched his professional career. He has taught a graduate production workshop at USC and Master Directing Classes for European students at film festivals in Deauville and Sarlat, and Malaga. Kleiser serves as a judge on the Student Awards for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and as chairman of the Academic Subcommittee for the Directors Guild of America, he inaugurated a videoconferencing program to connect film classes with working directors. Working with the Graphics Lab at USC's Institute for Creative Technologies, Kleiser has co-invented a digital Cinerama-like process called Vistarama HD and developed "Silver Metal Lover" for Dimension Pictures. In 2005 he directed Amanda Bynes for L'amour à la dérive (2005), shot in the Caribbean. Two years later Kleiser came up with an original musical movie shot on virtual sets, Red Riding Hood (2006), starring Joey Fatone and Lainie Kazan.
Kleiser has spent several years working with George Lucas to create The Nina Foch Course for Filmmakers and Actors (2010), an instructional video for aspiring actors, writers and filmmakers. Kleiser was heavily influenced by Nina Foch's teachings during his time at USC and maintained a relationship with Foch as his mentor throughout his career.
Randal Kleiser wrote and directed the 360 degree Virtual Reality series Defrost: The Virtual Series (2019), featuring Carl Weathers, Bruce Davison and Harry Hamlin which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Film Festival in 2016.
Kleiser serves on the Sci Tech Council of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. At the Directors Guild of America, Kleiser chairs the annual Digital Day presentation and serves on the National Board.
Official Site: http://www.randalkleiser.com/- IMDb mini biography by: Randal Kleiser (qv's & corrections by A. Nonymous)
- ParentsJohn Raymond Kleiser Jr.Harriet Kelly Means
- RelativesJeffrey Kleiser(Sibling)David Ewing Kleiser(Sibling)
- College roommate of George Lucas.
- John Travolta recommend him to direct Grease (1978) after having worked with him on L'enfant bulle (1976).
- His house used as "Jennifer's" in the movie "Scream 3".
- He was originally going to direct Les Muppets dans l'espace (1999) but was dropped before production began.
- Older brother of Jeffrey Kleiser.
- I try to get the script onto film in an entertaining way. If there's any style, that's for other people to analyze because I don't consciously try to say, "Now, I'll give it this look." I try to go with the feel a script should have. When I do get into a darker film, I'll try to execute that as best I can, too. I don't consciously go into a project thinking that I'm now going to put my stamp on it.
- I would actually like to do a hard-edged picture and I'm trying to find one. The problem is that, like actors, directors get typecast. Because I've done funny, uplifting-type films, that's what I'm offered.
- I never knew they had made a film of "The Blue Lagoon" before (Le Lagon bleu (1949) with Jean Simmons). I hadn't seen it. It was Henry De Vere Stacpoole's book that inspired me; the images seemed so perfect for cinema. So, we're not remaking the earlier version, we're doing our version of the novel.
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