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Peter Hyams is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer, Director of Photography and Cinematography American born on 26 july 1943 at New York City (USA)

Peter Hyams

Peter Hyams
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Nationality USA
Birth 26 july 1943 (80 years) at New York City (USA)

Peter Hyams (born July 26, 1943) is an American director, screenwriter and cinematographer, probably best known for directing the 1981 science fiction thriller Outland, Capricorn One, 2010 (the sequel to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey), the action/comedy Running Scared, the comic book adaptation Timecop, the action film Sudden Death (both starring Jean-Claude Van Damme), and the horror films The Relic and End of Days.

Biography

Family
Hyams was born in New York City, New York, the son of Ruth Hurok and Barry Hyams, who was a theatrical producer and publicist on Broadway. His maternal grandfather was Sol Hurok, the Russian Jewish impresario. His stepfather was blacklisted Arthur Lief. His sister is casting director Nessa Hyams. His son John Hyams is also a film director and nephew Stephen Hyams.


Career
Hyams studied art and music at Hunter College and Syracuse University, before working as a producer/anchorman for WHDH-TV and later WBBM-TV. He has described himself as "one of the very few writer/directors of major films who also photographs his own pictures". During his time with CBS (where he worked from 1964 to 1970), he began to shoot documentary films. Hyams moved to Los Angeles in 1970 where he sold his first screenplay, T.R. Baskin, to Paramount Pictures in 1971.

Hyams worked in television through the early to mid-1970s. His first major film was Capricorn One (1978), a critically acclaimed conspiracy thriller about a faked mission to Mars. This was followed by the less successful Hanover Street (1979) which starred Harrison Ford, and the science fiction cult classic Outland (1981), which starred Sean Connery in a 'High Noon' scenario set on Io, one of Jupiter's moons. In 1983, he produced, directed, and wrote the screenplay for 2010 (1984), collaborating closely with author Arthur C. Clarke (2010).

Hyams also co-authored with Clarke The Odyssey File: The Making of 2010, published 1985, a collection of their email correspondence which illustrates their fascination with the then pioneering medium, and its use for them to communicate on an almost daily basis while planning and producing the film.

Since the mid-1980s, Hyams has directed/photographed several Hollywood-based movies with varying degrees of commercial and critical success. These movies include: The Star Chamber (1983), Running Scared (1986), The Presidio (1988), Narrow Margin (1990), Stay Tuned (1992), Timecop (1994), and The Relic (1997). The blockbuster End of Days (1999) starring Arnold Schwarzenegger is the highest-grossing film in Hyams' career, grossing over $200 million at the worldwide box-office but met with negative reception.

His two most recent films are The Musketeer (2001) and A Sound of Thunder (2005). The Musketeer (2001) was a minor box office success in the United States. However, A Sound of Thunder (2005), which faced troubles during its production (including the bankruptcy of the original production company during post-production), performed particularly badly at the box office worldwide and poorly received by critics.

In addition, Hyams also directed various episodes of Steven Spielberg's television show, Amazing Stories. He executive produced the 1980s cult kids movie, The Monster Squad (1986), and co-wrote the screenplay for the Charles Bronson thriller, Telefon (1977).

In 2007, it was reported that he would direct the remake of his own Capricorn One, instead he directed the remake of the 1956 film noir Beyond a Reasonable Doubt starring Michael Douglas, which was released in 2009 as a result the film was a box office flop and panned by critics. He also elaborated the cinematography of his son John's effort, Universal Soldier: Regeneration, the third official Universal Soldier sequel starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren.

Currently, he is set to direct the thriller Enemies Closer which begins filming in late 2012. It will mark his fourth (third directorial) collaboration with Jean-Claude Van Damme.


Personal life
On December 19, 1964 he married George-Ann Spota, with whom he has three children. His son John Hyams is also a film director; Peter performed cinematography duties on his son's film Universal Soldier: Regeneration.


Trademark
Hyams is well known for acting as his own cinematographer on the movies he directs.

As a reference to his wife's family, there's a minor character named Spota in many of his films, the exceptions being, A Sound of Thunder (although there was a market called "Spotas"), End of Days (although there was a bar called "Spotas"), Stay Tuned, Narrow Margin, Running Scared, 2010, Hanover Street and Peeper.

Best films

End of Days (1999)
(Director)
Timecop (1994)
(Director)
2010 (1984)
(Director)
The Relic (1997)
(Director)
Outland (1981)
(Director)

Usually with

John Hyams
John Hyams
(5 films)
Don Calfa
Don Calfa
(6 films)
James Sikking
James Sikking
(4 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of Peter Hyams (29 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

We Blew It
We Blew It (2017)
, 2h17
Directed by Jean-Baptiste Thoret
Origin France
Genres Documentary
Actors Ronee Blakley, Peter Bogdanovich, Charles Burnett, Tobe Hooper, Peter Hyams, Jeff Lieberman
Roles Self
Rating57% 2.8636352.8636352.8636352.8636352.863635
Jean-Baptiste Thoret revient sur les utopies des années 1960 et 1970 pour comprendre comment l'Amérique est passée d'Easy Rider à Donald Trump.
O.J.: Made in America
Directed by Ezra Edelman
Origin USA
Genres Documentary, Historical, Crime
Themes Sports films, Documentary films about sports, Documentaire sur une personnalité
Actors Peter Hyams, David Zucker, Walter Mosley, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Leslie Nielsen, Beatrice Arthur
Roles Self
Rating88% 4.4464254.4464254.4464254.4464254.446425
« JO: Made in America » retrace l'histoire de la race au cours des dernières décennies à travers la lentille de la montée et la chute de OJ Simpson. Il est peut-être la définition histoire culturelle de l'Amérique du 20e siècle, qui se concentre autour de deux des plus grands de notre pays fixations: race et célébrité. « JO: Made in America » explorera ces thèmes en traçant un parcours personnel, de la façon dont Orenthal James Simpson premier est devenu une star de football, la raison pour laquelle le pays est tombé en amour avec lui en dehors du terrain, à son être accusé du meurtre de son ex femme et son acquittement subséquent et pourquoi il est maintenant assis en prison 20 ans plus tard pour un autre crime.
Stay Tuned
Stay Tuned (1992)
, 1h28
Directed by Peter Hyams, Chuck Jones
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about religion, Films about television, Demons in film, Comedy horror films
Actors John Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones, Eugene Levy, David Tom, Heather McComb
Rating61% 3.099423.099423.099423.099423.09942
The film's primary protagonists are Roy Knable (John Ritter), a couch potato, struggling Seattle plumbing salesman and former fencing athlete, and his neglected wife Helen (Pam Dawber), a senior vitamin product manager. After a fight (which involved Helen smashing the family television screen with one of Roy's fencing trophies as a wake-up call to reality), Mr. Spike (Jeffrey Jones) appears at the couples' door, offering him a new high tech satellite dish system filled with 666 channels of programs one cannot view on the four big networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox). What Roy doesn't know is that Spike (later referred to as "Mephistopheles of the Cathode Ray") is an emissary from hell who wants to boost the influx of souls by arranging for TV junkies to be killed in the most gruesome and ironic situations imaginable. The 'candidates' are sucked into a hellish television world, called Hell Vision, and put through a gauntlet where they must survive a number of satirical versions of sitcoms and movies. If they can survive for 24 hours they are free to go but if they get killed then their souls will become the property of Satan (the latter usually happens).

Director

Enemies Closer, 1h25
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action
Actors Jean-Claude Van Damme, Tom Everett Scott, Orlando Jones, Kristopher Van Varenberg, Linzey Cocker, Zachari Baharov
Rating51% 2.5534252.5534252.5534252.5534252.553425
Forest ranger and Ex-Navy SEAL Henry (Tom Everett Scott) is forced by a local drug cartel led by Xander (Jean-Claude Van Damme) to help retrieve a major shipment of drugs which went missing on the US-Canadian border. While in the woods, he runs into Clay (Orlando Jones), who has a vendetta against him. However, both men must struggle to escape the forest and defeat the cartel, while at odds and at knife's edge with each other.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, 1h46
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime, Romance
Actors Jesse Metcalfe, Amber Tamblyn, Michael Douglas, Joel Moore, Orlando Jones, Juli Erickson
Rating57% 2.8991852.8991852.8991852.8991852.899185
The film opens on a close-up of a frightened woman's eyes. The camera pulls back to reveal that she's undergoing a blind tasting of coffee by local TV reporter CJ Nicholas (Jesse Metcalfe). He heads to the courthouse to watch Shreveport District Attorney Mark Hunter (Michael Douglas) give his final argument on a murder case. CJ pigeonholes Assistant D.A. Ella Crystal (Amber Tamblyn) afterward and asks her for the videotape of the murderer's interrogation. He also presses her for a date. She reluctantly agrees to both.
A Sound of Thunder, 1h50
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin United-kingdom
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about animals, Dinosaur films, Post-apocalyptic films, La préhistoire, Films about religion, Time travel films, Films based on science fiction novels, Films set in the future, Animaux préhistoriques, Political films, Dystopian films, Alternate history films, Disaster films
Actors Edward Burns, Catherine McCormack, Ben Kingsley, Wilfried Hochholdinger, Heike Makatsch, David Oyelowo
Rating42% 2.106082.106082.106082.106082.10608
In 2055 Chicago, the Time Safari company offers the ability for people to hunt dinosaurs in the past via time travel technology. Because of the dangers of interferring with the time line, the company's activities are is vocally attacked by Sonia Rand, the developer of the time machine software TAMI, who feels scorned for not receiving credit and fears they may alter the past through their activities.
The Musketeer, 1h45
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Swashbuckler, Action, Adventure, Romance
Themes Histoire de France
Actors Catherine Deneuve, Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Tim Roth, Justin Chambers, Bill Treacher
Rating47% 2.3548152.3548152.3548152.3548152.354815
As a young boy, d'Artagnan witnesses the murder of his parents at the hands of Febre (Tim Roth), chief henchman of Cardinal Richelieu (Stephen Rea). d'Artagnan is nearly killed after using his dead father's sword to fight Febre which leaves him with a permanent scar and blinds him in one eye. d'Artagnan is taken in by family friend Planchet (Jean-Pierre Castaldi), a former musketeer, one of the loyal protectors of King Louis XIII (Daniel Mesguich).
End of Days, 2h4
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Fantastic
Themes Films about families, La fin du monde, Films about religion, Films about sexuality, Films set in the future, Demons in film, Political films, Dystopian films, Disaster films
Actors Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Robin Tunney, Rod Steiger, Udo Kier
Rating58% 2.9019252.9019252.9019252.9019252.901925
In 1979 a priest at the Vatican sees a comet arching over the moon (described as the "Eye of God"), heralding the birth of one chosen to be the mother of Satan's child. The priest is sent on a mission by the pope (Mark Margolis) to find and protect the girl from Satan, although a few Vatican knights (led by a corrupt cardinal (Michael O'Hagan)) insist that she must die. In New York a newborn girl, Christine York (Robin Tunney), is identified by Satanists (including her physician, Dr. Abel (Udo Kier), and her nurse and future guardian, Mabel (Miriam Margolyes)) as the person chosen to bear Satan's child on New Year's Eve, 1999. The Satanists perform occult rites on the newborn.
The Relic
The Relic (1997)
, 1h50
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Horror
Themes Giant monster films, Disaster films
Actors Penelope Ann Miller, Tom Sizemore, Linda Hunt, James Whitmore, Clayton Rohner, John Kapelos
Rating58% 2.9014252.9014252.9014252.9014252.901425
John Whitney (Lewis Van Bergen), an anthropologist for the Museum of Natural History in Chicago, is studying a newly discovered tribe in South America, and drinks a soup made for him by the tribesmen. A short time later, he is seen accosting the captain of a merchant ship, asking that the shipment he has sent back to Chicago be unloaded from the ship. When the captain informs him that it's too late because the ship is about to leave, Whitney sneaks aboard. As the ship leaves the dock, Whitney searches through the cargo hold for his crates, crying out in despair when he does not find what he's looking for.
Sudden Death, 1h50
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure
Themes Sports films, Films about terrorism, Films about the labor movement, Ice hockey films, Sports d'hiver
Actors Jean-Claude Van Damme, Powers Boothe, Raymond J. Barry, Whittni Wright, Ross Malinger, Dorian Harewood
Rating58% 2.901632.901632.901632.901632.90163
Darren McCord (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a Canadian-born firefighter with the Pittsburgh Fire Bureau who suffered a personal crisis after he was unable to save a young girl from a house fire. Now removed from active duty, Darren is the fire marshal for the Civic Arena.
Timecop
Timecop (1994)
, 1h38
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime, Romance
Themes Sports films, Time travel films, Films set in the future, Martial arts films, Superhero films
Actors Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, Ron Silver, Gloria Reuben, Bruce McGill, Scott Lawrence
Rating59% 2.9508652.9508652.9508652.9508652.950865
In 1863, Confederate soldiers are carrying a gold bullion as a payday for the army. Suddenly, they are cornered and shot by a highwayman using anachronistic machine pistols and futuristic tech equipment, leaving them stranded and dead before suddenly vaporizing into the mist.
Stay Tuned
Stay Tuned (1992)
, 1h28
Directed by Peter Hyams, Chuck Jones
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about religion, Films about television, Demons in film, Comedy horror films
Actors John Ritter, Pam Dawber, Jeffrey Jones, Eugene Levy, David Tom, Heather McComb
Rating61% 3.099423.099423.099423.099423.09942
The film's primary protagonists are Roy Knable (John Ritter), a couch potato, struggling Seattle plumbing salesman and former fencing athlete, and his neglected wife Helen (Pam Dawber), a senior vitamin product manager. After a fight (which involved Helen smashing the family television screen with one of Roy's fencing trophies as a wake-up call to reality), Mr. Spike (Jeffrey Jones) appears at the couples' door, offering him a new high tech satellite dish system filled with 666 channels of programs one cannot view on the four big networks (CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox). What Roy doesn't know is that Spike (later referred to as "Mephistopheles of the Cathode Ray") is an emissary from hell who wants to boost the influx of souls by arranging for TV junkies to be killed in the most gruesome and ironic situations imaginable. The 'candidates' are sucked into a hellish television world, called Hell Vision, and put through a gauntlet where they must survive a number of satirical versions of sitcoms and movies. If they can survive for 24 hours they are free to go but if they get killed then their souls will become the property of Satan (the latter usually happens).
Narrow Margin, 1h37
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Action, Crime
Themes Transport films, Rail transport films
Actors Gene Hackman, Anne Archer, James Sikking, J. T. Walsh, M. Emmet Walsh, Harris Yulin
Rating65% 3.29753.29753.29753.29753.2975
Carol Hunnicut (Anne Archer) goes out on a blind date set up by her friend, in a hotel restaurant in Los Angeles with Michael Tarlow (J. T. Walsh), a lawyer about whom she knows very little. When Tarlow receives a message during dinner to call a client, she accompanies him to his hotel suite while he makes the call. While she is in the bathroom in the suite, the client, gangster Leo Watts (Harris Yulin), arrives in person with one of his hit men, Jack Wootton (Nigel Bennett). Watts accuses Tarlow of stealing money from him. After a fearful Tarlow admits that he did, Wootton shoots him to death. Carol witnesses Tarlow's admission that he stole the money and the murder itself from an adjacent room, but Watts and Wootton do not detect her. After they leave, she waits for almost an hour before fleeing the scene. Fearing for her life, Carol does not report the murder to the authorities.
The Presidio, 1h38
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Action, Adventure, Crime
Actors Sean Connery, Mark Harmon, Meg Ryan, Jack Warden, Mark Blum, Jenette Goldstein
Rating58% 2.949342.949342.949342.949342.94934
At the Presidio Army base in San Francisco, MP Patti Jean Lynch (Jenette Goldstein) is shot dead while investigating a break-in on the base and two San Francisco Police officers are killed in the getaway. Jay Austin (Mark Harmon), a San Francisco police inspector, is sent to investigate. He clashes with Lieutenant Colonel Alan Caldwell (Sean Connery), the base Provost Marshal.
Running Scared, 1h47
Directed by Peter Hyams
Origin USA
Genres Thriller, Comedy, Action, Crime
Themes Buddy films
Actors Gregory Hines, Billy Crystal, Jimmy Smits, Steven Bauer, Jon Gries, Darlanne Fluegel
Rating64% 3.2469153.2469153.2469153.2469153.246915
Ray Hughes (Hines) and Danny Costanzo (Crystal) are two detectives working Chicago's North Side, known for their wisecracking demeanors and unorthodox police methods, which get results in their various cases. One such case involves trying to bust up-and-coming drug dealer Julio Gonzales (Jimmy Smits). After arresting Snake (Joe Pantoliano), one of Julio’s associates, they convince him to wear a wire in order to get the necessary evidence to put Julio away. When they approach the meeting place (a cargo ship) they find that Gonzales has acquired a large store of Israeli Uzi submachine guns. Snake is setting the detectives up, however, prompting the detectives to rush in by acting as though Gonzales was preparing to kill him. Gonzales reveals his ambition to be the next "godfather" of Chicago, but chastises Snake for letting the detectives get close, and Snake is shot dead by a subordinate. The pair look as though they will be killed for sure, but two undercover detectives in Julio’s gang step in to make the arrest. In the ensuing gun battle, most of Julio’s gang escape, but Ray and Danny capture Gonzales.