Renny Harlin

Infobox actor


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birthname = Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola
birthdate = Birth date and age|1959|3|15
birthplace = Riihimäki, Finland
deathdate =
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yearsactive = 1980-present
spouse = Geena Davis (1993–1998)
website = http://RennyHarlin.com
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awards = Independent Spirit Awards 1991 "Rambling Rose"

Renny Harlin (born Renny Lauri Mauritz Harjola on March 15, 1959 in Riihimäki, Finland) is a Finnish American film director and producer, mostly known for action movies.

Biography

Early life

Renny Harlin was born in Finland in 1959 to a nurse mother and a physician father. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/83/Renny-Harlin.html Renny Harlin Biography (1959-) ] ] His mother often took him to see films at the cinema as a child, particularly those of Alfred Hitchcock, and he became enamored with the movies often citing Sam Peckinpah’s "The Wild Bunch" (1969) as one of his favourites. Harlin had a video camera from a very early age and made his first short at the age of 12.cite web |url = http://www.nndb.com/people/819/000043690/ |title = Renny Harlin |accessdate = July 23 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = NNDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] At the age of 14 he decided to became a film director after he saw Don Siegel and Charles Bronson in Helsinki for the filming of "Telefon" (1977).cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001317/ |title = Renny Harlin |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

In 1980, Harlin was working as a commercial director for companies such as Shell Oil while he wrote and directed the 6-minute short "Huostaanotto" (a.k.a. "Custody International") which received its belated premier on Finnish television on 4 November 1979.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165825/ |title = Huostaanotto (1980) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] .The following year, 1981, he was assistant cameraman on "Läpimurto" (a.k.a. "The Breakthrough"), directed by Janne Kuusi, and made a cameo appearance as a police officer.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0165825/ |title = Läpimurto (1981) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] That same year he was also cinematographer on two short films; "Posliinikissa" directed by Kari Paljakka,cite web
url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0923852/ |title = Posliinikissa (1981) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] and "Jos minä olisin aikuinen" directed by Per-Olof Strandberg.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1054012/ |title = Jos minä olisin aikuinen (1981) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] He then made the documentary short "Hold On" which won the Best Short Subject Award at the 1982 national film board awards hosted by YLE.cite web |url = http://www.tcmdb.com/participant/participant.jsp?participantId=81294|0&afiPersonalNameId=null |title = Renny Harlin |accessdate = July 23 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = TCMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

Harlin started working as a buyer for a Finnish film-distribution company and while on a business trip to L.A. he met up with aspiring film writer/producer Markus Selin. The two Finns would become long-term friends and collaborators. They quickly set to work on the script for their first film "Born American" (a.k.a. "Arctic Heat").cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091313/ |title = Born American (1986) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] This was a feature length action movie about three Americans vacationing in Finland who cross the border into the Soviet Union. It was originally supposed to star Chuck Norris but he backed out when filming was delayed by funding problems and his son, Mike Norris, landed the lead instead. A U.S./Finnish co-production, this was at that time the most expensive film ever to have been made in Finland but it was initially banned in that country as it was feared it could do harm to their international relations.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0783203/ |title = Markus Selin |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] The pairing followed this in 1987 with "Wild Force: S.O.P.H.I.A." (a.k.a. "I want you to stay") but failed to secure a distributor.cite web |url = http://www.elonet.fi/title/ekspvx/ |title = Wild Force: S.O.P.H.I.A. (1987) |accessdate = July 23 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = elonet.fi |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] Nonetheless the moderate international success of their first film allowed Harlin to get his foot in the door in Hollywood.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001317/ |title = Renny Harlin |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = IMDB.com |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

uccess in Hollywood

Harlin quickly moved to the U.S. where he was initially put to work directing low-budget horror movies but commercial success was soon to follow. In 1988, Irwin Yablans of Empire Pictures hired him to direct Viggo Mortensen, Chelsea Field and Lane Smith in the low-budget horror film "Prison" filmed at a former state prison in Rawlins, Wyoming.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095904/ |title = IMDB.com Prison (1988) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] That same year Robert Shaye of New Line Cinema, after some initial doubts, hired him to direct another low-budget horror film, "", which became the highest grossing independent film at that time by earning $49 million in the US. Harlin cameos in the film as a student while a publicity poster for "Prison" can be seen in the background of a scene in a movie theatre.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095742/ |title = IMDB.com A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

Following this success 20th Century Fox approached Harlin with sci-fi/horror sequel "Alien³". After working on the trouble-prone project for a year, he left in 1990 claiming not to be satisfied with any of the multiple scripts that had been drafted and stating that he wanted to do something completely different.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103644/ |title = IMDB.com Alien³ (1992) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] The next day the studio offered him rock-and-roll comedy "The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" starring stand-up comic Andrew Dice Clay.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098987/ |title = IMDB.com The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] Studio executives were so impressed by the dailies on this film that they offered Harlin action sequel "Die Hard 2" staring Bruce Willis, which he set to work on immediately.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099423/ |title = IMDB.com Die Hard 2 (1990) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] The two films were edited simultaneously and were released just one-month apart after being shipped to the theaters as "wet prints". The former flopped but the latter was another commercial success for the director. He achieved critical acclaim the following year, 1991, when he produced "Rambling Rose", through his own recently formed Midnight Sun Pictures, for director Martha Coolidge which won him the Best Feature award at the 1992 Independent Spirit Awards and got his star and then partner Laura Dern a Best Actress Oscar nomination at the 1992 Academy Awards.

1993 was a big year for Harlin, Mario Kassar of Carolco Pictures who had worked with him on "Rambling Rose" offered him "Gale Force" a film about hurricanes with Sylvester Stallone attached to star. Harlin initially turned down the offer due to the scripts similarities to "Die Hard 2" but Kassar kept offering a bigger salary, changing the pay scale of Hollywood directors, until Harlin accepted. The films projected cost spiraled and eventually the plug was pulled but the project went on to evolve into "Cliffhanger". This film was another commercial success and is credited with reviving Stallone’s flagging career. The actor became good friends with his director, Harlin.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106582/ |title = IMDB.com Cliffhanger (1993) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] This same year Harlin married American actress Geena Davis and also found time to return to his homeland to write and direct the TV series "Gladiaattorit" (the Finnish version of "American Gladiators") with old friend and collaborator Markus Selin.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0320015/ |title = IMDB.com Gladiaattorit (1993-94) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

Later career in Hollywood

Returning to Hollywood, Harlin and his new wife formed a production company known as The Forge. Through this company Harlin produced comedy film "Speechless" for director Ron Underwood which got star Davis a 1995 Golden Globe nomination.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111256/ |title = IMDB.com Speechless (1994) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

In 1995, Harlin set to work on a pirate movie called "Cutthroat Island" with Michael Douglas attached to star. Harlin convinced producer Mario Kassar that, despite being known for light-weight comedy roles, Davis was perfect for the female love interest in this action blockbuster. After Kassar agreed Harlin set about beefing up Davis’ role until Douglas left the production giving her the lead. The $92 million production, in which Harlin cameos as a pirate, went on to be a major critical and commercial failure entering the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest loss of money for a studio ever. That studio, Carolco Pictures, went bankrupt as a result.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112760/ |title = IMDB.com Cutthroat Island (1995) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] Undeterred Harlin returned to New Line Cinema in 1996 for his next production and action/thriller called "The Long Kiss Goodnight" staring Davis and Samuel L. Jackson.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116908/ |title = IMDB.com The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] This was another commercial failure that effectively ended Davis' movie career.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000133/ |title = IMDB.com Geena Davis |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] The couple went on to executive produce the HBO TV movie "Mistrial" but the marriage was effectively over.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0117061/ |title = IMDB.com Mistrial (1996) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

Harlin and Davis were finally divorced in 1998. That same year, looking for a summer blockbuster for 1999, Warner Bros. re-teamed Harlin with Jackson for the shark movie "Deep Blue Sea". The film, in which Harlin cameos, was mistakenly thought to be a comedy by some and was not the box office hit the studio had wanted. It did, however, make a respectable $73 million domestically and $164 million worldwide.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149261/ |title = IMDB.com Deep Blue Sea (1999) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] Harlin went on to produce comedy "Blast from the Past" through both The Forge and Midnight Sun Pictures for director Hugh Wilson.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0124298/ |title = IMDB.com Blast from the Past (1999) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] The following year, 2000, he returned to TV appearing in a couple of episodes of old friend Markus Selin's Finnish series "Susi rajalla"cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0259812/ |title = IMDB.com Susi rajalla (2000) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] and directing the pilot episode for Fox Television's "T.R.A.X." which was not picked-up.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0221622/ |title = IMDB.com T.R.A.X. (2000) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] . At this relative low point in his career, in 2001, it was old friend Sylvester Stallone, who helped Harlin out by bringing him on board as producer and director of race-car movie "Driven" in which he also cameos, however the final product was a yet another critical and commercial failure.cite web |url = http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0132245/ |title = IMDB.com Driven (2001) |accessdate = July 21 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = |pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ]

Harlin's next project was to be a movie adaptation of Ray Bradbury short story "A Sound of Thunder" but he passed the directors chair to Peter Hyams, staying on as executive producer through The Forge, and instead returned to his roots with a couple of low budget horror movies.

Harlin picked up the reigns on slasher movie "Mindhunters" when original director Peter Howitt dropped out and spent a long time editing and re-editing this thriller but the release was delayed by studio conflicts. He then went on to re-shoot a more traditional horror version of "" when the studio were unhappy with the psychological drama cut from director Paul Schrader.cite web |url = http://www.movieweb.com/news/98/2798.php |title = Nothing left of Paul Schrader's EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING |accessdate = July 22 |accessdaymonth = |accessmonthday = |accessyear = 2007 |author = Variety |last = |first = |authorlink = |coauthors = |date = |year = |month = |format = |work =|publisher = MovieWeb.com|pages = |doi = |archiveurl = |archivedate = |quote = ] Due to the delays with "Mindhunters" both films ended up being released in 2004 and both were moderate successes.

In 2006, Harlin re-teamed with old friend and collaborator Markus Selin to direct a biopic of Finnish President Gustaf Mannerheim, but the budget projection spiraled and the project was put on hold. Instead Harlin made yet another foray into low-budget horror with "The Covenant", which was another moderate commercial success. In 2007 the Mannerheim film project moved on, and Harlin returned to Finland. Production is set to begin during 2008 with Mikko Nousiainen starring as Mannerheim. The film will premiere in 2009.

Despite Harlin's string of failures since the mid-1990s, he is still ranked as one of the top-grossing directors of all time, with his movies having produced a combined U.S. domestic gross of $494,308,370 as of June, 2008, [ [http://the-numbers.com/people/directors/RHARL.php] US domestic box office data] which places him 70th on the list of highest grossing directors (based on U.S. domestic gross revenue alone). [ [http://the-numbers.com/people/directors/ Directors gross revenue figures based on U.S. release] ]

Future projects

Harlin currently has two films in production or pre-production; an adaption of the comic-book series "Brodie's Law", and a Finnish film project "Mannerheim" based on the life of Marshal of Finland, Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim.

Projects outside film industry

Harlin has been involved in few projects outside film industry. In the 1990s Harlin was starting the Planet Hollywood restaurant in Helsinki. At the same time he was one of the new owners of the Planet FunFun indoor amusement park in Kerava (previously known as Fanfaari). Both of these ventures were short-lived and in few years time both the restaurant and amusement park were closed.

Filmography

*"Huostaanotto" (a.k.a. "Custody") (1980)
*"Hold On" (1982)
*"Born American" (a.k.a. "Arctic Heat") (1986)
*"Prison" (1988)
*"" (1988)
*"The Adventures of Ford Fairlane" (1990)
*"Die Hard 2" (1990)
*"Rambling Rose" (1991) (producer)
*"Cliffhanger" (1993)
*"Cutthroat Island" (1995)
*"The Long Kiss Goodnight" (1996)
*"Deep Blue Sea" (1999)
*"Driven" (2001)
*"Mindhunters" (2004)
*"" (2004)
*"The Covenant" (2006)
*"Cleaner" (2007)
*"12 Rounds (2009)
*"Brodie's Law (film)" (TBA)
*"Mannerheim" (TBA)

References

External links

* [http://www.rennyharlin.com/ Official site]
*imdb name|id=0001317|name=Renny Harlin
*tcmdb name|81294|Renny Harlin

Persondata
NAME=Harlin, Renny
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Harjola, Lauri Mauritz
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Finnish film director and film producer
DATE OF BIRTH=15 March, 1959
PLACE OF BIRTH=Riihimäki, Finland
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=