Adrian Lyne

Birthday: 4 March 1941, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Adrian Lyne (Director/Writer/Producer) is the creative force behind some of the most talked-about movies of our time, among them, "Fatal Attraction", "9 1/2 Weeks", "Flashdanc ...Show More

Adrian Lyne (Director/Writer/Producer) is the creative force behind some of the most talked-about movies of our time, among them, "Fatal Attraction", "9 1/2 Weeks", "Flashdance", "Indecent Proposal", "Jacob's Ladder" and "Unfaithful".Born in Peterborough, England and raised in London, Lyne attended the Highgate school, where his father was a teacher. In his twenties, he played trumpet with the jazz group, The Colin Kellard Band. An avid moviegoer during his school days, he was inspired to make his own films by the work of French New Wave directors like Godard, Truffaut and Chabrol. Two of his early short films, "The Table" and "Mr. Smith," were official entries in the London Film Festival.Lyne made his feature filmmaking debut in 1980 with "Foxes", a perceptive look at the friendship of four teenage girls growing up in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley, starring Jodie Foster. His next film, "Flashdance", an innovative blend of rock 'n' roll, new dance styles, and breathtaking imagery, created a sensation in 1983. Lyne's bravura visuals, perfectly wedded to Giorgio Moroder's powerful score, propelled the story of an aspiring ballerina (Jennifer Beals, in her film debut) who works in a factory by day and dances in a club at night. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, with the theme song, "What a Feeling", winning the Oscar for Best Song. In 1986, Lyne attracted controversy with "9 1/2 Weeks". Based on a novel by Elizabeth McNeill, the tale of a sexually-obsessive relationship starred Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger. Although considered too explicit by its American distributor, and cut for U. S. release, it became a huge hit abroad in its unedited version. Lyne's fourth film was the box-office phenomenon "Fatal Attraction", which to date has generated over $600 million in revenues worldwide. The story of a happily-married lawyer (Michael Douglas) who tries to break off an affair with an attractive single woman (Glenn Close), only to have her become obsessed with him and endanger his family, the film struck a powerful chord with audiences and was one of the most successful films of the year. Deemed "the Zeitgeist hit of the decade" by TIME Magazine, "Fatal Attraction" won six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Glenn Close), Best Supporting Actress (Anne Archer), Best Screenplay and Best Editing. In 1990, Lyne pushed the boundaries of psychological terror with the thriller "Jacob's Ladder". Written by Academy Award-winner Bruce Joel Rubin ("Ghost") and starring Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena and Danny Aiello, the film took audiences on a tortuous ride through Vietnam veteran Jacob Singer's (Robbins) nightmarish world of reality and unexplainable hallucinations to reveal a shocking and intensely-debated conclusion. The film won Best Picture at the Avoriaz Film Festival. With "Indecent Proposal", Lyne examined how the sexes look at relationships and money. Starring Robert Redford, Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore, "Indecent Proposal" became a worldwide hit. His film, "Lolita", based on the modern classic novel by Vladimir Nabokov, was filmed for theatrical release, but American distributors shied away from it due to its controversial subject matter. The film premiered on Showtime, and was so well-received that national theatrical distribution soon followed. His next film "Unfaithful" was loosely based on Claude Chabrol's "La Femme Infidèle". The movie stars Richard Gere and Diane Lane in a disturbing story of a marriage in trouble. Lane received much praise for her performance. She won awards for best actress from the National Society of Film Critics and New York Film Critics, and was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Actress.When not working in the United States, Lyne lives with his family in a rural village in Southern France. Hide

I've always hated advertising, but I treated commercials as little films. I wasn't remotely interest Show more I've always hated advertising, but I treated commercials as little films. I wasn't remotely interested in whether or not they sold the product, it was just a fabulous way for me to learn how to do it. Hide

I like movies that create discussion; I love it when they haven't forgotten about your movie by dinn Show more I like movies that create discussion; I love it when they haven't forgotten about your movie by dinnertime and they're still arguing about it the next day - that's what a movie should do, it should create discussion. Hide

People say, "Oh, you're good visually." Of course I care about that, but the only thing that is real Show more People say, "Oh, you're good visually." Of course I care about that, but the only thing that is really important is the performances. Hide

[on Lolita (1997)] I wanted to make a movie of Nabokov's novel, because it's, I think, one of the gr Show more [on Lolita (1997)] I wanted to make a movie of Nabokov's novel, because it's, I think, one of the great novels of this century. In the end, it's a love story - it's a strange and awful love story. This subject seems to be the last taboo. I think that what the audience maybe will find disturbing is that they don't hate Humbert, at least they don't totally hate him - they kind of like him in some ways - and I think that this is disturbing for an audience to deal with and I think that that will create discussion. They want to hate him but they can't really. It's awful what he does to Lolita, obviously, but then they find themselves laughing with him and sometimes sympathizing with him and, ultimately, they understand that he really did love her. It would be much more convenient, much easier, if they just loathed him, if he was a monster. It's the most extraordinary mix; it makes you laugh, it makes you cry, it makes you horrified and that's all you can want from a movie. Hide

[on Mickey Rourke] He fascinates me. I can't take my eyes off him because he's never doing nothing. [on Mickey Rourke] He fascinates me. I can't take my eyes off him because he's never doing nothing.

I'm fascinated by relationships and how they work or don't work. I'm much more interested in the sma Show more I'm fascinated by relationships and how they work or don't work. I'm much more interested in the small picture than the big one, because I think the minutiae and the breath in one's face are much more interesting than the landscape out there. Hide

Before I started my first film, Foxes (1980), with Jodie Foster, I rang up Howard Zieff, who was a v Show more Before I started my first film, Foxes (1980), with Jodie Foster, I rang up Howard Zieff, who was a very famous commercial director, and actually quite successful as a feature film director. I said, "What would you tell me? Give me some advice before I start this film." He thought for a long while and finally said: "Be on it at the end." Hide

I never understood how a director can impose a style on a movie. I think the drama within the scene Show more I never understood how a director can impose a style on a movie. I think the drama within the scene should dictate the way it is shot. Hide

Adrian Lyne's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (2) as Director (7)

Fatal Attraction

Jacobs Ladder

Becoming Iconic

Indecent Proposal

Hollywood, No Sex Please!

Lolita (1997)

Unfaithful

Flashdance

Nine 1/2 Weeks