Brian Medwin Trenchard-Smith (born 1946) is an English-Australian
filmmaker and author, known for his idiosyncratic and satirical
approach to low-budget genre films. His filmography covers action,
science fiction, martial arts, dystopian fiction, comedy, war, family,
thriller, romance and erotica, and his works tend to be cross-genre
pieces.After gaining experience as a writer and editor of film
trailers, Trenchard-Smith made documentary films for Australian
television, many of which focused on stunt performers and martial
artists, including his frequent collaborator Grant Page. He made his
directorial debut with The Man from Hong Kong (1975), the first film
to be produced as an international co-production between Australia and
Hong Kong. Many of Trenchard-Smith's preceding films over the next
decade became notable examples of the Ozploitation cycle, including
Deathcheaters (1976), Stunt Rock (1978), Turkey Shoot (1982), BMX
Bandits (1983), Frog Dreaming (1986) and Dead End Drive-In
(1986).Trenchard-Smith moved to Hollywood in 1990, and has since
primarily directed made-for-television and direct-to-video films. His
other notable works include The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989), Night
of the Demons 2 (1994), Leprechaun 3 (1995), Leprechaun 4: In Space
(1996), Happy Face Murders (1999), Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001),
DC 9/11: Time of Crisis (2003), Aztec Rex (2007), Chemistry (2011),
Absolute Deception (2013) and Drive Hard (2014). His debut novel, The
Headsman's Daughter (later retitled Alice Through the Multiverse), was
self-published in 2016. Several of Trenchard-Smith's films have
garnered cult followings and have been subject to critical
re-evaluation, and he has also been cited as one of Quentin
Tarantino's favourite directors.
filmmaker and author, known for his idiosyncratic and satirical
approach to low-budget genre films. His filmography covers action,
science fiction, martial arts, dystopian fiction, comedy, war, family,
thriller, romance and erotica, and his works tend to be cross-genre
pieces.After gaining experience as a writer and editor of film
trailers, Trenchard-Smith made documentary films for Australian
television, many of which focused on stunt performers and martial
artists, including his frequent collaborator Grant Page. He made his
directorial debut with The Man from Hong Kong (1975), the first film
to be produced as an international co-production between Australia and
Hong Kong. Many of Trenchard-Smith's preceding films over the next
decade became notable examples of the Ozploitation cycle, including
Deathcheaters (1976), Stunt Rock (1978), Turkey Shoot (1982), BMX
Bandits (1983), Frog Dreaming (1986) and Dead End Drive-In
(1986).Trenchard-Smith moved to Hollywood in 1990, and has since
primarily directed made-for-television and direct-to-video films. His
other notable works include The Siege of Firebase Gloria (1989), Night
of the Demons 2 (1994), Leprechaun 3 (1995), Leprechaun 4: In Space
(1996), Happy Face Murders (1999), Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001),
DC 9/11: Time of Crisis (2003), Aztec Rex (2007), Chemistry (2011),
Absolute Deception (2013) and Drive Hard (2014). His debut novel, The
Headsman's Daughter (later retitled Alice Through the Multiverse), was
self-published in 2016. Several of Trenchard-Smith's films have
garnered cult followings and have been subject to critical
re-evaluation, and he has also been cited as one of Quentin
Tarantino's favourite directors.
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