Paul Schrader's Man In A Room Trilogy

ABOUT THE SERIES:

The American Cinematheque is thrilled to welcome filmmaker Paul Schrader for a two-night tribute spotlighting his critically acclaimed ‘Man In A Room’ trilogy with FIRST REFORMED, THE CARD COUNTER and his new film MASTER GARDENER.

Paul Schrader was a latecomer to the movies – raised by strict Calvinists, he had to sneak out of the house to see his first film at age 17 – but quickly made up for lost time. Upon graduation from college with a minor in theology, he took up film studies at UCLA after being recommended by Pauline Kael. Following in the famed critic’s footsteps, Schrader wrote about film for a few years before moving into screenwriting in 1974 with THE YAKUZA and direction in 1978 with BLUE COLLAR.

Schrader’s work in both disciplines is marked by a probing intelligence, a reverence for character and the ability to smell the blood in any dramatic situation. As a writer, he’s best known for his frequent collaborations with Martin Scorsese; together they created indelible portraits of a Manhattan cabbie who descends into violence in TAXI DRIVER and self-destructive boxer Jake LaMotta in RAGING BULL.

Schrader has explored urban underbellies (HARDCORE) and biography (MISHIMA: A LIFE IN FOUR CHAPTERS) as a director as well. But he’s also helmed hit thrillers (AMERICAN GIGOLO) and horror movies (CAT PEOPLE). It’s a wide-ranging filmography that defies categorization and continues to establish him as one of the most exciting American auteurs working today.