|
ethan
wiley
| ETHAN
WILEY made his screenwriting debut with 'House'. Born and
raised in the Northern Californian community of Marin County,
Wiley came to Los Angeles for UCLA 'Film & Theater Arts
School' where he studied |
 |
acting,writing
and directing. He
next worked for George Lucas's 'Industrial Light and Magic', creating
special effects for 'Return of the Jedi'. He was soon hired by Oscar
Award winner Chris Walas, where he designed and engineered special
effects for several movies including Steven Spielberg's 'Gremlins'
and Bob Zemeckis's 'Romancing the Stone'.
Ethan
next turned to writing and directing and scored a couple of surprise
hits with the comedy/horror movies, 'House' and 'House II'. Making
the unusual transition from special effects to screenwriting, Wiley
met Director Stephen Miner Through a mutual friend, also a writer:
"
I originally gave Stephen the script of 'House' simply to get
some feedback. I was aware of his success with the 'Friday the
13th' films and i knew he really understood the genre. Things
happened fairly quickly after that. Stephen loved the script and
wanted to do it, he introduced me to Producer Sean Cunningham
and the deal was set; I guess you could say the rest is history
"
House
debuted as the number one film in the U.S. and remains among the
top-grossing independent films, the second most profitable in
New World Pictures history. A total of four House movies were
eventually made.
Among
his other endeavors, Ethan has performed as a stand-up and improv
comedian, worked as a creative consultant for interactive multimedia
and produced original theater productions as director, writer
and actor. He plays a variety of stringed instruments, including
mandolin and mandocello and has performed with country-rocker
Terry Allen, Bay Area bluesman Mike Henderson, and N.Y. guitar
wizard Jon Sholle. You can visit Ethan's company
Mean Bunny
Entertainment here: www.meanbunny.com
Writer
Jake
& Joey (1999)
Children
of the Corn V: Field of Terror (1998)
...
aka Children of the Corn 5 (1998)
House
II: The Second Story (1987)
House
(1986)
Crew
Member
Gremlins
(1984) (creature technician)
Return
of the Jedi (1983) (creature technician)
...
aka Star Wars: Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) (USA: complete
title)
Director
Children
of the Corn V: Field of Terror (1998)
...
aka Children of the Corn 5 (1998)
House
II: The Second Story (1987)
For
further information:
Ethan
Wiley's imagination must be a strange place to live. I credit
Wiley with some of my most favourite notions in movie history.
Since I was a child, the dimensions present within the House have
always fascinated me. The idea that one can look through the window
and see a brick wall, but smash the glass and there's a whole
other world, gives rise to endless possibilities. Wiley exploits
this with his main character Roger Cobb. Cobb never uses accepted
logic for one moment, never stopping to rationalize that what
he sees - instinctively he knows that what he faces will lead
him back to his Son - and for that price, he is willing to exceed
the boundaries of any man-made edifice.
As
well as the hilarious comedic touches within House, there also
lies a spirited struggle to defeat one's personal demons, a lesson
which stretches back as far as storytelling itself.
Wiley
is a master of motifs. The Bathroom Cabinet, Skeleton Ben, Blood
Dance (the novel), The SandyWitch - all locations and characters
completely unique to this piece of work, never seen before or
since.
House
is endlessly quotable. And I hope Mr. Wiley is pleased to know
that his fans across the world still utter his lines 14 years
after the fact.
|
