Larry Cohen Biography

Fast Facts

• He began his career as a TV writer but decided to make his own films when he became dissatified with other people's adaptations of his screenplays
• Quote: "(On what his films have to offer) "An above-average quality of dialogue, truthful characterisations, an intricate plot with lots of twists and turns and, in the latter films, quite a touch of humour․""
• Quote: "(On making good films) "You can dress things up with special effects and production values and throw big name actors onto the screen, but if you don't have a good story to tell then it is all for nothing․""
• Is best known for making low-budget, yet imaginative, horror and science-fiction films
• Directed Bette Davis in "Wicked Stepmother," her final film, which he wrote for her, and which was released direct-to-video due to Davis' health
• He wrote the script for "Phone Booth" which was involved in a bidding war and ended up in the hands of director Joel Schumacher who completed it in 2002, but its release was delayed due to real-life sniper attacks happening at that time
• Filmed "Hell Up in Harlem" and "It's Alive" at the same time and with much of the same crew