John Sayles was born on 28 September 1950.
Sayles is a notable director but not really a psychotronic director. When he was in charge, he tended toward drama and social commentary. I’m very fond of Matewan but it isn’t psychotronic (even if I’ve made the argument that it is).
But as a screenwriter, John Sayles is a psychotronic icon. We don’t need to go any further than his first screenplay, Piranha. There were a lot of films that came out in the late 1970s that tried to capitalize on Jaws. And I tend to like them. But I can’t say they are exactly good. But Piranha definitely is. And for a first produced screenplay: wow!
Sayles went on to write Battle Beyond the Stars, which is way better than it should be. And then there was Alligator. And he co-wrote The Howling. I’m not a fan of werewolf films. But this is one of the best.
The bottom line is Sayles writes films that are better than what we get from others. And, as I tell young filmmakers, things are so much easier if you start with a solid script. And check this out: it doesn’t cost anything to rewrite a screenplay!
The only true psychotronic John Sayles directed is The Brother from Another Planet. And even it is more art than psychotronic.
Let’s celebrate John Sayles’ 75th birthday by watching Alligator. It is a solid monster film that demonstrates his prowess as a screenwriter. It also features a young Robert Forster.
Other 28 September Anniversaries
Filmmakers
- Peter Finch (1916-1977): “I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
- Arnold Stang (1918-2009): Actor known for The Man with the Golden Arm and Hercules in New York.
- William Windom (1923-2012): Actor known for Now You See Him, Now You Don’t, Escape From the Planet of the Apes, and arguably the best episode of Night Gallery.
- Brigitte Bardot (1934-2025): Iconic sex symbol who was in Spirits of the Dead.
- Janet Munro (1934-1972): Actor known for The Crawling Eye and The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961).
- Jeffrey Jones (1946-): Character actor known for Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Beetlejuice, and much more.
- Fiona Lewis (1946-): Actor known for Dr Phibes Rises Again, Tintorera, and more.
- Sylvia Kristel (1952-2012): Actor known for erotic dramas — especially Emmanuelle and sequels.
- Janeane Garofalo (1964-): Actor known for I Shot a Man in Vegas, Mystery Men, and more.
- Mira Sorvino (1967-): Actor known for Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and The Replacement Killers.
- Naomi Watts (1968-): Actor known for Mulholland Drive, The Ring, and the Peter Jackson King Kong.
Films
- Dracula AD 1972 (1972): Don’t believe the haters; this is the best of the Hammer Dracula films.
- Eraserhead (1977): A young man must take responsibility for knocking up his girlfriend.
- Thirst (1979): Pretend vampires kidnap a woman who they think is a vampire.
- Time After Time (1979): HG Wells must time-travel to modern America in search of Jack the Ripper.
- Impulse (1984): An earthquake drives a small town crazy.
- I Come In Peace (1990): Two renegade cops take on drug dealers.
- Pacific Heights (1990): A landlord couple is harassed by a tenant.
- Looper (2012): A time-travel assassination goes wrong.
- Hell Fest (2018): Slasher in an amusement park.
- Sightless (2020): An attack leaves a woman blind and now thinks the attacker is stalking her.
John Sayles by Rodrigo Fernández under CC BY-SA 3.0.