John D. Hancock has directed everything from critically acclaimed theatrical productions, to award winning films, to made-for-TV movies, to producing his own movies in LaPorte, IN. His Academy Award nominated movies, Sticky My Fingers... Fleet My Feet and Bang the Drum Slowly both showcased his ability to ground the action in the reality of the film while humanizing even the vilest of characters. His 1971 cult classic horror pic, Let's Scare Jessica to Death continues to pull in new fans from all over the globe.
John talks to me about his life, his work in Off Broadway theaters in NYC, his stint in Hollywood, and why he came back to Indiana. We talk about how music and directing relate to one another. He tells me stories about Charles Durning, Tyne Daly, and Michael Moriarty. We talk about him being fired from Jaws 2 only to be brought in to take over on final production of Wolfen. We commiserate on the many pitfalls of widowhood and how directing his late wife, Dorothy Tristan, in her last, deeply autobiographical film, which she also wrote, The Looking Glass, helped them both come to terms with the inevitable.
Find out more about John and his Indiana-based production company here:
Filmacres