Lance Hool Explained

Lance Hool
Birth Place:Mexico
Alma Mater:Universidad de las Américas Puebla
Years Active:1970–present
Children:3

Lance Hool is a Mexican film director, film producer, and actor. He directed the action films (1985) and Steel Dawn (1987), the war film One Man's Hero (1999), and the romantic drama film 2 Hearts (2020). He also founded the Santa Fe-based film studio Santa Fe Studios in 2011.

Early life

Hool was born in Mexico[1] and grew up in Mexico City in a family largely involved in the film industry. According to him, his great-grandfather worked as a financier for Charlie Chaplin.[2] Hool and his brother were childhood friends of Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico from 2003 to 2011.

Hool attended the Universidad de las Américas Puebla, graduating with a B.A. and an M.B.A.[3] [4]

Career

Hool made his acting debut in the Howard Hawks film Rio Lobo, which was released in 1970 and was Hawks's last film before his death. He worked in the Mexican film industry for 20 years,[5] and was the US representative for the Mexican national film distribution company Pelmex between 1977 and 1980.[6]

He produced the thriller films Wolf Lake (1978), 10 to Midnight (1983), and The Evil That Men Do (1984), the adventure film Flipper (1996), and the comedy films Pure Luck (1991) with Sean Daniel and McHale's Navy (1997).[7] [8] [9] Hool directed the Chuck Norris–starring action film , which was released in 1985.[10] He also directed the 1987 science fiction action film Steel Dawn. It starred Patrick Swayze and was produced by Hool with his brother, Conrad Hool. Walter Goodman of The New York Times wrote, "Steel Dawn,... has been directed by Lance Hool to emphasize Mr. Swayze's biceps," and Los Angeles Times critic Michael Wilmington wrote, "Hool directs all this so lethargically you might suspect he's gone missing in action himself."[11] [12] Hool directed and produced the historical war film One Man's Hero, about John Riley and the Saint Patrick's Battalion's role in the Mexican–American War, which was released in 1999.[13] Hool cast his sons Brett and Jason in the film.[14] For the Los Angeles Times, Kevin Thomas wrote in a review of the film that it was "directed with vigor and passion by Hool", while Paul Cullum of LA Weekly called his direction "flaccid".[15] Hool then executive produced the Simon Wincer film Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001) and the Tony Scott film Man on Fire (2004).[16]

Lance founded the Santa Fe–based film studio Santa Fe Studios in October 2011, where his son, Jason, was hired as president.[17] [18] It became New Mexico's second-largest film studio, following Albuquerque Studios.[19] Negotiations to open the studio had taken place the year before, when, in an attempt to increase economic growth in Santa Fe, Richardson offered Hool a ten-million-dollar economic development grant to build the studio south of the city, while then–chairman of the Democratic Party of New Mexico structured the studio's land and financing package.[20] The project was considered controversial among residents of Santa Fe due to Hool's early ties to Richardson. Hool and his associates were sued by attorneys for Santa Fe County for the studio's unpaid debt of over 2.3 million dollars in 2016.[21]

Hool directed the romantic drama film 2 Hearts, inspired by the story of Leslie and Jorge Bacardi of the Bacardi family after Hool's brother, Conrad, met Jorge on a cruise. It was co-written by Robin U. Russin with Hool's daughter, Veronica, and co-produced by Hool with Conrad with a score by Hool's son, Brett, and casting direction by his niece, Caral.[22] The film finished principal photography in July 2018. It was released in theaters in October 2020 and distributed by Freestyle Releasing. After being released onto Netflix, the film became the platform's most-watched film for a week in 2021.[23]

Filmography

YearTitleDirectorProducerNotes
1979Survival Run
1979Wolf Lake
1980Caboblanco
198310 to Midnight
1984The Evil That Men DoExecutive producer
1984Missing in ActionExecutive producer and story writer[24]
1985[25]
1987Steel Dawn
1988The TrackerTelevision film
1989Options[26]
1989Damned River[27]
1991Pure Luck
1993GunmenExecutive producer[28]
1993Born to RunTelevision film; executive producer[29]
1993The Cover Girl MurdersTelevision film[30]
1994The Air Up ThereExecutive producer[31]
1994Roadflower
1994Flashfire
1996FlipperExecutive producer
1997McHale's NavyExecutive producer
1999One Man's Hero
2001Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
2004Club DreadExecutive producer and assistant director[32]
2004Man on FireExecutive producer
2011The CupExecutive producer[33]
20202 Hearts[34]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Talbot . Paul . Cinema Retro Special Report: Paul Talbot on the Making of Charles Bronson's 'The Evil That Men Do' . . February 12, 2024 . February 1, 2014.
  2. Web site: Rifkin . Jesse . Interview with 2 Hearts Director Lance Hool: 'We've Got To Get This Movie Into Theaters' . . February 10, 2024 . October 16, 2020.
  3. Web site: Filmmakers . 2024-06-03 . 2 Hearts . en-US.
  4. Web site: Holt . Conor . 2023-08-02 . Interview: "One Man's Hero" . 2024-06-03 . Medium . en.
  5. Web site: Cullum . Paul . One Man's Hero . . February 12, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20010526191102/https://www.laweekly.com/film/film_results.php3?showid=870 . May 26, 2001.
  6. Web site: Lance Hool - Santa Fe Studios . 2024-06-03 . www.santafestudios.com.
  7. Web site: Honeycutt . Kirk . Odd couples are the name of the... . Los Angeles Times . February 11, 2024 . November 11, 1990.
  8. Web site: Miller III . Randy . Wolf Lake . . February 11, 2024 . March 29, 2017.
  9. Web site: Shepard . Richard F. . '10 to Midnight' . The New York Times . February 10, 2024 . March 13, 1983.
  10. Web site: . Screen: Chuck Norris in 'Missing in Action 2' . The New York Times . February 11, 2024 . March 2, 1985.
  11. Web site: . Film: 'Steel Dawn' . . February 10, 2024 . November 6, 1987.
  12. Web site: Wilmington . Michael . Movie Reviews : 'Steel Dawn': Iron-Age Concept in Film Making . Los Angeles Times . February 10, 2024 . November 6, 1987.
  13. Web site: Kline . Chris . Irish-Americans fight for Mexico, and a film is born . . February 11, 2024 . December 28, 1997.
  14. Web site: Tracey . Olivia . Tracings Eagerly awaiting Berenger film on San Patricios . . February 12, 2024 . February 16, 2011.
  15. Web site: Thomas . Kevin . Movie Review: 'One Man's Hero' a Heartfelt History Lesson . . February 10, 2024 . September 24, 1999.
  16. Web site: . Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles . Variety . February 11, 2024 . April 11, 2001.
  17. Web site: A Recipe for Filmmaking Success: An Interview with Lance Hool, CEO Santa Fe Studios . Santa Fe Film Festival . February 12, 2024 . May 3, 2014.
  18. Web site: Honoring Lance Hool: Producer, Director, Actor . . February 10, 2024 . September 26, 2011.
  19. Web site: Verrier . Richard . New Mexico kicks in $10 million to build Santa Fe movie and TV studio . Los Angeles Times . February 11, 2024 . December 10, 2009.
  20. Web site: Alzayat . Dima . On Location: New Santa Fe Studios beckons filmmakers . Los Angeles Times . February 11, 2024 . November 15, 2011.
  21. Web site: Chacón . Daniel J. . Santa Fe Studio owners caught by surprise with lawsuit . . February 11, 2024 . February 6, 2016.
  22. Web site: Ortega Law . Jeannie . Hollywood filmmaker says 'faith is what should keep us going' in 2020; releases new movie '2 Hearts' . . February 10, 2024 . October 16, 2020.
  23. Web site: Vitu . Teya . No. 1 movie on Netflix, '2 Hearts,' has ties to Santa Fe Studios . . The Santa Fe New Mexican . February 12, 2024 . June 22, 2021.
  24. Web site: Maslin . Janet . Screen: Norris in 'Missing in Action' . The New York Times . February 12, 2024 . November 17, 1984.
  25. News: Screen: chuck norris in 'missing in action 2'. The New York Times. 2 March 1985. 8 August 2010. Janet. Maslin.
  26. Web site: Pretorius . William . Crocodile Dundee In Los Angeles . . February 12, 2024 . August 3, 2001.
  27. Book: McCarty . John . The Official Splatter Movie Guide, Volumes: 1963-1992 . November 5, 2016 . Crossroad Press .
  28. Web site: Thomas . Kevin . Movie Review : 'Gunmen' an Ultraviolent Buddy Film . Los Angeles Times . February 12, 2024 . February 4, 1994.
  29. Web site: . Fox Night at the Movies Born to Run . Variety . February 12, 2024 . August 2, 1993.
  30. Web site: Everett . Todd . USA World Premiere Movie the Cover Girl Murders . Variety . February 12, 2024 . October 27, 1993.
  31. Web site: Lowry . Brian . The Air Up There . Variety . February 12, 2024 . January 5, 1994.
  32. Web site: Thomas . Kevin . Laughter is not an option for 'Club Dread' visitors . Los Angeles Times . February 12, 2024 . February 27, 2004.
  33. Web site: Allen . Rick . 'The Cup' a tale of tragedy and triumph . . February 12, 2024 . May 8, 2012.
  34. Web site: . '2 Hearts': Film Review . The Hollywood Reporter . February 12, 2024 . October 15, 2020.