W. D. Richter

W. D. Richter
Born
Walter Duch Richter

(1945-12-07) December 7, 1945 (age 78)
New Britain, Connecticut, United States
Alma materDartmouth College
Occupation(s)Film director, producer, screenwriter

Walter Duch Richter (born December 7, 1945) is an American screenwriter, film director and film producer.[1] He is best known for adapting Invasion of the Body Snatchers, directing The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension[2] and co-writing Big Trouble in Little China.

Biography

Richter graduated from Dartmouth College and attended USC Film School. He began script writing for Hollywood in the 1970s. He wrote the comedy Slither (1973), followed by two similarly styled comedies, Peeper (1975) and Nickelodeon (1976). He branched into other genres starting with the 1970s remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

He wrote scripts throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In the early 1980s, Richter formed his own production company (with producer Neil Canton), Canton/Richter, and directed The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension. The film did poorly at the box office, and the company ended.

In 1981, he wrote a screenplay based on Eric Van Lustbader's novel The Ninja for Irvin Kershner to direct with Richard Zanuck and David Brown and 20th Century Fox to produce, which ultimately never got made. Richter continued to write screenplays however, and has since written Home for the Holidays and Stealth.

Filmography

Year Title Director Writer Producer Notes
1973 Slither No Yes Yes
1975 Peeper No Yes No
1976 Nickelodeon No Yes No
1978 Invasion of the Body Snatchers No Yes No
1979 Dracula No Yes No
1980 Brubaker No Yes No Nominated—Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay
1981 All Night Long No Yes No
1982 Hard Feelings No Yes No
1984 The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai
Across the 8th Dimension 		Yes No Yes
1986 Big Trouble in Little China No Yes No
1991 Late for Dinner Yes No Yes
1993 Needful Things No Yes No
1995 Home for the Holidays No Yes No
2005 Stealth No Yes No

References

  1. ^ Rose of Sharon Winter (2012). "W D Richter: Full Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012. Retrieved March 29, 2012.
  2. ^ Vincent Canby (October 5, 1984). "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension! (1984) FILM: SCI-FI FARCE, 'BUCKAROO BONZAI'". The New York Times. Retrieved March 29, 2012.