Writing
Jan 13, 1949
Miami, Florida, USA
Lawrence Kasdan
Writing
Biography
Lawrence Edward Kasdan (born January 14, 1949) is an American filmmaker. He wrote and directed Body Heat (1981), The Big Chill (1983), Silverado (1985), The Accidental Tourist (1988), and Dreamcatcher (2003). Kasdan also wrote Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) and The Bodyguard(1992) and co-wrote four Star Wars films: The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Return of the Jedi (1983), The Force Awakens (2015), and Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018). Kasdan is known for updating old Hollywood genres—film noir, science fiction, the western—in a classical dramatic style with quick-witted dialogue, but dealing with contemporary social themes. He is also known for his frequent collaborations, including directing William Hurt and Kevin Kline or writing dialogue for Harrison Ford. Kasdan has been nominated for four Academy Awards: as a producer for Best Picture nominee The Accidental Tourist, for which he was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, and for Best Original Screenplay for both The Big Chill and Grand Canyon (1991). He has often collaborated with his wife Meg Kasdan, his brother Mark Kasdan, and his sons Jonathan Kasdan and Jake Kasdan. Description above from the Wikipedia article Lawrence Kasdan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Feature Films (22)
Friends, family, co-stars and admirers of actor Steve McQueen talk about his life and his movie career.
Steve McQueen: The Essence of Cool
Host Howie Long takes viewers on a tour of the "Star Wars" universe, as Fox TV celebrates the re-release of the original three legendary films in this one hour special.
Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery
Film noir, which enjoyed particular success in the 1930s and 1940s, is probably the most profound genre of classic Hollywood cinema. Eckhart Schmidt tries to show the background and developments and speaks, among others, with directors such as Richard Fleischer and Robert Wise as well as with "femme fatale" actresses. Filmmakers of the following generations explain how the style and themes of noir continue to shape cinema today.
Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz
A retrospective on the 1969 classic "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," its impact on the careers of the filmmakers and cast, and how the film made a distinct impact on the Western genre.
All of What Follows Is True: The Making of 'Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'
George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams look back at The Empire Strikes Back 30 years later.
A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later
Ed Okin used to have a boring life. He used to have trouble getting to sleep. Then one night, he met Diana. Now, Ed's having trouble staying alive.
Into the Night
An in-depth look at an incredible moment in film history when Steven Spielberg and George Lucas assembled an amazing creative team to collaborate on another cinematic benchmark featuring never-before-seen footage and interviews with Spielberg, Lucas, Harrison Ford, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, James Mangold, and many others as well.
Timeless Heroes: Indiana Jones and Harrison Ford
A misanthropic author, a single mother and waitress, and a gay artist form an unlikely friendship after the artist is assaulted in a robbery.
As Good as It Gets
From the earliest versions of the script to the blockbuster debuts, explore the creation of the Star Wars Trilogy.
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Lawrence Kasdan and his son Jonathan discuss life with the franchise, working together on the film Solo: A Star Wars Story, and Lawrence's love for the Han Solo character.
Kasdan on Kasdan
Television & Series (2)
Five acclaimed contemporary directors tell the story of five legendary Hollywood filmmakers who enlisted in the armed forces to document World War II.
Five Came Back
The BBC's flagship cinema review TV program featuring reviews of new releases, news items and interviews. The title of the program changes each year to incorporate the year of broadcast.