Bernd Eichinger


Bernd Eichinger was a German film producer, director and screenwriter.

Life and career

Eichinger was born in Neuburg an der Donau. He attended the University of Television and Film Munich in the 1970s, and bought a stake in the fledgling studio company Neue Constantin Film in 1979, becoming its executive director. Under his leadership, Constantin Film evolved into one of the most successful German film businesses. As of 2005, he was chairman of the supervisory board and still owned a substantial stake in the company. Eichinger also produced some movies independently. One of Eichinger's last films was about the left-wing terrorist group Red Army Faction based on the book Der Baader Meinhof Komplex by Stefan Aust.
The range of genres of films, for television and the big screen, was unusually varied. He produced a 3D zombie movie, '; to Atomised, a film adaptation of the controversial novel by French recluse Michel Houellebecq. He was an incredibly prolific film maker, with almost 100 films to his credit.
Eichinger was known as tenacious. It took him 20 years to convince Patrick Süskind, the German author of ', to trust him with the rights to make the international bestseller into a film. In 2006 the film was released, grossing $135 million worldwide.
In the 1980s Eichinger obtained the film rights to the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer, decades before making movies based on Marvel comics was trending.
In 1991 he was a co-founder of Summit, the Los Angeles-based production and film sales company. Due to the success of Twilight, Summit eventually became Summit Entertainment.

Family

Eichinger was married to Katja Hoffman, a journalist. He has a daughter from a previous relationship, Nina Eichinger, an actress and TV presenter.

Death

Eichinger died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on 24 January 2011 at the age of 61.

Awards

Bernd Eichinger's best known films include:
YearTitleDirectorBased onLanguageNotes
1977Grete MindeHeidi GenéeA novel by Theodor FontaneGerman
1977Die KonsequenzWolfgang PetersenAn autobiographical novel by Alexander ZieglerGermanTV film
1977'Hans-Jürgen SyberbergGerman
1978The Glass CellHans W. GeißendörferThe Glass Cell by Patricia HighsmithGerman
1981Christiane F.Uli EdelThe non-fiction book by Kai Hermann and Horst Rieck about Christiane F.German
1984The Neverending StoryWolfgang PetersenThe Neverending Story by Michael EndeEnglish
1986The Name of the RoseJean-Jacques AnnaudThe Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoEnglish
1987Der UnsichtbareUlf MieheGerman
1988Me and HimDoris DörrieA novel by Alberto MoraviaEnglish
1989Last Exit to BrooklynUli EdelLast Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr.English-
1990Fire, Ice and DynamiteWilly BognerEnglish-
1990Werner – Beinhart!,, The Werner comic books by Rötger FeldmannGerman
1991Manta, MantaGerman
1992Salt on Our SkinAndrew BirkinA novel by Benoîte GroultEnglish
1993The Cement GardenAndrew BirkinThe Cement Garden by Ian McEwanEnglish
1993The House of the SpiritsBille AugustThe House of the Spirits by Isabel AllendeEnglish
1994The Fantastic FourOley SassoneFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglishUnreleased
1994Der bewegte MannSönke WortmannTwo comic books by Ralf KönigGerman
1996The SuperwifeSönke WortmannA novel by German
1996A Girl Called RosemaryBernd EichingerRosemary GermanTV film
1997Smilla's Sense of SnowBille AugustMiss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter HøegEnglish
1997Prince ValiantAnthony HickoxPrince Valiant by Hal FosterEnglish
1998Wrongfully AccusedPat ProftEnglish
1999'Bernd EichingerA novel by Helmut KrausserGermanalso screenwriter
2000Ants in the PantsMarc RothemundGerman
2001The Mists of AvalonUli EdelThe Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer BradleyEnglishTV film
2001Nowhere in AfricaCaroline LinkAn autobiographical novel by Stefanie ZweigGermanco-produced by Eichinger; won Oscar
2002666 – Traue keinem, mit dem du schläfst!German
2002Resident EvilPaul W. S. AndersonResident EvilEnglish
2004DownfallOliver HirschbiegelGermanalso screenwriter
2004'Alexander WittResident EvilEnglish
2005Fantastic FourTim StoryFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglish
2006AtomisedOskar RoehlerAtomised by Michel HouellebecqGerman
2006'Corey YuenDead or AliveEnglish
2006'Tom TykwerPerfume by Patrick SüskindEnglishco-writer
2007'Tim StoryFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglish
2007'Russell MulcahyResident EvilEnglish
2007PornoramaMarc RothemundGerman
2008The Baader Meinhof ComplexUli EdelThe non-fiction book by Stefan Aust about the Red Army FactionGermanalso screenwriter
2009Pope JoanSönke WortmannPope Joan by Donna Woolfolk CrossEnglish
2010Zeiten ändern dichUli EdelThe autobiography of the German rapper BushidoGermanco-writer
2010'Paul W. S. AndersonResident EvilEnglish
20113096 DaysSherry HormannEnglish-