Brian Yuzna

Brian Yuzna (born August 30, 1949) is a Filipino-born American producer, director, and writer. He is best known for his work in the science fiction and horror film genres. Yuzna began his career as a producer for several films by director Stuart Gordon, such as Re-Animator (1985) and From Beyond (1986), before making his directorial debut with the satirical body horror film Society (1989).

He also served as a co-writer for the comedy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989). Yuzna was the first American filmmaker to adapt a manga, The Guyver, into a live-action feature. He has helmed several adaptations of the work of H. P. Lovecraft, and has assisted many first time directors, including Gordon, Christophe Gans and Luis De La Madrid, in getting their projects made.

Yuzna was born in Manila, Philippines. He grew up in Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and Panama, before moving to the United States in the 1960s, settling in Atlanta, Georgia. Yuzna was raised Roman Catholic. Throughout 1970s, Yuzna lived on a commune in North Carolina and worked odd jobs as a carpenter and at a restaurant.

Yuzna began his career as a producer, co-producing the horror films Re-Animator (1985), From Beyond (1986), and Dolls (1987) for his friend, director Stuart Gordon. He also co-wrote From Beyond. The same year, Yuzna co-wrote the comedy Honey, I Shrunk the Kids alongside Gordon. In 1989, he made his directorial debut with the satirical body horror film Society, which focuses on a wealthy Beverly Hills community who are of a mutant species who feed on the social classes beneath them.

Yuzna went on to direct a series of horror sequels, including Bride of Re-Animator (1990), Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990), and Return of the Living Dead 3 (1993), before directing The Dentist (1996), a horror film about a murderous Los Angeles dentist who dentally tortures his victims. Yuzna also directed its sequel, The Dentist 2 (1998).

Having collected a large following in Europe, Yuzna started Fantastic Factory, with Julio Fernández, a label under Barcelona film company Filmax, in the early-2000s. His goal is to produce "modestly budgeted genre (horror, science fiction, fantasy) films for the international market (shot in English language) using genre talent from all around the world and to develop local talent."

He was last working as the producer of the Wehrmacht zombie movie Worst Case Scenario, directed by Richard Raaphorst, which takes place after a fictional World Cup 2006 finale between Germany and Netherlands where Germany loses and seeks revenge with a zombie invasion, in May 2009 was announced the project is dead. The film eventually became Frankenstein's Army and was released in 2013. After four years he returned to the director's chair and filmed Amphibious 3-D which stars Michael Paré and Francis Magee.

In 2014, Yuzna was awarded Honorary Member of the Catalan Academy of Cinema in Barcelona. Later that year, in Hollywood, the Cinefamily screened and celebrated the 25th anniversary of Honey, I Shrunk the Kids with Yuzna as guest of honor.

In 2015, a retrospective of his work of 30 years "Brian Yuzna, A Retrospective" was presented and screened at the theater in the Soho House West Hollywood, curated by Diana Lado and produced by Logan Yuzna.

He is married to Cathy Cherry Yuzna and they have four children: Conan Yuzna, Zoe Yuzna, Noah Yuzna and producer Logan Yuzna.

• Crussells, Magí (2009). Directores de cine en Cataluña: de la A a la Z (in Catalan). Barcelona, Spain: Edicions Universitat Barcelona. ISBN 978-8-447-53316-9.
• Towlson, Jon (2014). Subversive Horror Cinema: Countercultural Messages of Films from Frankenstein to the Present. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. ISBN 978-0-786-47469-1.