Alan J. Adler
- Writer
- Additional Crew
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan J. Adler (born November 7, 1948) is an American writer, producer, and pop culture historian, known for his work in exploitation 3-D films and the founding of the Archives at 20th Century Fox.
Adler worked on many of the first features made in North Carolina. He began as Assistant to Producer/Director J.G.Pat Patterson, Jr. for THE BODY SHOP / aka DR. GORE (1973), the first feature film made in Charlotte, N.C., and Assistant Director on Hot Summer in Barefoot County (1974) for Bob McClure and Preacherman Corporation. Adler went on to write Challenge (1974), Earl Owensby's first production. Acting as Editor and Post Production Supervisor at Jefferson Productions, the largest commercial / documentary house in the Carolinas, Adler graduated to produce, write and star in Charlotte's, WBTV Friday late-night, live-comedy show Those Were the Years (1976-1977), and to local acclaim by eventually besting The Johnny Carson Show in the local ratings.
An avid collector of movie memorabilia since 1957, Adler first exhibited his collection of posters at The McDonald Art Gallery (1975) and Edited for Dover Publications, Science-fiction and Horror Movie Posters in Full Color, 1977, the first book published in the US to look at sci-fi and horror genre movie posters as an art form.
Also appearing on-camera as WBTV's on-air movie reviewer, Adler saw advance clips of Star Wars and left Charlotte for Hollywood where he Created and Co-Produced one of the first HBO Specials, Monsters, Madmen and Machines (1984), a film-clip homage to low-budget science-fiction movies, hosted by Gil Gerard, TV's Buck Rogers.
Pursuing his comedy career, Adler joined The Groundlings, L.A.'s premier improvisational comedy group. Using improv technique, Adler wrote the screenplay for The Alchemist (1982) into a tape recorder and sold it to exploitation director Charles Band. Adler then Co-Wrote and worked as Production Associate on Parasite 3-D (1983). The $750,000 film notably starred underground playwright Bob Glaudini, Cheri Currie of the Runaways and an 18-year-old Demi Moore in her first leading role. At the same time Parasite was being shot, Adler's women-in-prison film, The Concrete Jungle (1982), starring Jill St. John, was also being filmed.
Pioneers in low-budget 3-D, Adler wrote and Co-Produced with Band their most ambitious project, Metalstorm 3-d: the Destruction of Jared-syn (1983). The $2,500,000 film was picked up by Universal to follow Jaws 3-D into the theaters. Universal attached the 3-D trailer for Metalstorm to the end of the 3D print of Jaws 3D to create the industry's first 3-D trailer. Adler also developed, but is un-credited, for one of Band's signature franchises, Trancers (1985), Starring Tim Thomerson, As Well As Journey Throuh the Dark Zone (1984) and Frozen Shogun, Released Under the Title Ghost Warrior (1985).
Adler wrote animation scripts for productions such as Filmation's Bravestarr and the Real Ghostbusters, while working in theatrical advertising for top LA designers like Rod Dyer, Brian Fox and the in-house CBS Television Group. Adler collaborated with veteran TV producer, Vanessa Greene, to develop a world peace miniseries, The Different Drum for CBS, based on the best-selling book by M. Scott Peck. Adler and Greene then co-wrote THE LOSS (1990) for Star Trek: the Next Generation.
Adler's lifelong study of film graphics and toys lead to work as the Toy Consultant on Barry Levinson's TOYS (1992), starring Robin Williams. Adler was responsible for casting calls for the toys in the film and worked closely with Production Designer Nando Scarfiotti and Wardrobe Designer, Albert Wolsky. Both departments were nominated for Academy Awards and Adler stayed on at Fox to develop and later act as Executive Director for the Fox Archives, where he traveled the world as Fox's emissary in support of silent film and lost archival materials. Working directly under Fox's Board Charman, Tom Sherak, Adler rededicated Fox Research and developed the Fox Still Archive. Adler's work at Fox culminated in the development of the Hall of Cool Stuff, the first Fox museum, installed in Sydney, Australia. While at Fox, Adler developed the Fox Archives logo to brand innovative archival merchandising and internet marketing. Adler exited Fox to develop The Museum of Mom and Pop Culture, a memorabila and art auction and sales company.
Adler returned to writing with an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' second novel, The Outlaw Of Torn, for the big screen, and "Fighters' Row" for low-budget action set in Europe. Adler has just completed a screenplay for his first novel, the noir thriller, Night And The Cat.
Adler worked on many of the first features made in North Carolina. He began as Assistant to Producer/Director J.G.Pat Patterson, Jr. for THE BODY SHOP / aka DR. GORE (1973), the first feature film made in Charlotte, N.C., and Assistant Director on Hot Summer in Barefoot County (1974) for Bob McClure and Preacherman Corporation. Adler went on to write Challenge (1974), Earl Owensby's first production. Acting as Editor and Post Production Supervisor at Jefferson Productions, the largest commercial / documentary house in the Carolinas, Adler graduated to produce, write and star in Charlotte's, WBTV Friday late-night, live-comedy show Those Were the Years (1976-1977), and to local acclaim by eventually besting The Johnny Carson Show in the local ratings.
An avid collector of movie memorabilia since 1957, Adler first exhibited his collection of posters at The McDonald Art Gallery (1975) and Edited for Dover Publications, Science-fiction and Horror Movie Posters in Full Color, 1977, the first book published in the US to look at sci-fi and horror genre movie posters as an art form.
Also appearing on-camera as WBTV's on-air movie reviewer, Adler saw advance clips of Star Wars and left Charlotte for Hollywood where he Created and Co-Produced one of the first HBO Specials, Monsters, Madmen and Machines (1984), a film-clip homage to low-budget science-fiction movies, hosted by Gil Gerard, TV's Buck Rogers.
Pursuing his comedy career, Adler joined The Groundlings, L.A.'s premier improvisational comedy group. Using improv technique, Adler wrote the screenplay for The Alchemist (1982) into a tape recorder and sold it to exploitation director Charles Band. Adler then Co-Wrote and worked as Production Associate on Parasite 3-D (1983). The $750,000 film notably starred underground playwright Bob Glaudini, Cheri Currie of the Runaways and an 18-year-old Demi Moore in her first leading role. At the same time Parasite was being shot, Adler's women-in-prison film, The Concrete Jungle (1982), starring Jill St. John, was also being filmed.
Pioneers in low-budget 3-D, Adler wrote and Co-Produced with Band their most ambitious project, Metalstorm 3-d: the Destruction of Jared-syn (1983). The $2,500,000 film was picked up by Universal to follow Jaws 3-D into the theaters. Universal attached the 3-D trailer for Metalstorm to the end of the 3D print of Jaws 3D to create the industry's first 3-D trailer. Adler also developed, but is un-credited, for one of Band's signature franchises, Trancers (1985), Starring Tim Thomerson, As Well As Journey Throuh the Dark Zone (1984) and Frozen Shogun, Released Under the Title Ghost Warrior (1985).
Adler wrote animation scripts for productions such as Filmation's Bravestarr and the Real Ghostbusters, while working in theatrical advertising for top LA designers like Rod Dyer, Brian Fox and the in-house CBS Television Group. Adler collaborated with veteran TV producer, Vanessa Greene, to develop a world peace miniseries, The Different Drum for CBS, based on the best-selling book by M. Scott Peck. Adler and Greene then co-wrote THE LOSS (1990) for Star Trek: the Next Generation.
Adler's lifelong study of film graphics and toys lead to work as the Toy Consultant on Barry Levinson's TOYS (1992), starring Robin Williams. Adler was responsible for casting calls for the toys in the film and worked closely with Production Designer Nando Scarfiotti and Wardrobe Designer, Albert Wolsky. Both departments were nominated for Academy Awards and Adler stayed on at Fox to develop and later act as Executive Director for the Fox Archives, where he traveled the world as Fox's emissary in support of silent film and lost archival materials. Working directly under Fox's Board Charman, Tom Sherak, Adler rededicated Fox Research and developed the Fox Still Archive. Adler's work at Fox culminated in the development of the Hall of Cool Stuff, the first Fox museum, installed in Sydney, Australia. While at Fox, Adler developed the Fox Archives logo to brand innovative archival merchandising and internet marketing. Adler exited Fox to develop The Museum of Mom and Pop Culture, a memorabila and art auction and sales company.
Adler returned to writing with an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs' second novel, The Outlaw Of Torn, for the big screen, and "Fighters' Row" for low-budget action set in Europe. Adler has just completed a screenplay for his first novel, the noir thriller, Night And The Cat.
