Frank Coraci - Biography

In a few short years, director Frank Coraci has gone from being an independent filmmaker to directing big budget Hollywood movies. His collaboration with longtime friend Adam Sandler has granted Coraci two of his biggest successes: The Wedding Singer (1998), co-starring the ever-adorable Drew Barrymore, and The Waterboy (1998), one of Sandlers biggest grossing movies to date. Even though The Waterboy was a hit, it would take Coraci five years to direct another feature, a sign that perhaps box office achievement doesnt always translate into carte blanche.

Born and raised in New York, Coraci got his start in filmmaking while attending New York Universitys Tisch School of the Arts. Though Coraci had creative impulses, he was unsure of what he wanted to do. But after taking a film class and seeing the beauty of Its A Wonderful Life (1946), Coraci decided to become a directora career he never realized was an option. It was during his NYU years that Coraci met Sandler, then an undergraduate just breaking into stand-up comedy. Coraci received his BFA in 1988 and began working on short films, music videos and travel documentaries. It was while directing for a major touring company that he got an opportunity to travel the world like Phileas Fogg, the main character in Coracis later directorial effort, Around the World in 80 Days (2004).

In 1994, Coraci directed his first feature, the award-winning Murdered Innocence (1994). The revenge thriller garnered Best Feature Film and Best Directorial Debut at the Long Island Film Festival. Despite early recognition, Coraci didnt direct larger projects right away. Another four years passed before The Wedding Singer was released, followed by The Waterboy nine months later. Both starred Sandler, with whom Coraci has collaborated with on several of the comedians music projects, including <I>What The Hell Happened To Me?</I> and <I>Whats Your Name?</I>. Coraci helped write some of the musiches a DJ in his off hoursand later directed the videos for <I>Steve Polychronopoulos</I> and <I>The Lonesome Kicker</I>.

Coraci later formed his own production company, Spanknyce, which joined forces with Walden Media to bring Jules Vernes classic adventure novel, Around the World in 80 Days, to cinematic life. Coraci was never impressed with the original filmed versionhe felt it was a little boring. Made in 1956 and starring David Niven as the wealthy Englishman who sets out to win a bet by circumnavigating the globe in a record time of 80 days, the original stuck to the essential gist of the novel. But Coraci decided to make a few changes, starting with making Passepartout an acrobat instead of Foggs personal valeta choice that fit the talents of Hong Kong action hero, Jackie Chan, whom Coraci cast in the role. Coraci also took the stodgy and pragmatic Phileas Fogg and turned him into an eccentric inventor; a dreamer in the vein of Verne himself. Coraci then cast British comedian Steve Coogan (24 Hour Party People), as Fogga risk due to his lack of recognition with American audiences. Unfortunately, Around the World in 80 Days failed to capture the attention of the movie-going public and critics were lukewarm in their reviews. Meanwhile, Coraci had several projects set up in development, so one would hope it wont be yet another five years till his next effort.