The Short, Loud Directing Career of Jan de Bont

Jan de Bont had a short career as a director, but he made quite an impact. After bursting onto the scene as a cinematographer, lending his talents to Die Hard, Hunt for Red October, Basic Instinct, and other notable movies, Jan de Bont helmed two of the most enjoyable blockbusters of the 1990s - Speed and Twister. Speed 2: Cruise Control and The Haunting weren’t as popular, but that didn’t stop the director from taking on Lara Croft: Tomb Raider - The Cradle of Life. It’s just a shame that we didn’t get to see his version of Godzilla 1998. We can only dream.

Jan de Bont has been quiet since then, so we’ll celebrate his work instead. Let’s show some love for a filmmaker who’s worked with everyone from Liam Neeson and Keanu Reeves, to Dennis Hopper, Sandra Bullock, and Paul Verhoeven. The first installment of Council of Zoom’s director series is off to a loud, banging start.