In this website you are invited to browse through the biography, reviews, interviews, articles, stories, posters and photos
of film director Sam Firstenberg and the movies he directed
New Book - STORIES FROM THE TRENCHES: Adventures in Making High Octane Hollywood Movies with Cannon Veteran Sam Firstenberg
- Recommended
A CAREER-SPANNING INTERVIEW BOOK ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR SAM FIRSTENBERG. A TRIP LOADED WITH UNIQUE BADASS FILM HISTORY!
Sam Firstenberg is mostly recognized as one of the important in-house directors during the outrageously successful heyday
of the legendary Cannon Group. The journey of this interview collection starts even before he made his way to direct box office
hits just like REVENGE OF THE NINJA, NINJA III: THE DOMINATION, BREAKIN II: ELECTRIC BOOGALOO, AMERICAN NINJA, and several
others. The conversations shed light on his origins and influences, including childhood memories, private biographical chapters,
his years as a film student in Los Angeles, and his early work as an assistant director and technician for people like Menahem
Golan, Charles Band, Boaz Davidson, and many more. The interviews focus on every career-step, just as well as on every single
movie Firstenberg ever directed until his retirement. His memories about all the projects he was involved in are packed with
adventurous stories about ninjas and breakdancers, about directing action entertainment in exotic countries, and about working
with numerous stars, among them Michael Dudikoff, Eric Roberts, John Rhys Davis, Hulk Hogan, Grace Jones, Nick Cassavetes,
Richard Roundtree, Steve James, Sho Kosugi, and many more. Thirty years of filmmaking: STORIES FROM THE TRENCHES is also a
book about the early film industry in Israel, the Hollywood star system and the no longer existing mid-budget movies. It is
about the home video boom, about the uprising and the decline of Cannon, but it also discusses the rules and traditions of
the industry. Other topics are the practical way a film was put together in that era, the technical changes through the years,
the different market situation compared to nowadays and last but not least it is a inside story about the early years of Nu
Image and that company continued the spirit of Cannon.
13th Festival of SERBIAN FANTASTIC FILM, Belgrade:
Honorary Award For Achievement in the Film Industry
The festival, dedicated mainly to horror and fantasy cinema from countries of the
former Yugoslavia and from other countries as well, features a selection of shorts and full length movies.
The organizers of the festival invited Sam to be a guest of honor and as such
he conducted one evening master class, discussing his work as a director of independent low budget genre movies in Hollywood
in the 1980s and 90s and his experience working for the famous Cannon production company.
After answering questions from the participating audience the movie “Ninja
III the Domination” with Lucinda Dickey and Sho Kosugi, that I directed in 1983, was screened.
At the closing ceremony I was presented with An Honorary award named “Oskull” for special
achievement in the film industry.
I am proud and thankful to festival director Miroslav Lakobrija, Nadja Savic, and their gang of tireless
friends for the honor they bestowed upon me.
Thank
you for all the great fun, for the generous hospitality, for the well planned events. Thanks for the city tours, and for a
climactic closing ceremony with the award presentation. It was a fantastic.
and
thank all the other volunteers that helped in running the events and making sure my stay in Belgrade was such a pleasant experience.
GROSSMANN FILM FESTIVAL LJUTOMER, SLOVENIA:
HONORARY LIFETIME ACHIVEMENT AWARD
The good people, organizers of the 2019 Grossmann
fantastic film & wine festival in Ljutomer, Slovenia were kind enough
to present me with the festival’s Honorary VICIOUS CAT AWARD for outstanding contribution to the field of genre cinema.
I am proud and thankful to Marko
Mehtsun and his gang of tireless friends for
the honor they bestowed upon me.
Thank you for all the great fun, for the generous hospitality, for the well planned
events, and for the wonderfully executed, high quality screenings of the nostalgic movies I directed “American Ninja”
and “Avenging Force” on giant screens.
Thanks for the rivers of wines flowing everywhere, and for a climactic closing ceremony
with the award presentation. It was a blast.
15th FANTASTIC FILM AND WINE FESTIVAL / 16 - 20 July 2019 / Ljutomer / Slovenia /
EU
On July I was a guest of the 15th GROSSMANN Fantastic Film and Wine Festival in
Ljutomer, Slovenia.
The festival, dedicated to genre
cinema, features a selection of unconventional movies.
In the nostalgic section, the festival screened two of the most popular actioners
I directed: the famous American Ninja and much appreciated Avenging Force both starring Michael Dudikoff and Steve James.
I introduced the films and answered
audients questions. In addition I served as a juror on the feature film competition and conducted a master class.
At the closing ceremony I was presented with An Honorary VICIUS CAT WAWRD for outstanding contribution to the field of genre
cinema.
2018 NIGHT
VISIONS FILM
FESTIVAL HELSINKI, FINLAND:
GUEST OF HONOR
In November Sam came back from Helsinki Finland
where he was a guest of the 2018 NIGHT VISIONS international film festival. Three movies Sam directed
screened there to enthusiastic
audiences(American Ninja 1 and 2 and Avenging Force). In addition there was a
reception at the US embassy in Helsinki in honor of the two directors
representing the US in the festival and Firstenberg was one of them (The other was Emma
Tammi with her movie The Wind) it was a fantastic exiting experience and great
festival.
Night Visions is a genre cinema film festival focusing on horror,
fantasy, science
fiction and cult cinema. The Maximum Halloween section is organized usually as
close to Halloween as possible. The event focuses on newer genre films and also
screens a selection of old classics and documentaries. This year they screened
41 feature length films and documentaries in three different theaters, along
with a selection of short films during five days.
With an enthusiastic dedicated fan base
this festival is very energetic and popular.This year (2018) it ended with a record
attendance of almost 9,300 film-goers. After
every screening there is a Q & A sessions that gives the fans a chance to
participate in discussing the film with its creator and talk about various
aspects of independent low budget filmmaking.
This year’s guests list
included Rasmus Kloster Bro from Denmark
(Cutterhead), Justin McConnell from Canada
(Lifechanger), Christoffer Nordenrot from Sweden (The Unthinkable),Börkur Sigthorsson
from Iceland (Vultures),
Sergio Stivaletti from Italy (Rabbia Furiosa)and me (Sam
Firstenberg). The festival goers had a chance to meet us all. I was proud to
learn that I was the guest of honor and the most popular classic genre
film in the program was the action thriller I directed in 1986 Avenging
Force, with the
cult classic American
Ninja I directed in 1985 coming right on its heels.
All in all my participation in the NIGHT
VISIONS festival was an exhilarating experience and I want to use this opportunity
to thank the organizers for inviting me and giving me the opportunely to
participate in this genre films celebration: festival director Mikko Aromaa, Marko
Mäkilaakso, Riina Kesanen, Matti Ramo and
all the other volunteers that helped in running the events and making sure my
stay in Helsinki was such a pleasant experience.
Most rewarding for me was the chance to
meet so many fans that remember, admire, and still enjoy the movies I directed
years ago, some of them remarkably young. I had a chance to lecture, answer
questions, autograph posters, shake hands, and be included in many photos with
throngs of loyal fans.
Low budget independent genre movies are
neither forgotten nor vanishing on the sideline of cinema history. True, they
are not mainstream Hollywood, but they are well and alive and here to stay.
Thank you festival organizers
and Finnish fans for bringing me over and making sure my participation was
pleasant
and meaningful.
Cult Film Festival in Gdansk, Poland: Retrospective
Last June (2017) I was a guest of the 20th Cult Film Festival in the city of Gdansk in Poland. 4 movies I directed
screened there (American Ninja 1 and 2, Breakin’ 2; Electric Boogaloo, Ninja 3 the domination) plus a documentary about
Cannon film (Electric Boogaloo; The wild, untold story of Cannon Film) and there was a meet and greet event with enthusiasts
and fans. It was a fantastic experience and great event. Thank you festival organizers and Polish fans for bringing me over
and making sure my participation was pleasant
Newly released soundtrack of Revenge of the Ninja
Contains original score elements as well as new content enhanced and remastered by Robert J. Walsh.
Newly released Blu-ray discs of American Ninja
They include an audio commentary track and the making of.. documentaries
The Jess Franko Award Plaque
The Jess Franko Award Plaque from the 2016 CUTRECON 5 Film Festival
Since 1980 Sam Firstenberg has
been a success in the independent filmmaking field, as a director of feature films. Sam has directed 22 theatrical feature
films since completing his graduate studies in film at Loyola Marymount University. His first film, "ONE MORE CHANCE," starring
Kirsty Alley, won prizes in major film festivals, and sparked the beginning of his career as a director. Subsequent films
have become commercial hits and cult classics, especially the "AMERICAN NINJA" series starring Michael Dudikoff and the breakdance
phenomenal “ELECTRIC BOOGALOO”.
Sam Firstenberg has directed films ranging from musical
to drama, comedy to action, sci-fi, thrillers and horror. Including special effects, complicated CGI, huge crowd scenes, elaborated
chases, sophisticated action sequences, down to delicate dramatic moments. He spent several years as an in house director
at Cannon Films, and his films have been distributed by Tristar, MGM, Paramount, and Warner Brothers. Through the years Firstenberg
has worked with some of hollywood’s most highly regarded actors; Eric Roberts, Ice-T, Michael Madson, Kirsty Alley,
Margaret Avery, Ernie Hudson, Hal Holbrook, Jeff Fahey, Robert Vaughn, Sean Young, Michael Dudikoff, John Rhys-Davies, Marc
Dacascos, Grace Jones, Nick Cassevettes, Richard Moll, Dan Heday, Richard Kien and Seymour Cassel.
Born
in Poland, grew up in Jerusalem, and obtained his higher education in Los Angeles, where he now resides with his wife
and three daughters.
This web site is dedicated to the work of director
Sam Firstenberg. It contains Biography, Filmography, Interviews, Stories, Posters, Photos, News, photo album,
and more. Visit and enjoy.
