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.
