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John McTiernan

Highest Rated: 94% Die Hard (1988)

Lowest Rated: 3% Rollerball (2002)

Birthday: Jan 8, 1951

Birthplace: Albany, New York, USA

A leading craftsman of dynamic, large-scale Hollywood movies, John McTiernan first made his mark as a prolific writer and director of commercials. His first feature, "Nomads," was well received at the 1986 Cannes Film Festival and directly led to his first major studio action flick, "Predator" (1987). Set against a jungle backdrop beautifully photographed by McTiernan and his cinematographer Donald McAlpine, the film pitted a bickering interracial group of soldiers against an invisible alien enemy in a situation that was seen as a Vietnam allegory. "Predator" firmly established McTiernan's Hollywood bona fides, which he not only confirmed but exceeded with his next blockbuster, "Die Hard" (1988), the surprise action hit that catapulted TV star Bruce Willis into the feature big leagues. McTiernan exhibited firm command of the genre with his soon-to-be signature Blitzkrieg action, extraordinary stunts and expert timing. Though McTiernan had his share of flops - "Last Action Hero" (1993) and "Rollerball" (2002) chief among them - he managed to cement his status as one of Hollywood's most prominent action film directors. But that prominence crumbled to the ground in 2006 when he was charged with lying to the FBI in the infamous Anthony Pellicano case and spent years appealing his conviction, only to be sentenced to prison years later. Despite his criminal troubles, McTiernan's career as an action director remained impeccable.

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Highest rated movies

94% 94% Die Hard Watchlist
88% 88% The Hunt for Red October
Watchlist
80% 87% Predator Watchlist
69% 77% The Thomas Crown Affair
Watchlist
60% 83% Die Hard With a Vengeance Watchlist
42% 48% Last Action Hero
Watchlist
36% 37% Nomads
Watchlist
33% 66% The 13th Warrior
Watchlist
21% 62% Basic
Watchlist
17% 46% Medicine Man
Watchlist

Filmography

Movies

Credit
21% 62% Basic Director $26.5M 2003
3% 14% Rollerball Director,
Producer
$19.0M 2002
33% 66% The 13th Warrior Director,
Producer
$32.7M 1999
69% 77% The Thomas Crown Affair Director $69.3M 1999
No Score Yet 22% Quicksilver Highway Executive Producer - 1997
No Score Yet No Score Yet The Right to Remain Silent Producer - 1996
60% 83% Die Hard With a Vengeance Director,
Producer
$99.5M 1995
42% 48% Last Action Hero Director,
Producer
- 1993
17% 46% Medicine Man Director $45.0M 1992
No Score Yet 45% Robin Hood Executive Producer - 1991
88% 88% The Hunt for Red October Director $119.1M 1990
94% 94% Die Hard Director $82.3M 1988
80% 87% Predator Director $54.4M 1987
36% 37% Nomads Director,
Writer
$2.3M 1986