Director
Jonathan Demme
Born 22 February 1944 · Baldwin, Long Island, New York, USA — died 26 April 2017
Jonathan Demme (1944–2017) was an American director who began in Roger Corman's low-budget productions and became one of Hollywood's most humane stylists. He is best known for The Silence of the Lambs and Philadelphia, and also for the concert film Stop Making Sense and quirky comedies like Something Wild.
Key films
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
His biggest triumph: a psychological thriller that won the major Oscars, including Best Director.
Philadelphia (1993)
One of the first major Hollywood studio films to address AIDS and homophobia; earned Tom Hanks an Oscar.
Stop Making Sense (1984)
Talking Heads concert film widely regarded as one of the greatest of its kind.
Something Wild (1986)
Genre-shifting comedy-thriller that defined his offbeat, music-filled style of the 1980s.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Intimate, handheld family drama that marked a late-career return to small-scale, character-driven filmmaking.
Key awards
- 1992 Academy Award for Best Director (The Silence of the Lambs)
On Cinespective
Full filmography · 70
- 1974Caged HeatDirector
- 1975Crazy MamaDirector
- 1976Fighting MadDirector
- 1977The Incredible Melting Man · as Matt WintersActor
- 1977Citizens BandDirector
- 1978Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel · as SelfActor
- 1979Last EmbraceDirector
- 1979Last Embrace · as Man on Train (uncredited)Actor
- 1980Melvin and HowardDirector
- 1982Who Am I This Time?Director
- 1984Stop Making SenseDirector
- 1984Swing ShiftDirector
- 1985Into the Night · as Federal AgentActor
- 1985The Perfect KissDirector
- 1986Something WildDirector
- 1986Trisha Brown's Accumulation with Talking Plus WatermotorDirector
- 1987Swimming to CambodiaDirector
- 1987Midnight Sun Film FestivalActor
- 1988Married to the MobDirector
- 1988Married to the Mob · as Man Getting off Elevator (uncredited)Actor
- 1988Haiti: Dreams of DemocracyDirector
- 1990Red Hot + Blue: A Tribute to Cole PorterDirector
- 1991The Silence of the LambsDirector
- 1991The Making of 'The Silence of the Lambs' · as SelfActor
- 1992Cousin Bobby · as SelfActor
- 1992Cousin BobbyDirector
- 1993PhiladelphiaDirector
- 1994One Foot on a Banana Peel, the Other Foot in the Grave: Secrets from the Dolly Madison Room · as NarratorActor
- 1995Blood BrothersActor
- 1995Neil Young and Crazy Horse: The Complex SessionsDirector
- 1996That Thing You Do! · as Major Motion Picture DirectorActor
- 1997Subway StoriesDirector
- 1998BelovedDirector
- 1998Storefront HitchcockDirector
- 1999Hitchcock: Shadow of a Genius · as SelfActor
- 2001Inside the Labyrinth: The Making of 'The Silence of the Lambs' · as SelfActor
- 2001Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000Director
- 2002The Truth About CharlieDirector
- 2004The Manchurian CandidateDirector
- 2004The AgronomistDirector
- 2004People Like Us: Making 'Philadelphia' · as SelfActor
- 2005Jonathan Demme & Jodie Foster · as SelfActor
- 2005The Silence of the Lambs: Breaking the Silence · as SelfActor
- 2005The Silence of the Lambs: Making Silence of the Lambs · as SelfActor
- 2005The Silence of the Lambs: The Beginning · as SelfActor
- 2006Neil Young: Heart of GoldDirector
- 2007Jimmy Carter Man from PlainsDirector
- 2007Jimmy Carter Man from Plains · as SelfActor
- 2008Rachel Getting MarriedDirector
- 2009Neil Young Trunk ShowDirector
- 2009Burning Down the House: The Story of CBGB · as SelfActor
- 2010Inside Story - The Silence of the Lambs · as SelfActor
- 2010Joe and Linda Flooded Out of Holy CrossDirector
- 2011Corman's World · as Self - FilmmakerActor
- 2011I'm Carolyn ParkerDirector
- 2012Neil Young JourneysDirector
- 2012Pablo · as SelfActor
- 2013Enzo Avitabile Music LifeDirector
- 2014A Master BuilderDirector
- 2015Ricki and the FlashDirector
- 2015I Thought I Told You To Shut Up!! · as Narrator (voice)Actor
- 2015Another Telepathic ThingDirector
- 2015What's Motivating HayesDirector
- 2016Justin Timberlake + The Tennessee KidsDirector
- 2016Richard Linklater: Dream Is Destiny · as SelfActor
- 2016Protection Not Protest: The People of Standing RockDirector
- 2017The Power of RockDirector
- 2021Hannibal Hopkins & Sir Anthony · as Self (archive footage)Actor
- 2021Jodie Foster: Hollywood Under the Skin · as SelfActor
- 2024The Many Miracles of Household Saints · as SelfActor
Filmography data from TMDB. The profile text is a draft written for Cinespective.