Directing
John Sayles
Born September 28, 1950 · Schenectady, New York, USA
Biography
John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist.
Known for
6.5
The Spiderwick Chronicles
Screenplay
7.7
Malcolm X
FBI Agent
6.1 TMDB
Mimic
Additional Writing
6.6 TMDB
The Howling
Morgue Attendant (uncredited), Screenplay
6.0 TMDB
Piranha
Army Sentry (uncredited), Screenplay, Story
7.5 TMDB
The Alienist
Teleplay, Consulting Producer
7.4 TMDB
Poker Face
Chief Hal
5.5 TMDB
The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot
Executive Producer
6.1
In the Electric Mist
Michael Goldman
7.4
Lone Star
Editor, Director, Writer
6.6 TMDB
Something Wild
Motorcycle Cop
6.0 TMDB
Alligator
Screenplay, Story
6.7 TMDB
Matinee
Bob
7.2
Eight Men Out
Ring Lardner, Director, Writer
6.6 TMDB
Gridlock'd
Cop #1
5.3 TMDB
Battle Beyond the Stars
Story, Screenplay
6.5 TMDB
Girlfight
Science Teacher, Executive Producer
7.4 TMDB
Matewan
Hardshell Preacher, Director, Writer
5.4
The Clan of the Cave Bear
Screenplay
5.2 TMDB
Men of War
Screenplay
Filmography
- 2026The Gray HouseWriter, CreatorSeries
- 2024John Sayles and Gregory NavaThemselfMovie
- 2023Poker FaceChief HalSeries
- 2021AlgrenSelfMovie
- 2021Corona Film ClubSelfMovie
- 2021Texas RedGovernor Johnson (voice)Movie
- 2020Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-FiSelfMovie
- 2020Time Warp: The Greatest Cult Films of All TimeSelfSeries
- 2019Them That WorkSelf, ThanksMovie
- 2019Sonora: The Devil’s HighwayWriterMovie
- 2019The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the BigfootExecutive ProducerMovie
- 2018The AlienistTeleplay, Consulting ProducerSeries
- 2016The UmbrellaPastor JimMovie
- 2016Richard Linklater: Dream Is DestinyThanksMovie
- 2016Elsie HooperExecutive ProducerMovie
- 2016Dr. DelExecutive Producer, WriterMovie
- 2015TalentsExecutive ProducerMovie
- 2015The Third Man: A Filmmaker's InfluenceSelfMovie
- 2014That Guy Dick MillerSelfMovie
- 2013Go for SistersDirector, Writer, EditorMovie
- 2012The NormalsDr. MarxMovie
- 2012Casting BySelfMovie
- 2011Corman's WorldSelf - FilmmakerMovie
- 2011The Story of Film: An OdysseySelfSeries
- 2011AmigoEditor, Director, WriterMovie
- 2010Moguls & Movie Stars: A History of HollywoodSelfSeries
- 2009Great DirectorsSelfMovie
- 2009In the Electric MistMichael GoldmanMovie
- 2009The Toe TacticCramdenMovie
- 2008Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove PressSelfMovie
- 2008The Spiderwick ChroniclesScreenplayMovie
- 2007My Mexican ShivahExecutive ProducerMovie
- 2007Alligator AuthorSelfMovie
- 2007HoneydripperZeke, Director, Writer, EditorMovie
- 2006Edge of OutsideSelfMovie
- 2006Howard Zinn: Voices of a People's History of the United StatesSelfMovie
- 2004Silver CityDirector, Writer, EditorMovie
- 2004Tell Them Who You AreSelfMovie
- 2003Casa de los BabysEditor, Director, WriterMovie
- 2003Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’Movie
- 2002Sunshine StateMan who almost got hit by a golf ball (uncredited), Director, Writer, EditorMovie
- 2001Bruce Springsteen: The Complete Video Anthology 1978-2000DirectorMovie
- 2000A Constant ForgeSelfMovie
- 2000GirlfightScience Teacher, Executive ProducerMovie
- 2000When It Was a Game 3Self (voice)Movie
- 1999LimboDirector, Writer, EditorMovie
- 1999Little SaintsExecutive ProducerMovie
- 1998Independent FocusSelfSeries
- 1998Men with GunsWriter, Director, EditorMovie
- 1997MimicAdditional WritingMovie
- 1997Big Guns Talk: The Story of the WesternSelfMovie
- 1997Scene by SceneSelfSeries
- 1997Gridlock'dCop #1Movie
- 1996Lone StarEditor, Director, WriterMovie
- 1995PiranhaStoryMovie
- 1994BaseballSelfSeries
- 1994Men of WarScreenplayMovie
- 1994My Life's in TurnaroundMarginal producerMovie
- 1994The Secret of Roan InishScreenplay, Director, EditorMovie
- 1993MatineeBobMovie
- 1992Passion FishSoap Opera Doctor (uncredited), Writer, Director, EditorMovie
- 1992Malcolm XFBI AgentMovie
- 1992Straight TalkGuy GirardiMovie
- 1991City of HopeCarl, Director, Editor, WriterMovie
- 1990Little VegasMikeMovie
- 1990Shannon's DealRonnie Nash, Writer, CreatorSeries
- 1989Breaking InWriterMovie
- 1989UntamagiruUS High CommissionerMovie
- 1989La fine della notteWayneMovie
- 1989Mountain ViewDirectorMovie
- 1989Shannon's DealWriterMovie
- 1988Eight Men OutRing Lardner, Director, WriterMovie
- 1987MatewanHardshell Preacher, Director, WriterMovie
- 1987Wild ThingScreenplay, StoryMovie
- 1987Square One TelevisionRoy 'Lefty' CobbsSeries
- 1986Unnatural CausesLloyd, Writer, TeleplayMovie
- 1986Something WildMotorcycle CopMovie
- 1986The ChuckleHoundsWriterSeries
- 1986The Clan of the Cave BearScreenplayMovie
- 1985Hard ChoicesDonMovie
- 1984The Brother from Another PlanetMan in Black, Editor, Screenplay, DirectorMovie
- 1983Baby It's YouDirector, ScreenplayMovie
- 1983LiannaJerry, Editor, Director, WriterMovie
- 1983Enormous Changes at the Last MinuteWriterMovie
- 1982The ChallengeWriterMovie
- 1981The HowlingMorgue Attendant (uncredited), ScreenplayMovie
- 1980AlligatorScreenplay, StoryMovie
- 1980A Perfect MatchTeleplayMovie
- 1980Battle Beyond the StarsStory, ScreenplayMovie
- 1980Return of the Secaucus SevenHowie, Director, Writer, EditorMovie
- 1979The Lady in RedWriterMovie
- 1978PiranhaArmy Sentry (uncredited), Screenplay, StoryMovie
- —An Ode to Mary JoMovie
- —Django Lives!WriterMovie
- —GrendelExecutive ProducerMovie
- —I Passed This WayDirector, WriterMovie