J. R. Bookwalter

J. R. Bookwalter began his career at the age of 19 in 1985 with The Dead Next Door.[5] The film was an independent production shot on Super 8 film in Akron, Ohio, over the course of four years. It was executive produced by Sam Raimi, with Bruce Campbell supervising post-production sound as well as providing the overdubbed voices of two of the lead characters.[6] Bookwalter wrote, directed, edited, and composed the score for the film.[7] The Dead Next Door has gone on to amass a cult following and has been noted as being the most expensive shot on Super-8 film ever made.[8]

During post-production on The Dead Next Door, Bookwalter wrote and directed the low-budget superhero action film Robot Ninja, which was executive produced by David DeCoteau.[9] The film was released in 1989 and features cameos from Scott Spiegel, Burt Ward, and Linnea Quigley.[10] In the years since its release, Robot Ninja achieved cult status on the video collector market.[11][12] In a review for the 30th anniversary Blu-ray release, Rue Morgue states, "Splishy gore, body horror, off-kilter performances, and a self-reflexive edge make Robot Ninja a cut above your average exploitation movie fare."[13]

Bookwalter produced Skinned Alive in 1990.[14] The film stars Scott Spiegel and Mary Jackson.[15]

Beginning in the early 1990s, Bookwalter directed a handful of low-budget shot-on-video films including Zombie Cop (1991), Maximum Impact, and Humanoids from Atlantis (both 1992), often times crediting himself under the pseudo name "Lance Randas".[16]

In 1993, Bookwalter directed Ozone starring James R. Black. In their review for the film, Film Threat called it "A dreamy descent into Cronenberg-esque madness."[17]

In 1996, Bookwalter directed Polymorph; written by and starring frequent collaborator James L. Edwards.[18]

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Bookwalter worked for Full Moon Pictures, producing and directing multiple projects for founder Charles Band including Witchouse 2: Blood Coven, Witchouse 3: Demon Fire, and Mega Scorpions (also known as Stingers).[19]

• J. R. Bookwalter at IMDb