Neil Breen

Neil Breen (born November 23, 1958) is an American filmmaker and actor.[1] Since 2005, he has written, directed, independently produced, and starred in six theatrical feature films. Breen's films have garnered a cult following for their low-budget production values, acting, writing, and editing.[1][2]

Not to be confused with Neil Brenner.
Neil Breen
Breen at an LA film festival, 2017
Breen in 2017
Born (1958-11-23) November 23, 1958
United States
NationalityAmerican
Occupations
  • Filmmaker
  • Actor
Known for

Life and career

Neil Breen grew up on the East Coast of the United States, and developed an interest in film and filmmaking at an early age. He studied architecture and initially became a licensed architect in California.[3] He gained a small following after releasing his first film, Double Down, which played at the Cinefamily cinematheque in Los Angeles in 2010.[1] In the years that followed, Breen continued working as an architect as a means to finance his next film: I Am Here.... Now, which also played at the Cinefamily in 2011.[4] This second feature proved to be a breakout hit, reintroducing familiar motifs and garnering Breen "a lot of attention." Since then, he has established a reputation as a cult amateur filmmaker.[3]

Film

Breen writes, produces, directs, and stars in each of his own films. The characters he portrays hold advanced and often superhuman abilities and use them in grandiose struggles against corrupt forces and institutions.[5] Fateful Findings features Breen as a hacker imbued with supernatural powers by a magical stone he found as a child, who uses his skills to expose government and corporate corruption, while in Double Down he plays a rogue government super-agent.

In other films, his protagonist is a god-like, messianic, or otherwise chosen figure; Pass Thru, for example, has Breen playing a messianic entity who arrives from the future to wipe out 300 million "bad people" to usher in a new era of peace. Breen has said that his films have a "sense of social responsibility" and reflect the "mystical or paranormal side of life."[6]

Some critics have compared Breen's films to outsider art.[7][1] Breen's third film, Fateful Findings, was compared to Tommy Wiseau's The Room by the former film's North American distributor Panorama Entertainment.[5] Breen's fifth feature film, Twisted Pair, was released in October 2018.[8] On December 16, 2022, Breen confirmed his sixth film is a sequel to Twisted Pair, titled Cade: The Tortured Crossing.[9] In February 2023, Cade: The Tortured Crossing won the award for "Best Fantasy Film" and "People's Choice Award" at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival,[10] before its world premiere on February 25, 2023, at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live.[11]

Influence

His first feature film, Double Down, was featured on RedLetterMedia's Best of the Worst online series, whilst Fateful Findings was covered by RedLetterMedia along with other film critics on YouTube. Since then, Breen's films have been picked up by arthouse theaters and film festivals, including the 2012 "Butt-Numb-A-Thon" and the 2013 Seattle International Film Festival.[1] In Jim Vorel's 2014 list of the 100 best B movies for Paste magazine, Breen's film I Am Here.... Now was ranked 21st, with Vorel mentioning that Breen could one day earn a place in the "terrible movie hall of fame" alongside Ed Wood and Wiseau.[12]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Director Writer Producer Editor Musical Director DOP Actor Role Notes
2005 Double Down Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Aaron Brand Also casting, production designer, production manager and catering
2009 I Am Here.... Now Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes The Being Also craft service, special makeup effects artist and props
2012 Fateful Findings Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Dylan Also accountant, craft service, special make-up effects, location manager, production designer, sound editor, lighting design, wardrobe and set decorator
2016 Pass Thru Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes A.I /
Thgil		 Also production designer and manager, casting, set design, wardrobe, props, lighting designs, special make up effects, locations, administration and accounting, craft services, make up and hair and sound editor
2018 Twisted Pair Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Cade Altair /
Cale Altair		 Also casting, make up and hair, production manager, set designer, wardrobe, props, lighting design, special effects, stunt coordinator, areal rigging, special makeup effects, legal accounting administration, craft services, locations and sound editor
2020 Neil Breen's 5 Film Retrospective Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Himself Documentary
2023[13] Cade: The Tortured Crossing Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Cade Altair /
Cale Altair		 Also casting, make up and hair, production manager, set designer, wardrobe, props, lighting design, special effects, stunt coordinator, areal rigging, special makeup effects, legal accounting administration, craft services, locations and sound editor

Accolades
Year Award Category Title Result Ref
2023 Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival People's Choice Award Cade: The Tortured Crossing Won [14]
Best Fantasy Film Won [10]

References
  1. Bell, Josh (February 6, 2014). "Local filmmaker Neil Breen's unique (and terrible) movies earned him a cult following". Las Vegas Weekly. The Greenspun Corporation. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  2. Galil, Leor (April 8, 2021). "In praise of Neil Breen, an auteur who finds new and exciting ways to be bad with every movie he makes". Chicago Reader.
  3. Olson 2018, p. 76.
  4. Schmader, David (January 30, 2014). "This Weekend: The Return of Fateful Findings". The Stranger. Index Newspapers, LLC. Retrieved May 29, 2023.
  5. Jones, Alan. "Bad-movie lovers need to meet Neil Breen". The Dissolve. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  6. Howard, Jason. "An Interview with Director Neil Breen". Influx Magazine. Influx Magazine. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved November 12, 2014.
  7. Faraci, Devin (February 10, 2014). "Neil Breen Is The Hero Who Will Save Us From The Mainstreaming Of THE ROOM". Birth.Movies.Death. Retrieved March 9, 2022.
  8. Rife, Katie (July 24, 2018). "Clear your calendars, Neil Breen has a new movie coming out". The A.V. Club. G/O Media. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  9. Cade Update Number two December 16 2022, retrieved December 16, 2022
  10. "HRIFF 2023 Award Winners". Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  11. "Cade: The Tortured Crossing at the Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival". Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Retrieved February 12, 2023.
  12. Vorel, Jim (May 9, 2014). "The 100 Best "B Movies" of All Time". Paste. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  13. "Breen announces on his official YouTube Channel his 6th Film". YouTube. October 20, 2022. Retrieved October 20, 2022.
  14. "HRIFF People's Choice Award Winners". HRIFF. Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival. Retrieved March 27, 2023.

Works cited
  • Olson, Christopher J. (2018). 100 Greatest Cult Films. Lanham; Boulder; New York City; London: Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1442208223.
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