SAYLES, John

(1950-)

   US writer and film-maker. JS made his reputation as a MAINSTREAM WRITER with the novels Pride of the Bimbos (1975) and Union Dues (1977) and his collection The Anarchist's Convention (coll 1979). He began writing scripts for exploitation movies in the late 1970s, and enjoyed a burst of creativity in association with Roger CORMAN, Joe DANTE, Lewis Teague and Steven SPIELBERG. His sf and fantasy screenplays, always livelyand self-aware, are PIRANHA (1978), BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS (1980), The Howling (1980), ALLIGATOR (1980), The Clan of the Cave Bear (1985) andWild Thing (1989). Night Skies, a horror script about an isolated farm besieged by alien visitors, was commissioned by Spielberg but then abandoned in favour of the similar but more benevolent CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977). JS made his directorial debut with Return of theSecaucus 7 (1980), and has made a number of well received non-genre films since, including Lianna (1981) and Baby, It's You (1983). His sole sf film as director is The BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET (1984), in which the story of a Black alien who crashlands in Harlem is used to tackle JS's usual concerns.

   KN

   See also: CINEMA.