Spielberg. Lucas. Nolan. Tarantino. Lee. The list of Hollywood film directors who can boast more than one or two hit movies is a small one. Director Ed Zwick is among the most successful of all time. Think Blood Diamond. Think Legends of the Fall. Courage Under Fire. About Last Night. Defiance. Trial By Fire. The Last Samurai. And who can forget Glory!

What does it take to make a great movie? A polished script? Absolutely. An emotional, innovative soundtrack? Definitely. The finest cinematographers? Without a doubt. An editor skilled in the language of cinema and the mood of the times? For sure. However, Ed Zwick’s success is also fueled by the brilliant actors who go out of their way to collaborate with him. They’re in constant demand, but DiCaprio, Cruise, Hopkins, Pitt, and Craig choose to work with Ed because he brings out their best. Notably, the renowned Denzel Washington has made three films with Ed, including his Oscar-winning performance for Best Supporting Actor in Glory.

A native of Chicago and graduate of Harvard, Ed Zwick broke through the Hollywood firewall with the award-winning television movie Special Bulletin in 1983. But his 1987 television hit series Thirtysomething set the bar for one of Hollywood’s most prolific and notable careers. And, of course, there’s Ed’s Oscar as a producer for Shakespeare in Love.

Please join us for Hits, Flops & Oscar Gold at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts on Saturday, June 7th. We’ll have the popcorn, a screening of Legends of the Fall, and cinematic master Ed Zwick will be in conversation with award-winning documentary filmmaker, author, and Petoskey area favorite Chip Duncan. Ed will also have signed copies of his recent New York Times best seller, Hits, Flops and Other Illusions.