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Patrick Read Johnson is an American filmmaker, special effects artist and screenwriter. He is known for his directorial work on Spaced Invaders, Angus, Baby's Day Out, The Genesis Code and 5-25-77, a film about his experience of seeing Star Wars in 1977.
Patrick Read Johnson is a writer, director and visual effects artist who worked on films like DragonHeart, Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and 5-25-77. He was also the first person to see an unfinished preview of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope.
- January 1, 1
- 16 sec
- Wadsworth, Illinois, USA
- A Hollywood Director Makes His Passion Project
- The Prequels Strike Back
- A Pinto, A Projector and Lots of Miles Later
- The Screening That Changed Everything
In the '80s and '90s, Johnson achieved some success in Hollywood. He directed Spaced Invaders, Baby's Day Out and Angus, among other films. He also co-wrote the story for DragonHeart. In the late '90s he took a break from Hollywood and moved his family back to Wadsworth, Illinois. It was there he got the idea to make an American Graffiti-style movi...
Even though 5-25-77 is intertwined with Star Wars, it's not really about Star Wars. It's more like Dazed and Confused for '70s kids who wanted to make films. But for better or worse, 5-25-77 is linked to Star Wars. And kids who grew up on the original trilogy remember when the prequels were released and things got bad. "By the time we were finished...
Over the years, Johnson screened rough cuts of the movie at festivals in a bid to convince his collaborators that the film was worth finishing. In 2007, 5-25-77 screened at Star Wars Celebration IV. Then, in 2012, Johnson made a cross-country trip in the Ford Pinto featured in the film. He held impromptu screenings of 5-25-77 along the way and made...
So how did Johnson get to be the original Star Wars film's very first fan? As a kid, he remade films he liked. For his homemade sequel Jaws 2 he used a gallon of concentrated dye in a swimming pool to create the "bloodiest shark attack ever filmed." His mother, a champion of Johnson's childhood cinematic feats, eventually contacted Herb Lightman, t...
May 5, 2023 · The director of 5-25-77, a film about his childhood dream of making Star Wars, shares his personal story of being the first fan to see the original trilogy. He also reveals his plans for two sequels and his love for classic rock music.
Patrick Read Johnson is a writer and director who worked on Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, DragonHeart and 5-25-77. He was also the first person to see an unfinished Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope preview.
Feb 11, 2013 · Director Patrick Read Johnson talks about his autobiographical film 5-25-77, his career in Hollywood, and his influences from Star Wars to John Hughes. Read the full interview and learn more about his personal and professional journey as a filmmaker.
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In the spring of 1977, a teenager and aspiring filmmaker named Patrick Read Johnson found himself standing in front of Steven Spielberg. It was an unlikely encounter. Johnson, then 15, was from...