BIFF Legacy Gala: Demolition Man w/ David L. Snyder

Demolition Man

Marco Brambilla (Dir), 115 minutes, USA

BIFF LEGACY GALA

John Spartan (Sylvester Stallone) is a risk-taking LAPD police officer in 1996 with a reputation for causing destruction while carrying out his work. After a failed attempt to rescue hostages from evil crime lord Simon Phoenix (Westley Snipes), they are both sentenced to be cryogenically frozen. Phoenix is thawed for a parole hearing in 2032 but escapes into a society that has changed after all violent crime has seemingly been eliminated. This pacifistic future society is ill-equipped to deal with a criminal of Phoenix's caliber, and Spartan is released from the cryogenic prison to pursue his old ultra-violent-nemesis.

Also starring Sandra Bullock (in her first major studio leading role), with Benjamin Bratt, Nigel Hawthorne, Glenn Shadix, Denis Leary, Bob Gunton, Jack Black, and Bill Cobbs. A Warner Bros.Pictures release.

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The screening will be followed by a discussion and live audience Q+A with Demolition Man Production Designer and BIFF's inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award Winner David L. Snyder

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David was born, raised, and educated at Hutch-Tech in Buffalo, New York. After stumbling through life as a rock 'n' roll drummer, architectural designer, graphic designer, and theatrical stage designer, he began his Hollywood career in 1978 as the assistant art director at the 50th Annual Academy Awards®. Following the Oscars® he went on to Olivia Newton-John's ABC Special Olivia with ABBA and Andy Gibb.

David was soon recruited by MCA Universal Studios. He spent a year and a half art directing science fiction Television series such as Galactica 1980, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, and Captain America.

He went on to design Taylor Hackford's feature directorial debut, The Idolmaker, and soon returned to science fiction as the art director of Ridley Scott's 1982 future-noir classic Blade Runner. David received an Academy Award® nomination for Best Art Direction shared with Lawrence G. Paull, production designer. The film was also awarded the British Academy Award (BAFTA®) for Best Production Design.

Since that time he has designed nearly fifty feature films including Soldier, Demolition Man, Super Mario Bros., The Whole Nine Yards, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, Racing With The Moon, My Science Project, Crave, Jet Li's The One, and Tim Burton's cult classic feature film directorial debut, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. In 1994 he designed Rainbow, the motion picture Industry's first live-action, digital to 35mm theatrical feature film starring and directed by Bob Hoskins. In 2022, he appeared as himself in the documentaries In Theaters Only and 1982: Greatest Geek Year Ever!

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