Mormon cinema usually refers to films with themes relevant to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The term has also been used to refer to films that do not necessarily reflect Mormon themes but have been made by Mormon filmmakers. Films within the realm of Mormon cinema may be distinguished from institutional films produced by the LDS Church, such as Legacy and Testaments, which are made for instructional or proselyting purposes and are non-commercial. Mormon cinema is produced mainly for the purposes of entertainment and potential financial success.
Melvin and Howard (stylized as Melvin (and Howard)) is a 1980 American comedy-drama film directed by Jonathan Demme. The screenplay by Bo Goldman was inspired by real-life Utah service station owner Melvin Dummar, who was listed as the beneficiary of $156 million in a will allegedly handwritten by Howard Hughes that was discovered in the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City. A novelization of Goldman's script, which itself won the Academy Award for Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen, later was written by George Gipe. The film stars Paul Le Mat, Jason Robards, and Mary Steenburgen, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film was released on September 19, 1980, receiving positive reviews from critics.
The R.M. is a 2003 comedy film about the experiences of a returned missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "RM" is an LDS initialism for "returned missionary". It was written by Kurt Hale and John E. Moyer and directed by Hale.
The Break-Up is a 2006 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Peyton Reed, and starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston. It was written by Jay Lavender and Jeremy Garelick from a story by them and Vaughn, and produced by Universal Pictures.
Don't Come Knocking is a 2005 American western film directed by Wim Wenders, and written by Wenders and Sam Shepard. They had previously collaborated on the film Paris, Texas (1984). It was submitted at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
Mobsters and Mormons is a 2005 American comedy film written, directed and produced by John Moyer, who also plays a role in the film. It is also produced by Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter of Halestorm Entertainment. The plot concerns a mafioso who moves to Utah after being placed in the Witness Protection Program.
My Bodyguard is a 1980 American family comedy drama film directed by Tony Bill, and written by Alan Ormsby. The film stars Chris Makepeace, Adam Baldwin, Matt Dillon, Martin Mull, and Ruth Gordon.
The Seniors is a 1978 American comedy film about four college seniors who open a bogus sex clinic, which unexpectedly mushrooms into a multimillion-dollar business. Directed by Rod Amateau, the films features Dennis Quaid in one of his earliest roles and Alan Reed in his final film appearance.
Halestorm Entertainment was a film production and distribution company based in Orem, Utah. It was founded in January 2001 by Kurt Hale and Dave Hunter, who were both film majors at Brigham Young University. Halestorm films were largely created by, for, and about Latter-day Saints, and usually contain a high number of clichés and stereotypes about the behavior and culture of mainland Western United States members of the Church. Because of that, their films are mostly shown in first run movie theatres in that region, where most US members of that church live.
Pink Cadillac is a 1989 American action comedy film directed by Buddy Van Horn, about a bounty hunter and a group of white supremacists chasing after an innocent woman who tries to outrun everyone in her husband's prized pink Cadillac. The film stars Clint Eastwood and Bernadette Peters, and also has small cameo appearances by Jim Carrey and Bryan Adams.
One Little Indian is a 1973 American Western comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions starring James Garner and Vera Miles. The supporting cast includes Pat Hingle, John Doucette, Morgan Woodward, Andrew Prine, as well as a 10-year-old Jodie Foster. The film was written by Harry Spalding and directed by Bernard McEveety.
John Moyer is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor and film producer. Moyer co-wrote the screenplays for The Singles Ward, The R.M., and The Home Teachers. He also wrote, produced, directed, and acted in Mobsters and Mormons.
The Home Teachers is a 2004 comedy film written by John Moyer and directed by Kurt Hale. The Home Teachers is a comedy distributed by Halestorm Entertainment and intended for LDS audiences, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Curt Doussett is an American actor who is the host of the Discovery Channel's Hazard Pay and owner of ComedySportz Utah.
Bigfoot: The Unforgettable Encounter is a 1995 American independent family film about the legendary creature Bigfoot and a young boy he befriends. The film was written and directed by Corey Michael Eubanks and stars Zachery Ty Bryan as the young boy Cody and Gary Maloncon as Bigfoot.
The Boogens is a 1981 American monster film directed by James L. Conway and starring Rebecca Balding, Fred McCarren, Anne-Marie Martin, Jeff Harlan, John Crawford, Med Flory, Jon Lormer, and Scott Wilkinson. The title refers to scaly turtle-like monsters that are released from an abandoned and boarded-up silver mine, and begin to wreak havoc.
Hall Pass is a 2011 American comedy film produced and directed by the Farrelly brothers and co-written by them along with Pete Jones, the writer/director of Stolen Summer. It stars Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis.
Fifty Shades of Black is a 2016 American slapstick romantic comedy film directed by Michael Tiddes and starring Marlon Wayans, who also serves as co-writer and co-producer. The film is a parody to the 2015 erotic romantic drama film Fifty Shades of Grey, the film co-stars Kali Hawk, Affion Crockett, Jane Seymour, Andrew Bachelor, Florence Henderson, Jenny Zigrino, Fred Willard and Mike Epps.
Trek: The Movie is a 2018 comedy film. It was written and produced by David Howard and directed by Alan Peterson. The film is distributed by Excel Entertainment Group—the distributors of 17 Miracles, The Work and the Glory, and The Cokeville Miracle.
Garrett Batty is an American film director, writer, and producer known for his film The Saratov Approach. He is a graduate of Brigham Young University and a native of Park City, Utah. He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and his films are part of Mormon cinema, but with a more general audience. He has written, directed, and produced four full-length films, including Freetown (2015) and Out of Liberty (2019), and will begin work on a fifth in 2020. For Freetown, he was awarded the 2015 Ghana Movie Award for Best Screenplay alongside Melissa Leilani Larson.
