Joe Dante
Director · Actor · WriterJoseph James Dante Jr. (born November 28, 1946) is an American filmmaker, producer, editor and actor. His films—notably Gremlins (1984) alongside its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)—often mix the 1950s-style B movie genre with 1960s radicalism and cartoon comedy. Dante's output includes the films Piranha (1978), The Howling (1981), Explorers (1985), Innerspace (1987), The 'Burbs (1989), Matinee (1993), Small Soldiers (1998), and Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003). His work for television and cable include the social satire The Second Civil War (1997), episodes of the anthology series Masters of Horror ("Homecoming" and "The Screwfly Solution") and Amazing Stories, as well as Police Squad! and Hawaii Five-0.
More details at TMDB
KNOWN FOR
FILMOGRAPHY
ACTOR129
Shrinkage: The Making of Innerspace
2026
Self
Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern
2026
Gremlins, an american nightmare!
2026
Himself
The Creeps
2025
Uncle John
Boorman and the Devil
2025
Self
The Vincent Price Legacy
2025
Himself
Sharksploitation
2024
Self
The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee
2024
Self
Hammer: Heroes, Legends and Monsters
2024
Self
Ishiro Honda: Memoirs of a Film Director
2024
Himself
In Search of Darkness: Part III
2022
Self
Razzennest
2022
Joe Dante
Soylent Green and Red Alert: When Reality Catches Up with Fiction
2022
Self
- Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story
Boris Karloff: The Rest of the Story
2022
Self - Interviewee
In Search of Tomorrow
2022
Self - Interviewee
Blood, Guts and Sunshine: The History of Horror Made in Florida
2021
Self [archival]
Roger Corman, the Pope of Pop Cinema
2021
Self
Boris Karloff: The Man Behind the Monster
2021
Self
Bugs Bunny's 80th What's Up, Doc-umentary!
2020
Self (archive footage)
Time Warp Vol. 1: Midnight Madness
2020
Host
Time Warp Vol. 2: Horror and Sci-Fi
2020
Host
Skin: A History of Nudity in the Movies
2020
Self
Time Warp Vol. 3: Comedy and Camp
2020
Host
In Search of Darkness: Part II
2020
Self
Tales of the Uncanny
2020
Self
In Search of Darkness
2019
Self
Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf
2019
Self
Phil Tippett: Mad Dreams and Monsters
2019
Self
- Class of '79: 40 Years of Rock 'N' Roll High School
Class of '79: 40 Years of Rock 'N' Roll High School
2019
Love, Antosha
2019
Self
Making Apes: The Artists Who Changed Film
2019
Self
- The Fear Is Real
The Fear Is Real
2018
Self
King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen
2018
Self
Hammer Horror: The Warner Bros. Years
2018
Self
Sad Hill Unearthed
2018
Self - Filmmaker
Monstres, l'ennemi de l'intérieur
2017
Self
24×36
2016
Self
Long Live the King
2016
himself
Unspeakable Horrors: The Plan 9 Conspiracy
2016
Himself
42nd Street Memories: The Rise and Fall of America's Most Notorious Street
2015
Self
Tales of Halloween
2015
Prof. Milo Gottlieb
Creature Designers: The Frankenstein Complex
2015
Self
Eaten Alive! The Rise and Fall of the Italian Cannibal Film
2015
We Come In Pieces: The Rebirth of the Horror Anthology Film
2014
Self
Clawing! A Journey Through the Spanish Horror
2014
Self - Director
That Guy Dick Miller
2014
Self
Out of Print
2014
Self
- There Goes the Neighborhood: The Making of The 'Burbs
There Goes the Neighborhood: The Making of The 'Burbs
2014
Self
From Gizmo to Gremlins: Creating the Creatures
2014
Self
Cute. Clever. Mischievous. Intelligent. Dangerous: Making Gremlins
2014
Self
Blast Vegas
2013
Salesman #2
House of Wax: Unlike Anything You've Seen Before!
2013
Self
A Fuller Life
2013
Self - Reader (segment "Sicily Black and Blue")
The Butterfly Room
2012
Cab Driver
Trailer War
2012
Himself
The Birds: Hitchcock's Monster Movie
2012
Self
The Flesh and the Fury: X-posing Twins of Evil
2012
- To Be... A Film Favorite
To Be... A Film Favorite
2012
Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan
2012
Self
American Grindhouse
2011
Himself
A Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas!
2011
Self - Interviewee
Corman's World
2011
Self - Filmmaker
Produce Your Own Damn Movie!
2011
Self
- The Future of Fear
The Future of Fear
2011
Self
The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth
2010
Self
Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney, Jr.
2010
Self
Machete Maidens Unleashed!
2010
Self
The Man Who Saw Frankenstein Cry
2010
Self
- The Bloodiest Show on Earth: Making Vampire Circus
The Bloodiest Show on Earth: Making Vampire Circus
2010
Self
RKO, A Story made in Hollywood
2010
Himself
Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
2009
Self
Monsterland
2009
Self
Direct Your Own Damn Movie!
2009
Self
Fulci in the House: The Italian Master of Splatter
2009
Self
- Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer
Coming Attractions: The History of the Movie Trailer
2009
Self
Fantastic Flesh: The Art of Make-Up EFX
2008
Self
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
2008
Self
Famous Monster: Forrest J Ackerman
2007
Self
The Return of the Living Dead: The Decade of Darkness
2007
Self
- Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein
Spider Stravinsky: The Cinema Sounds of Ronald Stein
2007
Himself
The Hatching of Spider Baby
2007
Himself
Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story
2007
Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
2006
Self
Hitchcocked!
2006
Self
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
2006
Self
Karloff: The Gentle Monster
2006
Self
Lugosi: The Dark Prince
2006
Self
Shadows in the Dark: The Val Lewton Legacy
2005
The Perfect Scary Movie
2005
Self
Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection
2005
Self
- Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz
Männer im Trenchcoat, Frauen im Pelz
2004
Self
Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen
2004
Self
Welcome to Werewolfland
2004
Mario Bava: Operazione paura
2004
Self / Host
The Cutting Edge: The Magic of Movie Editing
2004
Self
- The Art of Crime
The Art of Crime
2004
Himself
Unleashing the Beast: Making ‘The Howling’
2003
Cinerama Adventure
2002
Self
It Conquered Hollywood! The Story of American International Pictures
2001
Self
Making The Earth Stand Still
2001
Self
Mario Bava: Maestro of the Macabre
2000
Self
Chuck Jones: Extremes and In-Betweens - A Life in Animation
2000
Self
She's Alive! Creating 'The Bride of Frankenstein'
1999
Self / Host
Ray Harryhausen: Working with Dinosaurs
1999
Self
Hollywood Rated 'R'
1997
Self
Beverly Hills Cop III
1994
Jailer
The Silence of the Hams
1994
Dying Man
Flesh and Blood: The Hammer Heritage of Horror
1994
Self
A Century of Cinema
1994
Self
The Magical World of Chuck Jones
1992
Self
Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The 'Plan 9' Companion
1992
Himself
Sleepwalkers
1992
Lab Assistant
Oscar
1991
Face on the Cutting Room Floor
- The Horror Hall of Fame II
The Horror Hall of Fame II
1991
Self
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
Grandpa Fred Director (uncredited)
Innerspace
1987
Vectorscope Employee (uncredited)
The Fantasy Film Worlds of George Pal
1986
Self
Gremlins
1984
Mogwai / Gremlins (voice) (uncredited)
Eating Raoul
1982
Busboy (uncredited)
Making a Monster Movie: Inside 'the Howling'
1981
Self
The Orson Welles Show
1979
Member of Studio Audience
Piranha
1978
Scuba Diver #2 (uncredited)
Roger Corman: Hollywood's Wild Angel
1978
Self
Cannonball
1976
Kid
Hollywood Boulevard
1976
Party Waiter (uncredited)
Tidal Wave
1975
Mary Woronov: Cult Queen
Self
- The AckerMonster Chronicles!
The AckerMonster Chronicles!
- Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell
Mamie Exposed! The Life and Loves of the Last Blonde Bombshell
DIRECTOR30
Nightmare Cinema
2018
Director
Burying the Ex
2014
Director
The Hole
2009
Director
Splatter
2009
Director
Trapped Ashes
2006
Director
The Screwfly Solution
2006
Director
Homecoming
2005
Director
Looney Tunes: Back in Action
2003
Director
Haunted Lighthouse 4-D
2003
Director
Small Soldiers
1998
Director
The Second Civil War
1997
Director
The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy
1996
Director
Picture Windows: Lightning
1995
Director
Runaway Daughters
1994
Director
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror - Preshow
1994
Director
Matinee
1993
Director
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
1990
Director
The 'Burbs
1989
Director
Innerspace
1987
Director
Amazon Women on the Moon
1987
Director
Explorers
1985
Director
Gremlins
1984
Director
Twilight Zone: The Movie
1983
Director
The Howling
1981
Director
Piranha
1978
Director
Hollywood Boulevard
1976
Director
The Movie Orgy
1968
Director
- Labrintus
Labrintus
Director
- Fear Paris
Fear Paris
Director
The Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes
Director
