Bernd Eichinger (; 11 April 194924 January 2011) was a German film producer, screenwriter, and director.
Life and career Eichinger was born in Neuburg an der Donau. He attended the University of Television and Film Munich in the 1970s and bought a stake in the fledgling studio company Neue Constantin Film in 1979, becoming its executive director. Under his leadership, Constantin Film evolved into one of the most successful German film businesses. As of 2005, he was chairman of the supervisory board and still owned a substantial stake in the company. Eichinger also produced some movies independently (for example, Downfall). One of Eichinger's last films was about the left-wing terrorist group Red Army Faction (RAF) and based on the book Der Baader Meinhof Komplex ("The Baader-Meinhof Complex") by Stefan Aust. "Der Eichinger-Komplex" in Jungle World, 22 February 2006. ISSN 1613-0766.
The range of genres of films, for television and the big screen, was unusually varied. He produced a 3D zombie movie, Resident Evil: Afterlife; to Atomised, a film adaptation of novel by French star writer and social critic Michel Houellebecq. He was an incredibly prolific film maker, with almost 100 films to his credit.
Eichinger was known as tenacious. It took him 20 years to convince Patrick Süskind, the German author of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, to trust him with the rights to make the international bestseller into a film. In 2006, the film was released, grossing $135 million worldwide.
In the 1980s, Eichinger obtained the film rights to the Fantastic Four and Silver Surfer, decades before making movies based on Marvel comics was trending.
In 1991, he was a co-founder of Summit, the Los Angeles-based production and film sales company. Due to the success of Twilight, Summit eventually became Summit Entertainment.
Family
Eichinger was married to Katja Hofmann, a journalist. He had a daughter from a previous relationship, Nina Eichinger, an actress and TV presenter.
Death Eichinger died of a heart attack in Los Angeles on 24 January 2011 during dinner with family and friends. He was 61.
Awards 1984 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Producing 1986 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Producing 1993 Bavarian Film Awards, Best Producing
Selected filmography Bernd Eichinger's best known films include: Year Title Director Based on LanguageNotes1977Grete MindeHeidi GenéeA novel by Theodor FontaneGerman1977Die KonsequenzWolfgang PetersenAn autobiographical novel by Alexander ZieglerGermanTV film1977Hitler: A Film from GermanyHans-Jürgen SyberbergGerman1978The Glass CellHans W. GeißendörferThe Glass Cell by Patricia HighsmithGerman1981Christiane F.Uli EdelThe non-fiction book by Kai Hermann and Horst Rieck about Christiane F.German1984The Neverending StoryWolfgang PetersenThe Neverending Story by Michael EndeEnglish1986The Name of the RoseJean-Jacques AnnaudThe Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoEnglish1987Der UnsichtbareUlf MieheGerman1988Me and HimDoris DörrieA novel by Alberto MoraviaEnglish1989Last Exit to BrooklynUli EdelLast Exit to Brooklyn by Hubert Selby Jr.English1990Fire, Ice and DynamiteWilly BognerEnglish1990Werner – Beinhart!, , The Werner comic books by Rötger FeldmannGerman1991Manta, MantaGerman1992Salt on Our SkinAndrew BirkinA novel by Benoîte GroultEnglish1993The Cement GardenAndrew BirkinThe Cement Garden by Ian McEwanEnglish1993The House of the SpiritsBille AugustThe House of the Spirits by Isabel AllendeEnglish1994The Fantastic FourOley SassoneFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglishUnreleased1994Der bewegte MannSönke WortmannTwo comic books by Ralf KönigGerman1996The SuperwifeSönke WortmannA novel by German1996A Girl Called RosemaryBernd EichingerRosemary (1958)GermanTV film1997Smilla's Sense of SnowBille AugustMiss Smilla's Feeling for Snow by Peter HøegEnglish1997Prince ValiantAnthony HickoxPrince Valiant by Hal FosterEnglish1998Wrongfully AccusedPat ProftEnglish1999Bernd EichingerA novel by Helmut KrausserGermanalso screenwriter2000Ants in the PantsMarc RothemundGerman2001The Mists of AvalonUli EdelThe Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer BradleyEnglishTV film2001Nowhere in AfricaCaroline LinkAn autobiographical novel by Stefanie ZweigGermanco-produced by Eichinger; won Oscar2002666 – Traue keinem, mit dem du schläfst!German2002Resident EvilPaul W. S. AndersonResident EvilEnglish2004DownfallOliver HirschbiegelGermanalso screenwriter2004Resident Evil: ApocalypseAlexander WittResident EvilEnglish2005Fantastic FourTim StoryFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglish2006Atomised Oskar RoehlerAtomised by Michel HouellebecqGerman2006DOA: Dead or AliveCorey YuenDead or AliveEnglish2006Perfume: The Story of a MurdererTom TykwerPerfume by Patrick SüskindEnglishco-writer2007Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferTim StoryFantastic Four by Jack Kirby and Stan LeeEnglish2007Resident Evil: ExtinctionRussell MulcahyResident EvilEnglish2007PornoramaMarc RothemundGerman2008The Baader Meinhof ComplexUli EdelThe non-fiction book by Stefan Aust about the Red Army FactionGermanalso screenwriter2009Pope JoanSönke WortmannPope Joan by Donna Woolfolk CrossEnglish2010Zeiten ändern dichUli EdelThe autobiography of the German rapper BushidoGermanco-writer2010Resident Evil: AfterlifePaul W. S. AndersonResident EvilEnglish20133096 DaysSherry HormannEnglish
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