Michael Apted

Birthday: Feb 10, 1941

Bio: Receiving his early education at City of London School, Michael Apted went on to study Law at Cambridge University. By the age of 22, however, he was gainfully employed as a director at the BBC, laboring away on the popular soap opera Coronation Street. While working on the documentary series The World in Action, he collaborated with Paul Almond on the 1963… More Bio: Receiving his early education at City of London School, Michael Apted went on to study Law at Cambridge University. By the age of 22, however, he was gainfully employed as a director at the BBC, laboring away on the popular soap opera Coronation Street. While working on the documentary series The World in Action, he collaborated with Paul Almond on the 1963 telefilm 7 Up, in which 14 seven-year-olds, drawn from every social level in London, were interviewed concerning their lives, innermost thoughts, and aspirations. Apted followed up with his subjects on his own every seven years, charting their progress and grilling them concerning their hopes for the future, resulting in the subsequent Seven Plus Seven, 21 Up, 28 Up (which incorporated footage from the earlier installments), 35 Up, and 42 Up. While he never completely abandoned the documentary form (certainly not with several TV awards to his credit), Apted has also kept busy with dramatic features, beginning with the bizarre cross-dressing World War II yarn The Triple Echo (1973). His 1974 Stardust, a quasi-documentary of a Beatles-like rock group, gained Apted a following on the midnight-movie circuit. Of a more mainstream nature were his subsequent biopics Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), the story of country singer Loretta Lynn; Gorillas in the Mist (1988), charting the life and violent death of conservationist Dian Fossey; and Thunderheart (1992), the saga of Native American activist Leonard Peltier (a subject also covered in Apted's 1992 documentary Incident at Oglala). His 1994 feature Nell, a distaff variation of François Truffaut's The Wild Child (1970), found acclaimed actress Jodie Foster in the challenging role of a childlike forest dweller forced into society following the death of her protective mother. And while Apted's later work edged closer to the mainstream with such thrillers as Extreme Measures (1996) and the James Bond vehicle The World Is Not Enough (1999), the avid documentarian remained faithful to his roots with 42 Up and Me & Isaac Newton (both also 1999). Carefully balancing his efforts, the tireless director received winning reviews for the wartime thriller Enigma in 2001 shortly before stepping behind the camera for the Jennifer Lopez revenge flick Enough (2002). Apted also served as executive producer of The River Rat (1984) and Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), and, along with several other directors, played a cameo role in Spies Like Us (1985). ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Most Popular

Coal Miner's Daughter

28 Up

Incident at Oglala

56 Up

Filmography

56 Up (2012)
- Director
- 98%
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010)
- Director
- 49%
Married in America 2 (2007)
- Director
Amazing Grace (2007)
- Director
- 70%
The Power of the Game (2007)
- Director
The FIFA 2006 World Cup Film: The Grand Finale (2006)
- Director
49 Up (2005)
- Producer, Director
- 95%
Married in America (2002)
- Director
Enough (2002)
- Director
- 22%
Enigma (2001)
- Director
- 72%
Short - International Release #3 (2001)
- Actor
Me & Isaac Newton (1999)
- Director
- 89%
The World Is Not Enough (1999)
- Director
- 51%
42 Up (1999)
- Producer, Screenwriter, Director
- 89%
Always Outnumbered (1998)
- Director
Inspirations (1997)
- Director
Extreme Measures (1996)
- Director
- 55%
Moving The Mountain (1994)
- Director
Nell (1994)
- Director
- 53%
Blink (1994)
- Director
- 62%
Incident at Oglala (1992)
- Director
- 100%
Thunderheart (1992)
- Director
- 87%
35 Up (1992)
- Director
- 94%
Class Action (1991)
- Director
- 75%
Long Way Home (1989)
- Director
Gorillas in the Mist: The Story of Dian Fossey (1988)
- Director
- 82%
Critical Condition (1986)
- Director
Spies Like Us (1985)
- Ace Tomato Agent
- 35%
Bring on the Night (1985)
- Director
28 Up (1984)
- Director
- 100%
Firstborn (1984)
- Director
- 33%
The River Rat (1984)
- Producer
Gorky Park (1983)
- Director
- 77%
P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang. (First Love: P'tang, Yang, Kipperbang) (1982)
- Director
Continental Divide (1981)
- Director
- 78%
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980)
- Director
- 100%
Agatha (1979)
- Director
- 82%
21 Up (1977)
- Director
Squeeze (1977)
- Director
The Collection (1976)
- Director
Stardust (1974)
- Director
Poor Girl, a Ghost Story (1974)
- Director
Triple Echo (1973)
- Director
7 Plus Seven (14 Up) (1970)
- Director
7 Plus Seven (1970)
- Director
Sting - Bring on the Night
- Director
See all 46 films

Michael Apted Videos
                        
The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader2 minutes 18 seconds

Spies Like Us26 seconds

Gorillas In The Mist1 minutes 2 seconds

Bring On The Night3 minutes 37 seconds

Firstborn1 minutes 20 seconds

Coal Miner's Daughter28 seconds

56up2 minutes 15 seconds

Class Action2 minutes 6 seconds

Critical Condition1 minutes 28 seconds

Gorky Park2 minutes 23 seconds

                        See more (10)