Biography
Called “the Jean Renoir of the New Hollywood” by critic Owen Gleiberman, director Jonathan Demme emphasized his characters over style. Reared in the Roger Corman school of filmmaking, Demme trained in promoting and making cheaply made genre films before striking out on his own in the late 70s with films like Citizens Band (aka Handle with Care) and Melvin and Howard, two social satires depicting the foibles of wayward characters shown as real people and not caricatures. His best known work, Silence of the Lambs, grossed high figures at the boxoffice and won the top five Oscars that year, including Best Picture and Best Director for Demme. His love of music, in particular rock and roll, was used wisely throughout all his work and he directed dozens of music video including those featuring Bruce Springsteen and several full length documentaries on singers such as Neil Young, Kenny Chesney and Justin Timberlake.
The NY Times wrote: “He created a body of work — including fiction films and documentaries, dramas and comedies, original scripts, adaptations and remakes — that resists easy characterization.” Audiences will long watch some of his other chief accomplishments including Stop Making Sense, Philadelphia, Beloved, Something Wild, Married to the Mob, Rachel Getting Married, Jimmy Carter Man from Plains and The Agronomist.
Overview of the Archive
The Jonathan Demme Collection, a gift of the Howard Demme Family, was announced at the 2018 Traverse City Film Festival. The archive consists of over 700 linear feet of materials including scripts, photographs, documents, costumes, props, research materials, personal books and CD’s and extensive audiovisual materials.
“It has been incredibly important to find a home for Jonathan’s life’s work that will not only keep it intact, but view it as a rich source of engagement and creativity. I’m grateful to have found that shared vision at the University of Michigan.”
Joanne Howard, wife of the late Jonathan Demme
The Jonathan Demme Collection is currently being processed at the University of Michigan Library’s Special Collections Research Center. Finding aids are not yet available for researchers; however, inquiries may be directed to curator Philip Hallman.
Screen Arts Mavericks & Makers 