fiction.wikisort.org - Director

David A. Prior (October 5, 1955 – August 16, 2015) was an American director, screenwriter, and producer.[1] Prior started his career with the horror film Sledgehammer (1983), and the action film Killzone (1985). Shortly after, he co-founded Action International Pictures (AIP),[2] his first directorial effort with this enterprise were Deadly Prey, Aerobicide, and Mankillers released in 1987. Subsequently, Prior made action films until the late 1990s.

David A. Prior
Born	(1955-10-05)October 5, 1955 Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	August 16, 2015(2015-08-16) (aged 59) Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
Occupation	Film director, screenwriter, producer
Years active	1983–2015
Relatives	Ted Prior (brother)

From 2000 to 2006, Prior went on a hiatus. From 2007 to his death in 2015, he continued directing films including Lost at War (2007), Zombie Wars (2008), Night Claws (2012), Deadliest Prey (2013), and Relentless Justice (2015).

Career

1983-1985: Early films

In 1983, David A. Prior made his directorial debut with the horror film Sledgehammer.

In 1985, he directed the action film Killzone.[3]

1987-1999: Action and horror film director

Around this time Prior met by veteran producer, and director David Winters and with him the founded Action International Pictures also known as AIP. In 1987, Prior's directorial efforts that AIP released were the horror film Killer Workout,[4] the action films Deadly Prey, and Mankillers. The made for VHS film gained a second audience two decades later as cult film that found its way on the internet.[5][6]

In 1988, he directed Operation Warzone, an American Vietnam War film, Night Wars and Death Chase.[7]

In 1989, he directed Rapid Fire, Future Force a science-fiction film starring David Carradine,[8] and Hell on the Battleground.

In 1990, he is credited as the director of following films White Fury, Invasion Force, The Lost Platoon, Lock 'n' Load, Invasion Force, Future Zone,(Future Force's sequel) and The Final Sanction. That year, he was credited with the screenplays for Born Killer and Deadly Dancer.[9][10]

In 1991, he produced Dark Rider and The Last Ride. That year, he wrote and directed Raw Nerve.

In 1992, he wrote and directed the film Center of the Web, starring Robert Davi, Tony Curtis, Charlene Tilton, and Charles Napier.[11] He also produced Armed for Action and Blood on the Badge, both starring Joe Estevez.[12][13]

In 1993, AIP was rebranded West Side Studios, to signal that the company would work with bigger budgets and become more mainstream.[14] With the advancements of the company, Prior directed two films. One of them is Double Threat, with Sally Kirkland and Andrew Stevens.[15] The other horror-thriller film Night Trap (which won a Gold Award at the WorldFest Houston for best Fantasy/Horror), starring Robert Davi.[16][17]

In 1994, he directed the thriller Raw Justice (which won a Bronze Award at the WorldFest Charleston for best Theatrical Feature Film – Dramatic), starring Pamela Anderson, David Keith, and Robert Hays.[18][17]

In 1995, he directed Felony and Mutant Species. Also that year he wrote Codename: Silencer.

In 1997, he produced The P.A.C.K..

In 1999, he directed Hostile Environment with Brigitte Nielsen, Matthias Hues, and Darren Shahlavi.

2000 to 2015: Hiatus and final projects

From 2000 to 2006, Prior was on an hiatus.[19]

In 2007, Prior returned to directing with Lost at War.[19]

On March 15, 2009, Prior's Zombie Wars, a zombie apocalypse film, screened at the first Paranoia Horror Film Festival.[20][21]

He also wrote the screenplay of The One Warrior released in 2011.

In 2012, he directed the bigfoot horror film Night Claws, starring Reb Brown.[22]

In 2013, he wrote and directed Deadliest Prey, a sequel to Deadly Prey.[23][24]

In 2015, he was as writer for the screenplay of David Winters' Dancin': It's On!.[25] Also he wrote and directed Relentless Justice the film starring Leilani Sarelle.[26][27]

Death

Prior died on August 16, 2015 at the age of 59. His death was described by his brother Ted as "a long battle of failing health".[28]

Filmography

Title	Year	Writer	Director	Producer	Note
Dancin': It's On!	2015	+	–	–
Deadliest Prey	2013	+	+	+
Night Claws	2012	+	+	+
The One Warrior	2011	+	–	+
Zombie Wars	2008	+	+	+
Lost at War	2007	+	+	+
Hostile Environment	2000	–	+	+
The P.A.C.K.	1997	+	–	–
Body Count	1995	+	–	–
Felony	1995	+	+	–
Mutant Species	1995	+	+	+
Raw Justice	1994	+	+	+
Night Trap	1993	+	+	+
Double Threat	1993	+	+	+
Armed for Action	1992	–	–	+
Center of the Web	1992	+	+	+
Dark Rider	1991	–	–	+
Raw Nerve	1991	+	+	-
The Lost Platoon	1991	+	+	+
Presumed Guilty	1991	–	–	+	uncredited
That's Action	1991	+	+	+	documentary
Born Killer	1990	+	–	+
Deadly Dancer	1990	+	–	–
The Final Sanction	1990	+	+	–
Future Zone	1990	+	+	–
Invasion Force	1990	+	+	–
Lock 'n' Load	1990	+	+	–
White Fury	1990	+	+	–
Future Force	1989	+	+	–
Hell on the Battleground	1989	+	+	–
Rapid Fire	1989	+	+	+
Jungle Assault	1989	+	+	+
Death Chase	1988	+	+	–
Night Wars	1988	+	+	–
Operation Warzone	1988	+	+	–
Deadly Prey	1987	+	+	–
Killer Workout	1987	+	+	+
Mankillers	1987	+	+	–
Killzone	1985	+	+	+
Sledgehammer	1983	+	+	+	first shot-on-tape slasher movie

References

Works Cited

• Dendle, Peter (2012). The Zombie Movie Encyclopedia: Volume 2, 2000-2010. North Carolina: McFarland Publishing. ISBN 9780786461639.
• Budnik, Daniel R. (2017). '80s Action Movies on the Cheap. North Carolina: McFarland & Company Inc. ISBN 9780786497416.

External links

• David A. Prior at IMDb

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