Biography

Dutcher's first film was the ultra-low budget student film "Brother John." As a young graduate of film school Dutcher poured everything he had into making his first feature-length film, the romantic comedy "Girl Crazy." Although "Girl Crazy" was never screened theatrically, Dutcher did sell the picture to HBO/Cinemax, and was able to recoup his expenses.

In 1997 Dutcher directed "Eliza and I", a film adapted from the stage play by actress/playwright Elizabeth J. Hansen, which was shown on public television and is available on video.

Dutcher's first theatrically released film was "God's Army," made with a production budget of $250,000, a paltry sum by today's standards. But after it was released in Utah it became the second-highest grossing film in the state for that year. "God's Army" went on to be shown in theaters all over the US, in Mexico and in Canada. It ended up grossing over $2.6 million in U.S. box office sales, and then sold over $2.5 million in videos and DVDs in the first year of video release. In budget to gross ratio, it was the fourth most profitable film of the year 2000. In his review of "God's Army" renowned critic Michael Medved wrote "Richard Dutcher is a wunderkind of truly terrifying potential."

With the critical and financial success of "God's Army", Dutcher was easily able to raise money for this next film project. "Brigham City" opened in Utah theaters on April 6, 2001. It eventually played in theaters around the country. Critics generally considered it an even better film than "God's Army." But its darker subject matter (the plot revolves around the sheriff's search for a serial killer), as well as its PG-13 rating seemed to keep some movie-goers away.

He then made and released "States of Grace," a follow up to "God's Army." It was this film that provoked film critic Wade Major of Boxoffice Magazine to write, "Dutcher has joined the ranks of the very best independent filmmakers in the world."

In 2007, in a full-page editorial in the Utah newspaper The Daily Herald, Dutcher publicly left Mormonism. He released his film "Falling" in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City in 2008. He considers it his finest film.

After "Falling" Dutcher made the 7 million dollar horror film "Evil Angel" starring Ving Rhames ("Pulp Fiction," "Mission Impossible: Fallout") which received a wide international release, but has never received a North American release.

He returned to his low-budget roots with the comedy "The Boys at the Bar" starring Bo Hopkins ("American Graffitti" "The Wild Bunch"). The film was shot in eight days and made for a budget of $150,000. The film, although finished, has yet to be released. Dutcher plans a 2023 release.

As a hired gun screenwriter, Dutcher has written multiple screenplays now in development for director John McTiernan ("Die Hard," "Predator") and producer George Folsey Jr. ("An American Werewolf in London," "The Blues Brothers," "The Twilight Zone"). He wrote the screenplay for the independent feature "The Flyboys" from director Rocco Devilliers, as well as Devilliers' next film, "Dark Highway."

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Edgewater Film Company

American independent filmmaker Richard Dutcher, although still relatively young in his career, is known primarily as the "father of Mormon Cinema." His first widely released theatrical feature, God's Army (2000), told the story of several Mormon missionaries in Los Angeles. Produced for only $250,000, "God's Army" grossed over $2.6 million at the U.S. box office, sold over 100,000 videos, and single-handedly launched a new genre: Mormon Cinema.

Dutcher's next film, the murder drama Brigham City (2001), was a critical success that introduced him to a more mainstream audience while gaining him the distinction of being one of the most critically-respected filmmakers working in a religious genre.

Although serving as a hired gun script doctor/screenwriter on the upcoming Tom Sizemore pic "Fly Boys" and appearing in walk-on roles in several minor Mormon genre films, Dutcher's most interesting work is found in the distinctive films that he both writes and directs. These find him moving in the direction of such respected "spiritual" filmmakers as Robert Bresson and Carl Dreyer.

Among Dutcher's rumored future projects are "Resurrection", a supernatural/spiritual thriller, "Stealing Sundance", an affectionate satire of independent filmmaking, and "The Prophet", an epic biopic on the life and murder of Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism. Richard Dutcher's unfolding career promises to be a fascinating one to follow.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Zion Films

Few if any independent filmmakers are as truly independent as Richard Dutcher. From his first feature, "Girl Crazy" (1997), Dutcher's remarkable versatility has been on display as writer, director, editor, and frequently lead actor. In the spirit of Francis Ford Coppola, who said, "If you don't control distribution, you're dead," Dutcher launched his own film distribution company in 1999. His Main Street Movie Company owns distribution rights to each of his films and has successfully distributed them theatrically, on DVD, on television and in foreign markets.

Though perhaps best known as "The Father of Mormon Cinema" because of his early Mormon-themed films, he left the church in 2007 over theological differences. Some critics have noted that the progressive complexity of his films, from the faithful "God's Army" to the darker murder mystery "Brigham City" through the gritty urban drama "States of Grace" and the urban tragedy of "Falling," reveals a spiritual journey preserved on film, unlike any other director's work.

- IMDb Mini Biography By: Main Street Movie Co.