David A. Prior

David A. Prior (October 5, 1955 – August 16, 2015) was an American director, screenwriter, producer[1] and co-founder of the Action International Pictures (AIP).[2] Prior started his career with the horror film Sledgehammer (1983), and the action film Killzone (1985), both of them with his brother Ted in lead roles. Shortly after he went into a partnership with veteran producer David Winters, and started directing film many of them with his brother as the star, some of these cult classics includes Deadly Prey, Aerobicide, and Mankillers.

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

Prior continued working with Winters producing until the mid 1990s. Some these efforts include the David Carradine futuristic action vehicle' Future Zone and its sequel, Raw Nerve, starring Glenn Ford, Jan-Michael Vincent, Sandahl Bergman and Traci Lords, Night Trap (Gold Award winner at the WorldFest Houston for best Fantasy/Horror), starring Robert Davi, Michael Ironside, Lesley-Anne Down, Margaret Avery, John Amos, Lydie Denier, and Mike Starr, Raw Justice (Bronze Award winner at the WorldFest Charleston for best Theatrical Feature Film – Dramatic), starring Pamela Anderson, David Keith, Robert Hays, and Stacy Keach, and many more films with an important cast.

From 2000 on, Prior continued directing action and horror films. He reunited with Winters to pen his 2015 directorial effort Dancin': It's On!. He died on August 16, 2015 at the age of 59. His death was described by his brother on Facebook as "a long battle of failing health".[3]

Career

1983-1985: Early films

In 1983, David A. Prior made his directorial debut Sledgehammer with his brother Ted. The film tells the story of a young boy who murdered his mother and her lover with a sledgehammer. Ten years after the murder and the child's mysterious disappearance, a group of teens stay in the house for a weekend when they are terrorized by the ghost of the little boy.

In 1985, he made action film Killzone. Both early films were shot on location in southern California.[4]

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, AIP released three of his directorial efforts. The first was Killer Workout, where the story revolves around a Los Angeles fitness club owner, whose twin sister was burned in a tanning salon two years ago. A detective begins to investigate the gym, after several of its members are brutally murdered by an unknown attacker.[5] Second was, Deadly Prey tells the story of a former soldier (Ted Prior) who is kidnapped for participation in a human safari. Third was Mankillers, about an all-female combat squad to Colombia to stop a renegade agent who has hired himself out to a drug cartel and white slaver. Unfortunately, the agent's recruits consists of prison convicts - murderesses, sociopaths, bank robbers, etc. These women are guaranteed clean slates on their records if the mission is successfully pulled off. The made for VHS film gained a second audience two decades later as cult film that found its way on the internet.[6][7]

In 1988, he directed Operation Warzone, an American Vietnam War film. The film is about three U.S. Army soldiers, Sgt. Holt, Butler and Adams, survive a Viet Cong ambush and rescue two undercover American agents, named Hawkins and Jensen, whom are seeking out a mysterious Intelligence agent, known only as 'the General' who has classified documents detailing an illegal arms deal between a corrupt general.[8] That year he also directed Night Wars and Death Chase.

In 1989, he directed Rapid Fire about a former government agent, is forced to come out of retirement by his former superior officer. That year he also directed Future Force a science-fiction film starring David Carradine, where he plays a bounty hunter, must protect a woman reporter from a gang of renegade cops.[9] His third film that year was Hell on the Battleground.

In 1990, he directed six films White Fury, Invasion Force, The Lost Platoon, Lock 'n' Load, Invasion Force, Future Zone, and The Final Sanction. He also wrote the screenplays for Born Killer and Deadly Dancer.[10][11]

In 1991, he produced Dark Rider, starring Joe Estevez, and The Last Ride. The year he wrote and directed Raw Nerve, starring Glenn Ford (in his last film role), Jan-Michael Vincent, Sandahl Bergman and Traci Lords.

In 1992, he wrote and directed the film Center of the Web, starring Robert Davi, Tony Curtis, Charlene Tilton, and Charles Napier.[12] He also produced Armed for Action and Blood on the Badge, both starring Joe Estevez.[13][14]

In 1993, he directed Double Threat, with Sally Kirkland, Andrew Stevens, Richard Lynch, Sherrie Rose, Anthony Franciosa, and Chick Vennera, and the horror-thriller film Night Trap (which won a Gold Award at the WorldFest Houston for best Fantasy/Horror), starring Robert Davi, Michael Ironside, Lesley-Anne Down, Margaret Avery, John Amos, Lydie Denier, and Mike Starr.[15][16][17][18]

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, Robert Hays, and Stacy Keach.[19][20]

In 1995, he wrote Codename: Silencer, co-starring Steven Bauer, Brigitte Nielsen, Sonny Chiba, Brigitte Nielsen, and Jan-Michael Vincent. Also that year he directed Felony and Mutant Species.

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: Final projects

From 2000 to 2006, Prior was on an hiatus for unknown reasons. He eventually partnered up with an investor and continued directing this started with the release of Lost at War in 2007.[21]

In 2008, he wrote and directed Zombie Wars. The film is about a zombie apocalypse, humanity is enslaved by zombies. Bred in captivity for food, these humans receive no education or training. Bands of free humans work to free the captives and turn the tide against the zombies.

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

In 2012, he made the horror film Night Claws, the film tells the tale of a killer Bigfoot who terrorizes a small town. The cast consists of Reb Brown, Frank Stallone, Leilani Sarelle, Sherrie Rose, and, Ted Prior.[22]

In 2013, he wrote and directed Deadliest Prey, a sequel to Deadly Prey. Many of the same cast returned and it was well received.[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 stars Leilani Sarelle, Vernon Wells, Lisa Langlois, Mark Rolston, Sherrie Rose, and Eric Roberts.[26][27]

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

1. Massaccesi, Francesco (March 31, 2011). "Intervista a David A. Prior" (in Italian). www.nocturno.it. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved November 1, 2012.
2. "R.I.P. David A. Prior Dies At Age 59". Bloody Disgusting. August 17, 2015. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
3. JonathanBarkan (August 17, 2015). "R.I.P. David A. Prior Dies At Age 59". Bloody Disgusting!. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
4. "R.I.P. David A. Prior, direct-to-video legend and director of Deadly Prey". August 18, 2015. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
5. "Blu-ray Special Features Revealed for KILLER WORKOUT, SHOCK 'EM DEAD & More". Daily Dead. August 7, 2015. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
6. "INTERVIEW: David A. Prior from Deadly Prey | Cinedelphia". cinedelphia.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
7. Rigney, Todd (August 18, 2015). "Killer Workout Director David A. Prior Passes Away". Dread Central. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
8. '80s Action Movies on the Cheap: 284 Low Budget, High Impact Pictures, By Daniel R. Budnik - Page 190 Operation Warzone
9. ’80s Action Movies on the Cheap: 284 Low Budget, High Impact Pictures, By Daniel R. Budnik - Page 220 Future Force
10. Now and Then We Time Travel: Visiting Pasts and Futures in Film and Television, By Fraser A. Sherman - Page 208 Future Zone (1990)
11. Comeuppance Reviews, 5/15/2018 - Invasion Force (1990)
12. "Center Of The Web | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
13. "Armed For Action | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
14. "Blood On The Badge | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
15. "Double Threat | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
16. Klein, Richard (February 26, 1993). "AIP renamed West Side Studios". Variety. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
17. "Mardi Gras For The Devil | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
18. "Worldfest-Houston Previous Winners 1993". worldfest.org. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
19. "Raw Justice | TV Guide". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
20. "DAVID WINTERS". Dance Mogul Magazine. July 1, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
21. "Direct-to-Video Pioneer DAVID A. PRIOR - The Career Restrospective [sic]". We Are Movie Geeks. September 12, 2018. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
22. St, Jeanne; al (November 22, 2012). "First Trailer & Poster For APEX PREDATOR aka NIGHT CLAWS!". FilmoFilia. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
23. "Director David A. Prior talks "Deadliest Prey" (exclusive)". BZFilm.com. January 28, 2014. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
24. "THE MUSCLE OF HORROR RETURNS! An Interview with David Prior: Deadly Director". Tavern of Terror. February 9, 2014. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
25. Dancin' It's On! (DVD). Hannover House. 2014. HH4468.
26. "David A Prior |". Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
27. "INTERVIEW: Bristol Bad Film Club speaks to David A. Prior, director of Deadly Prey". Bristol Bad Film Club. September 16, 2014. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.

External links

• David A. Prior at IMDb