Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars and filmmakers and not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones they made in between.

Today we pay our respects to Joel Schumacher, who passed away on June 22, 2020. A costume designer-turned-director, Schumacher made a name for himself with St. Elmo’s Fire and The Lost Boys in the mid-to-late 1980s. As demonstrated in those hit films, the filmmaker had an unparalleled eye for young talent. We examine four of lesser-remembered pictures: Cousins, Dying Young, Flawless, and Veronica Guerin

There’s plenty of tangents here, as Schumacher was quite an outspoken sort. There are many interviews to reference and admire. We discuss his championing of young star Julia Roberts during her tumultuous rise to fame, the deep love he reveals for his characters (as evidenced in Cousins especially), the passionate failure of Flawless, and the complicated canonization of the title character in Veronica Guerin. We also take the time to celebrate good pal Jason Bailey’s piece in which he reminds his readers that Schumacher saved Batman for a moment there.

We’re also excited to announce a dedicated page for The B-Side where you can find every actor/director and the films discussed in one place. Dive in here.

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