Roland Emmerich is a German director and writer of films--most of which have been filmed for Hollywood studios--which are often characterized vaguely as action or science fiction, or even thrillers. A more apposite description might be eye candy, fo r Emmerich's films such as Stargate, Independence Day, Godzilla, and The Patriot are a fast-paced blend of special effects and pulsing action.

Born in Stuttgart, West Germany, in 1955, Emmerich worked in advertising before beginning to study film in Munich in 1977. As a young German filmmaker, Emmerich was inspired by Hollywood's escapist, visually spectacular science fiction fare, an orie ntation that put him out of step with most of his peers in the European cinema. While they produced esoteric meditations on the human condition, Emmerich spent the 1980s churning out a series of uncomplicated mainstream diversions: The Noa h's Ark Principle, Making Contact, Hollywood Monster, and Moon 44.

Early Films

The...