Danny Cannon

With style to burn, this young writer-director made his feature debut in the flashy if ultimately empty gang drama, "The Young Americans" (1993). Featuring a strong cast that included Harvey Kietel and Viggo Mortensen, the film boasted a strong visual sensibility that got bogged down by a weak script. American producers were so impressed with the young director that they offered him the chance to make the $70 million actioner "Judge Dredd" (1995).

This was a true labor of love for the young filmmaker. A fan of the English comic book since its 1977 inception, Cannon was moved to send a mock up of a film poster for "Dredd" to the comic's publisher in 1987 with his proposed dream cast and crew. He realized his dream--in modified form--with Sylvester Stallone as his hero. Cannon remained loyal to his source material, even framing shots so that they resembled the style of a comic. He also retained the original's high quotient of violence and dark humor.