Who Are Those Guys? ~ Alex Cox

 

Alexander B. H. Cox was born in Bebington, Cheshire, England, U.K. Bebington, Cheshire, England, U.K. He attended Worcester College, Oxford, and later transferred to the University of Bristol where he majored in film studies. Cox secured a Fullbright Scholarship, allowing him to study at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he graduated from the School of Theater, Film and Television with an MFA. In 1984 he wrote and directed his first feature, the memorable tale of a repossession company and extra-terrestrials, “Repo Man”. The punk-rock edge to his first film became the focus of Cox' next effort, “Sid and Nancy”, a biopic of Sex Pistols rocker Sid Vicious and his girlfriend, Nancy Spungen. Critically celebrated for both films, Cox torpedoed his reputation with the meandering western spoof “Straight to Hell” and the political satire “Walker”. In the 1990s he began repairing the damage with his low-budget, Spanish-language black comedy “Highway Patrolman”. Cox often appeared in cameo roles in his films ala Alfred Hitchcock.

Mr. Cox also made the 2007 introspective homage to John Ford's masterpiece 'The Searchers', which he cheekily called 'Searchers 2.0'. In it two Hollywood failures who confront the screenplay writer who they worked with them when they were children. Set during an outdoors screening of the Ford film, which is projected amongst Monument Valley, the pair plan their revenge.

As an in joke a poster of Sergio Leone’s 'Once Upon a Time in the West' hangs on the writer's wall.

Cox is also presently a hoped-for cast member for Franco Nero's upcoming western 'The Fourth Horseman' (2022).

"Cox wrote one of the best books ever published on the history of the European Westerns, "10,000 Ways to Die" which totally redeemed his reputation. It is structured like a novel and has a British centric view and occasionally confuses & misses some points, but a great easy read. As for "Straight to Hell", he just can't leave it alone (haven't seen the new version)" - Michael Ferguson

COX, Alex (Alexander B.H. Cox) [12/15/1954, Bebington, Cheshire, England, U.K. -     ] – producer, director, assistant director, author, writer, songwriter, cameraman, film editor, married to producer, writer, actress Tod Davies [1955-    ] (19??-    ).

Straight to Hell – 1986 (thug in Amazula band)

Back to Hell – 2000 [himself]

Once Upon a Time... – 2005 [narrator]