Aziz Ghazal(1955-1993)
- Writer
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Aziz Ghazal's beginnings as a filmmaker was when he attended USC Film
School and ran the stock room for just over ten years. It was during
this period that he made short films and had free use of the school's
equipment to attempt to make his own films. During this period, Ghazal
wrote and produced schlock horror film Zombie High (1987) and The Natural History of Parking Lots (1990). For the
latter he used students at USC to his advantage to help with the making
of the film and demanded that their involvement earn degree credits. In
1992, Ghazil was introduced to The Brave, a novel by Gregory McDonald by his
friend Paul McCudden who liked the book. Ghazil was to direct, from a
script by McCudden and author McDonald offered a one year option on his
book.
In late 1993, Ghazil broke into his ex-wife Becky's house and beat her to death, as well as his daughter Khadijah, and then set the house on fire. Ghazal disappeared, and was discovered dead in January of 1994 by hikers. He had shot himself with a .380 caliber pistol. A note was found inside his abandoned car that read "You can never know the pain you caused me" as well as a copy of The Brave. Johnny Depp later wrote, directed and starred in his own version of the book The Brave (1997).
In late 1993, Ghazil broke into his ex-wife Becky's house and beat her to death, as well as his daughter Khadijah, and then set the house on fire. Ghazal disappeared, and was discovered dead in January of 1994 by hikers. He had shot himself with a .380 caliber pistol. A note was found inside his abandoned car that read "You can never know the pain you caused me" as well as a copy of The Brave. Johnny Depp later wrote, directed and starred in his own version of the book The Brave (1997).
