In 2002 28 Days Later was released internationally becoming an almost overnight success. A group of animal rights activists break into a government research facility in England to find chimps being experimented and the terrified researcher on duty who warns them the chimps are infected with the R.A.G.E virus. Not believing the researcher they let the chimps out and are immediately killed thus beginning the spread of the virus. Skip forward 28 days and we find Jim, a bicycle courier, coming out of a coma in a London hospital. As Jim wanders around calling for people he begins to collect food while making his way to a church where he finds people that have been infected. As he is trying to get away he is saved by Selena and Mark they inform of the virus and the devastation caused by it. After convincing his saviors to escort him to his home to check on his parents they discover father and daughter hold up in a tower surviving but running out of water. The group decides that, after hearing a broadcast on the radio, they need to go find a military group that has established a small fort to hold out against the infection. Little do they know that their troubles are only just beginning. Director Danny Boyle together with writer Alex Garland turned the zombie film preconception upside down by introducing new type of Zombie. In 28 Day Later they are fast, violent, and completely bent on killing anyone still human.

Danny Boyle has diversified his career through several genre’s and roles. He has produced, written or directed everything from comedies to sci-fi. A few of his movies have garnered Boyle worldwide renown, however from time to time he has returned to his low budget roots. The Beach, released in 2000, depicted a young American traveling through Thailand when he finds a crude map supposedly leading to a hidden beach paradise. While not a bad movie in itself, word of mouth ended any life The Beach may have had within the first two weeks of airing. It was after the failure of The Beach that Boyle again returned to his roots producing two made for TV movies and the short sci-fi comedy Alien Love Triangle. It wouldn't be until the release of 28 Days Later in 2002 that Boyle would make his return to international fame. Boyle followed his horror hit with the comedy Millions in 2004 and then with his debut into the sci-fi genre with sunshine in 2007, neither one of which did very well. In 2008 Boyle again rocked the international film industry when he directed Slumdog Millionaire. A romance drama about a teen from the slums of Mumbai India who does extremely well in the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.

Danny Boyle is a director of many talents. His movie genres range from drama, Sci-fi and horror to many more. While his themes and influences differ from movie to movie his artistic style or his visual tropes as Philip Kemp puts it are a frenetic camera, skewed framing and overheated colours. Boyle’s debut into the Sci-fi genre came in 2007 as Sunshine. In a race to jumpstart a weakening sun with a bomb the size of Manhattan Island, Sunshine’s themes are about the alienation of Mankind and human morality as an individual. The main influences behind Sunshine were 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien and Tarkovsky’s Solaris.” There are three huge, titanic, space movies which if you ever make a film like this you cannot avoid.” Boyle. In 1996 Boyle added to his Crime genre with Trainspotting, a life vs. lifestyle motif. Renton, the primary actor, slowly comes to realize that best points of his drug addicted lifestyle don’t equal the lowest points of the average citizenry around him. Several pop culture artists indirectly had an influence in Trainspotting. Pulp Fiction had an overall influence in the film, several scenes throughout had obvious relations to various artists and movies. While James Bond can be seen in certain areas of the movie, The Beatles are predominant, depicted with the four friends and also as they cross the road looking just like the shot of The Beatles as they cross Abby Road.

“Film Reference.” Trainspotting. Philip Kemp. Web. 17 April 2010.
http://www.filmreference.com/Films-Thr-Tur/Trainspotting.html

“Danny Boyle.” Film. Peter Sciretta. 20 July 2007. Web. 17 April 2010. http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/07/20/interview-sunshine-director-danny-boyle/

While serving as the Deputy Director of the Royal Court Theatre Boyle has the opportunity to oversee several major productions. Mr. Boyle worked on Howard Brenton's The Genius, Howard Barker's Victory, and Edward Bond's Saved, as well as directing 5 plays for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In the early 80's Boyle began a working relationship with the BBC that continues today by producing the short film Elephant by Alan Clarke. Danny also directed several TV show's for the BBC including Not Even God Is Wise Enough, Arise & Go Now, Scout, For The Greater Good, and two episodes from the series Inspector Morse, Masonic Mysteries and Cherubim and the series Mr. Wroe's Virgins for BBC2. In 1994 Boyle made a successful big screen debut with the British thriller Shallow Grave which he followed with Trainspotting two years later. After the international success of Trainspotting, which won him the Best Feature Film award, Boyle and his team moved to Hollywood where he produced his first U.S. movie A Life Less Ordinary. In between working on his 2000 release of The Beach and his Sci-Fi horror hit 28 Days Later in 2002, Boyle directed 2 made for TV movies, Vacuuming Completely Nude In Paradise and Strumpet which aired for BBC in 2001. While 28 Days Later earned Boyle international attention and several awards it wasn't until his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire that he was awarded with multiple Best Director awards from numerous agencies.

Destined to be a priest, it wasn't until the local clergy discouraged Danny Boyle from seminary school that his true calling was discovered. "I don't know if he was trying to save me or the priesthood."(Boyle) Born to an Irish catholic family in Manchester England on Oct. 20, 1956 Boyle was encouraged to indulge his imagination, which he did through cinema. By Danny's 18th birthday he had set his sights on becoming a director and went on to complete his secondary school at Thornleigh Salesian College. Boyle later attended the University of Whales for a short time until, without a degree, he left to follow a career in theater. Starting out in the Joint Stock Theatre Company as a director, he later advanced his career as the Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre in London where he oversaw several acclaimed shows. Then in 1985 Boyle was awarded the position of Deputy Director of the Royal Court Theatre where he served until 1987 when he began directing shows for television.

"Danny Boyle." Askmen. Web. 5 May 2010. http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_250/272_danny_boyle.html

Danny Boyle