Tamra Davis: Biography

Director Tamra Davis may be best-known as the wife of Beastie Boy Mike D, but she has had a prolific career in music videos and feature films. She has made videos for bands like Sonic Youth and the Lemonheads, but also made popular videos for the pop group Hanson and superstar Cher. Her more notable videos include "In Your Room" by the Bangles and "Wild Thing" by Tone-Loc. In 1992, she made her feature-length debut with Guncrazy, inspired by early '50s teenage juvenile delinquent movies. Written by Matthew Bright (author of Freeway) Guncrazy premiered on cable and earned a Golden Globe nomination for star Drew Barrymore during the height of her bad-girl phase. In 1993, Davis turned back to music with the rap mockumentary CB4, starring Chris Rock, and the documentary short No Alternative Girls, starring Courtney Love. Then Davis made a big commercial hit with Billy Madison, the first of many Adam Sandler broad comedies. She stayed in the same profitable market for the crime comedy Best Men with Luke Wilson and the stoner comedy Half Baked with Dave Chappelle. Unfortunately, her coming-of-age sex comedy Skipped Parts, was only released on video, and then she signed on to direct the Britney Spears movie Crossroads. The teen film failed at the box office and claimed many Razzie awards for its ineptitude. In 2002, Davis returned to music videos again for the documentary Keep Your Eyes Open, starring husband Mike D and fellow filmmaker Spike Jonze. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide