Spartan Profiles: Bob Murawski

OSCAR-WINNING FILM EDITOR

He and his wife won eight film editing awards for The Hurt Locker, including this year’s Oscar. But those who have followed his career have long known about his film editing skills.

Bob Murawski, ’87, who runs two distribution operations—Grindhouse Releasing and Box Office Spectaculars—had previously shown his editing skills in John Woo’s Hard Target and the television series American Gothic, as well as several films directed by fellow Spartan Sam Raimi—Darkman, Army of Darkness and all three Spider-Man blockbusters. In February, he and wife Chris Innis accepted the Oscar for Best Film Editing (at a nationally-televised affair run by fellow Spartan Bill Mechanic, ’73, who allowed both of them to give brief acceptance words). “There’s no denying it was a thrill to win it,” says Murawski.  “But it was a thrill just to be nominated.  Remember, The Hurt Locker could’ve gotten a small release.” 

Bob is especially proud to have won the American Cinema Editors award—“It means a lot because basically it’s by people who do the same thing,” he explains. 

Winning the Oscar has increased his demand in the industry, but Bob says he will only work on movies he likes. “I prefer horror pictures,” he says, “and also working for directors like John Woo, who I’m a huge fan of, and of course, Sam Raimi.” 

A native of Bad Axe, Bob took many film production and theory courses at MSU from Bill Vincent and the late Jim Cash.  He formed a film group, Box Office Spectaculars, that showed cult films in Wells Hall.  It is now the name of one of his distribution companies.  He also produced a weekly show for MSU cable television.  “It was the Campus Video Network,” he recalls.  “We showed music videos and movie trailers, two hours every week.” 

Though mainly a film editor, he engages in film distribution as a hobby.  “It’s a lot of fun, and something to do between jobs,” he says. His partner at Grindhouse Releasing is Sage Stallone, son of the action actor of “Rocky” fame. 

Bob first met Raimi in Southern California when Raimi asked him to edit the title sequence for American Gothic.