The Obituary Thread

[Shrykespeare]

British director Peter Yates passed away on Saturday at the age of 81.

Some of his more famous films were:

Bullitt
Mother, Jugs & Speed
The Deep
Breaking Away (great film)
Krull (great guilty-pleasure movie)
Suspect
Year of the Comet

[silversurfer19]

The director of Bullitt did Krull too? Yikes! I watched Krull again recently to see if my nostalgia towards it was just that, and I'm afraid it was pretty shocking, dodgy beyond belief, and 80s fantasy flick which should remain both in the 80s and certainly as a fantasy. Ah well, at least i got to see a very young Liam Neeson in it...

[Buscemi]

He also did a film called The Dresser, which was the 1980's version of Oscar bait. That film has not aged well.

But he also did The Friends of Eddie Coyle, a really good crime film that got a Criterion release a few years back. I believe he did a commentary on that one.

[silversurfer19]

Hmm, okay, I'll look into the latter one. Forgive my naivety, but if a movie gets a Criterion release is it indicative of its quality? Like does it have to be an award winner or something? Why would I buy a Criterion dvd over any other release too? Just something which has always puzzled me.

[Buscemi]

The Criterion Collection is a line known for its prestige. Basically, they are DVD's for film lovers. The price is a little high but the value is plenty.

Here's their website:

http://www.criterion.com/

[numbersix]

For me, Criterion do the best DVD extras I've ever seen. Their extras for Brazil and The Battle of Algiers (both 3 disc editions) are astounding, and I always try to get their releases if I want a film. I think I've about 30-40 Criterion DVDs in total (out of about 270).

They don't always release great films, as that's obviously subjective. They did release some Michael Bay stuff, and the awful Antichrist, but in general they are great, and have plenty from like likes of Godard, Kurosawa, Bergman, Fellini, etc.

[Shrykespeare]

British actress Susannah York has passed away at the age of 72 from cancer.

Born in Chelsea, London, but raised in Scotland, the widely regarded actress, starring in features such as Superman and Images, passed away on Friday.

Despite never actually winning an Academy Award, she was nominated in 1970 for best supporting actress for her role in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, yet won a BAFTA in the very same category.

Never shy of controversy, the prestigious actress appeared in Frank Marcus' comedy drama The Killing of Sister George, in which she played the part of a lesbian - a quite controversial move for the actress, when putting the film in context as to when it was released (1968).

[Buscemi]

In memory of Peter Yates, NSpan's review of Krull:

Krull 10/10

An absolute masterpiece. Visionary direction combined with stellar special effects makes for the most thrilling cinematic adventure I've ever been fortunate enough in which to take part. There are few films that I could ever categorize as Perfect but this is clearly one of them. In fact, this film may exceed our mortal understanding of "perfection." After finally experiencing this opus firsthand, the existence of other films seems unnecessary. The creation of new film seems redundant and futile. If it were up to me, movie theatres would be renamed "Krull Theatres" (or "Kruleatres" for short) and would only show Krull 24/7. Obviously, ticket prices would have to increase tenfold in order to properly recompense the creators (gods, I daresay) of this magnificent tale. Casting Bernard Bresslaw as Rell the Cyclops was nothing less than visionary. This fine young actor redefined the cyclops as an archetype yet made it his own all at once. Never again shall I discount the role of cyclops as a second-rate character. Speaking of which, Bresslaw's performance was matched only by Liam Neeson. His performance set a bar for the school of acting that no man (nor woman) has topped since.



There is a simple beauty to this film that cannot be conveyed in mere words. To experience Krull is to experience the divine.

Bravo, Peter Yates. Your masterful storytelling and your impeccable sense of style has won over my heart and my mind. Krull is the film to end all films. It is truly the thinking-man's Ice Pirates. Brav-fucking-Oh.

Do they have Krull Theatres in the afterlife?

[Shrykespeare]

I can't help but wonder if this is all sarcastic... I've just perused the entirety of NSpan's Top 100 Films list, and Krull appears nowhere on it...

[Shrykespeare]

Sargent Shriver, husband of JFK's sister Eunice, passed away on Tuesday at age 95.

Apart from being an ardent supporter of the Kennedys and their political aspirations, he also founded the Peace Corps and was its director until 1966.

[numbersix]

I can't help but wonder if this is all sarcastic... I've just perused the entirety of NSpan's Top 100 Films list, and Krull appears nowhere on it...

Yet

[Shrykespeare]

No, I have NSpan's ENTIRE list. As in, all the way up to #1. No Krull.

[Shrykespeare]

Jack LaLanne passed away today at the age of 96 from complications of pneumonia.

He opening what is believed to be America's first health club in Oakland in 1936. He also had is own exercise program in the 1950's and was widely known for his incredible feats of strength.

[Shrykespeare]

Comedian Charlie Callas has died at the age of 86.

A staple of the Las Vegas nightclub scene for over three decades, his rubber-faced antics and rapid fire delivery also made him a popular guest on variety shows and late night programs such as Johnny Carson, Jackie Gleason, and Ed Sullivan. All told, Callas appeared on "The Tonight Show" more than 50 times, according to the New York Times. Callas orbited the "Rat Pack" universe, touring with Frank Sinatra and appearing on Dean Martin's various television programs and roasts. Callas also appeared sporadically in movies.

[Buscemi]

Composer John Barry has died at the age of 77 after suffering a heart attack. The composer, best known for his work in the James Bond films, won five Oscars in his career (though none of them were for the Bond films). Other projects scored by Barry included Born Free (winning two Oscars), The Lion in Winter (winning an Oscar), The Deep, The Black Hole, Body Heat, Out of Africa (winning an Oscar), Howard the Duck, Dances With Wolves (winning an Oscar), Chaplin, Indecent Proposal and Mercury Rising. His last film score was the 2001 film Enigma (he was attached to score The Incredibles at one point but chose to retire as he felt Brad Bird was asking for work too similar to his Bond films). He is survived by his wife, four children and five grandchildren.