Hugh Hudson, director of the Oscar-winning classic "Chariots of Fire," has passed away at the age of 86. According to a statement released by his family, Hudson "died at Charing Cross hospital on 10 February after a short illness. He is survived by his wife, Maryam, his son, Thomas, and his first wife, Sue."
Hudson's fact-based drama about British runners Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston) was a surprise critical and commercial smash in 1981, earning four Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and out-grossing splashy studio releases like "For Your Eyes Only" and "Clash of the Titans." The film became a pop cultural phenomenon due in part to Vangelis' main theme, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1982 and inspired parodies in films like "Mr. Mom" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." But despite its staid period setting and deliberately paced narrative, Hudson's movie touched the hearts of moviegoers all...
Hudson's fact-based drama about British runners Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston) was a surprise critical and commercial smash in 1981, earning four Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and out-grossing splashy studio releases like "For Your Eyes Only" and "Clash of the Titans." The film became a pop cultural phenomenon due in part to Vangelis' main theme, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for one week in 1982 and inspired parodies in films like "Mr. Mom" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." But despite its staid period setting and deliberately paced narrative, Hudson's movie touched the hearts of moviegoers all...
- 2/10/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The Oscar-nominated British filmmaker Hugh Hudson has passed away. Famous for his documentary and advertising work, Hudson shot Chariots of Fire, one of the most celebrated films in British history, and Best Picture winner at the 1981 Oscars ceremony. Hudson was 86 when he passed away on Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a brief illness.
Hudson directed seven films throughout his career, including Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Revolution, Lost Angels, and more. Hailed as a maker of lasting cinema, Hudson’s Revolution, starring Al Pacino, was a box office bomb, earning roughly 350,000 against a reported 29 million budget. The backlash left a lasting impression on Hudson and compelled Pacino to exit the acting scene for roughly four years.
Hudson cut his teeth as a second-unit director for filmmaker Alan Parker and producer David Puttnam on Midnight Express. Puttnam was impressed by Hudson’s keen eye...
Hudson directed seven films throughout his career, including Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Revolution, Lost Angels, and more. Hailed as a maker of lasting cinema, Hudson’s Revolution, starring Al Pacino, was a box office bomb, earning roughly 350,000 against a reported 29 million budget. The backlash left a lasting impression on Hudson and compelled Pacino to exit the acting scene for roughly four years.
Hudson cut his teeth as a second-unit director for filmmaker Alan Parker and producer David Puttnam on Midnight Express. Puttnam was impressed by Hudson’s keen eye...
- 2/10/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Hugh Hudson, who came from the worlds of documentaries and advertising to make his feature directing debut on the stirring Oscar best picture winner Chariots of Fire, one of the most admired British films ever made, has died. He was 86.
Hudson died Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a short illness, his family told The Guardian newspaper.
Hudson helmed just seven features during his career. After earning an Oscar nomination for his 1981 masterpiece, he followed with the highly regarded Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Starring Christopher Lambert, it was the first Tarzan feature to receive an Oscar nom (it landed three).
Up next for Hudson, however, was Revolution (1985), which starred Al Pacino as a fur trapper thrust into the American Revolutionary War. Made for a reported 28 million, it was a major bust, grossing just 350,000 in the U.S. Critics hammered Pacino, who left acting for about four years,...
Hudson died Friday at Charing Cross hospital in London after a short illness, his family told The Guardian newspaper.
Hudson helmed just seven features during his career. After earning an Oscar nomination for his 1981 masterpiece, he followed with the highly regarded Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Starring Christopher Lambert, it was the first Tarzan feature to receive an Oscar nom (it landed three).
Up next for Hudson, however, was Revolution (1985), which starred Al Pacino as a fur trapper thrust into the American Revolutionary War. Made for a reported 28 million, it was a major bust, grossing just 350,000 in the U.S. Critics hammered Pacino, who left acting for about four years,...
- 2/10/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
From Russia With Love
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty-three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return, as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt. John Barry supplies the fine score by utilizing Monte Norman’s theme,...
Directed by Terrence Young
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty-three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return, as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt. John Barry supplies the fine score by utilizing Monte Norman’s theme,...
- 11/2/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
1: Dr No – Opening Title Sequence
The schizophrenic title sequence introduces John Barry’s famous James Bond theme, but instead of transitioning into the now traditional pop song (which uses the title as a lyric), random portions of two calypso songs were used instead. This was also of course the first of Maurice Binder’s many fantastic title sequences, and while some of the standard conventions are absent (such as the silhouetted nude bodies floating about), we still do get the lines of white dots sliding across the screen before transforming into a gun barrel, through which Bob Simmons fires his gun. From then it’s on to a procession of primary colours and shapes and an Atari-like animated sequence. All in all, this remains one of the most distinctive opening title sequences of the series.
(Watch the clip here)
2: Dr. No – Cold Blooded Murder
There’s little doubt...
The schizophrenic title sequence introduces John Barry’s famous James Bond theme, but instead of transitioning into the now traditional pop song (which uses the title as a lyric), random portions of two calypso songs were used instead. This was also of course the first of Maurice Binder’s many fantastic title sequences, and while some of the standard conventions are absent (such as the silhouetted nude bodies floating about), we still do get the lines of white dots sliding across the screen before transforming into a gun barrel, through which Bob Simmons fires his gun. From then it’s on to a procession of primary colours and shapes and an Atari-like animated sequence. All in all, this remains one of the most distinctive opening title sequences of the series.
(Watch the clip here)
2: Dr. No – Cold Blooded Murder
There’s little doubt...
- 11/2/2015
- by Ricky da Conceição
- SoundOnSight
The James Bond series - based on Ian Fleming's spy novels - is one of cinema's biggest ever film franchises, thrilling fans now for over half a century.
1962's Dr No and the following year's From Russia with Love lay the groundwork, but it was with 1964's Goldfinger that the 007 movies became a true global phenomenon.
A 50th anniversary Blu-ray re-issue of the Sean Connery classic is available to buy from today (Monday, September 22). To mark the occasion, Digital Spy explores how Goldfinger shaped Bond as we know and love him.
1. The Extravagant Pre-Titles Sequence
The previous film, From Russia with Love, was in fact the first Bond to feature a pre-titles sequence. But that scene, which saw Robert Shaw's Red Grant stalk and kill a 007 impersonator, was short and simple - and didn't even feature the real Bond.
Goldfinger was the first film to take full advantage...
1962's Dr No and the following year's From Russia with Love lay the groundwork, but it was with 1964's Goldfinger that the 007 movies became a true global phenomenon.
A 50th anniversary Blu-ray re-issue of the Sean Connery classic is available to buy from today (Monday, September 22). To mark the occasion, Digital Spy explores how Goldfinger shaped Bond as we know and love him.
1. The Extravagant Pre-Titles Sequence
The previous film, From Russia with Love, was in fact the first Bond to feature a pre-titles sequence. But that scene, which saw Robert Shaw's Red Grant stalk and kill a 007 impersonator, was short and simple - and didn't even feature the real Bond.
Goldfinger was the first film to take full advantage...
- 9/22/2014
- Digital Spy
For the mid season finale of Hit Me With Your Best Shot, and since we've been revisiting 1964 for its 50th, we're looking at the James Bond classic Goldfinger (1964). After selecting the movie I began to worry that perhaps the early image of a dead beauty suffocated in gold paint was too iconic to have people looking elsewhere but trust this crowd to keep their eyes open and receptive to varying beauties. Or maybe the Best Shot club (open to all -why haven't you joined?) was just purposefully avoiding it due to its fame?
Click on the images for the corresponding article...
Goldfinger'S Best Shots
9 shots chosen by 12 secret agents of blogging
(in chronological order within the film)
The image, created by Robert Brownjohn is nearly prophetic and totally inadvertently so...
-The Movie Scene *new participant* welcome!
Girls, Girls, Girls..."
-The Film's The Thing
The all-time perfect collision of the things that,...
Click on the images for the corresponding article...
Goldfinger'S Best Shots
9 shots chosen by 12 secret agents of blogging
(in chronological order within the film)
The image, created by Robert Brownjohn is nearly prophetic and totally inadvertently so...
-The Movie Scene *new participant* welcome!
Girls, Girls, Girls..."
-The Film's The Thing
The all-time perfect collision of the things that,...
- 6/18/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
On the 50th anniversary of "From Russia With Love"'s Us release our friend and James Bond expert Deborah Lipp (she even wrote a book about him!) is here to talk 007...
Sean Connery in "From Russia With Love" released 50 years ago today in the States
After 23 official films and 2 unofficial ones, From Russia With Love, the second James Bond adventure, remains the greatest of them all. Considered an iconic film in many ways, it may surprise the casual Bond viewer to note that certain "iconic" aspects of the Bond franchise were missing from or created in this film.
Let's focus on From Russia With Love's extraordinary visual signature on this anniversary
The first James Bond film, Dr. No, featured the production design of Ken Adam. Adam is justifiably famous. In Dr. No, he designed such sets as the nuclear launch room, and, needing one last set when the budget ran out,...
Sean Connery in "From Russia With Love" released 50 years ago today in the States
After 23 official films and 2 unofficial ones, From Russia With Love, the second James Bond adventure, remains the greatest of them all. Considered an iconic film in many ways, it may surprise the casual Bond viewer to note that certain "iconic" aspects of the Bond franchise were missing from or created in this film.
Let's focus on From Russia With Love's extraordinary visual signature on this anniversary
The first James Bond film, Dr. No, featured the production design of Ken Adam. Adam is justifiably famous. In Dr. No, he designed such sets as the nuclear launch room, and, needing one last set when the budget ran out,...
- 4/8/2014
- by Deborah Lipp
- FilmExperience
From Russia With Love
Directed by Terrence Stamp
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance (even if he’s not referred to by that name), and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt.
Directed by Terrence Stamp
Written by Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood
1963, UK
50 years later, and with twenty three “official” entries, From Russia With Love represents the very best of the Bond franchise. Skyfall is the closest to be considered, at best – almost equal to what was achieved in ’64 – but From Russia With Love is still unparalleled. Although it is the second in the series, and although it feels like no Bond film that followed, it is the film that solidifies all the Bond elements into a formula – a template that carries on, even today.
Spectre’s Persian-stroking nemesis/mastermind Ernest Blofeld makes his first appearance (even if he’s not referred to by that name), and so does Desmond Llewelyn’s gadget-friendly Q (starting a run that continued until his death in 1999). Screenwriters Richard Maibaum and Johanna Harwood return as does director and editor Terence Young and Peter Hunt.
- 11/29/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
1: Dr No – Opening Title Sequence
The schizophrenic title sequence introduces John Barry’s famous James Bond theme, but instead of transitioning into the now traditional pop song (which uses the title as a lyric), random portions of two calypso songs were used instead. This was also of course the first of Maurice Binder’s many fantastic title sequences, and while some of the standard conventions are absent (such as the silhouetted nude bodies floating about), we still do get the lines of white dots sliding across the screen before transforming into a gun barrel, through which Bob Simmons fires his gun. From then it’s on to a procession of primary colours and shapes and an Atari-like animated sequence. All in all, this remains one of the most distinctive opening title sequences of the series.
(Watch the clip here)
2: Dr. No – Cold Blooded Murder
There’s little doubt...
The schizophrenic title sequence introduces John Barry’s famous James Bond theme, but instead of transitioning into the now traditional pop song (which uses the title as a lyric), random portions of two calypso songs were used instead. This was also of course the first of Maurice Binder’s many fantastic title sequences, and while some of the standard conventions are absent (such as the silhouetted nude bodies floating about), we still do get the lines of white dots sliding across the screen before transforming into a gun barrel, through which Bob Simmons fires his gun. From then it’s on to a procession of primary colours and shapes and an Atari-like animated sequence. All in all, this remains one of the most distinctive opening title sequences of the series.
(Watch the clip here)
2: Dr. No – Cold Blooded Murder
There’s little doubt...
- 11/9/2012
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
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