Film director Sydney Pollack has passed away.
The great film director, producer, and actor Sydney Pollack died today at 73 years of age, at his home here in Southern California. Here is an obituary in the New York Times. I met him briefly in the course of producing tech conferences during the web 1.0 boom. He had some truly inspired ideas about narrative in the digital age, and the clash between old Hollywood vs. new. He seemed a generous and kind person. Image: NYCArthur.
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Not the greatest of directors, but certainly a positive force in film. Out of Africa was a good movie, but hardly deserving of the Best Picture or Best Director Oscars.
That's a real shame. He was great as Dustin Hoffman's agent in Tootsie. And I loved his bit role as the doctor in Death Becomes Her. He knew how to play a reaction just enough that it was funny but not so much that it was cartoonish.
@ mikelotus:
Runaway Train got shafted that year, but yeah... Pollack will be missed. I spoke with him a couple of times. Instantly likable guy.
A fine talent.
That is a shame, I really liked him as an actor, and as a director he was superb.
I appreciated his work, especially recently in the documentary Sketches of Frank Gehry. He will be missed.
@ #1: Way to dish on the newly deceased.
Sydney Pollack on IMDB, for anyone who needs to be reminded how many great films he was involved with:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001628/
I'll never forget his bit as the E.R. doctor in Death Becomes Her. A perfect vignette of incredulity and panic.
Wow, stay classy #1.
'Sketches of Frank Gehry' was a beautiful little film about the creative process, and friendship.
I saw him in a film recently called 'Orchestra Seats/Fauteuils d'orchestre'. It was a sweet French film in which he had a cameo as a visiting well-known director.
Interesting to read Xeni's comment about Pollock and old vs new Hollywood. Many younger film and tv practitioners are not so forward thinking even now.
And I thought the majority of people were aware that the Oscars is no judge or gauge of 'quality' film-making in any particular year. I'm always surprised when people mention it in that context. It's a huge promo event - nothing else.
I really enjoyed his on-screen performances as well as many of his films. I also watched several of his interviews over the years. He was a great talent as well as extremely pragmatic.
We'll miss you Syd.
I actually found Pollack to be a kind of "hack"-y director. HOWEVER, I think he is a great example of how the worth of a director can be more than the sum of his or her films.
I almost always enjoyed his acting more than his directing. But so what if some people don't praise his work enough? The point is that the world lost someone that seemed to be a good guy, REGARDLESS of his perceived directing ability.
In other words: grow up, #s 9 & 7.
If that's maturity, #12, you are welcome to my share.
#12: I don't think that it's a problem if you don't praise someone enough, I find all of the opinions in your post reasonable. I do however think it's bad form to basically say "Meh, he wasn't that great" 6 hours after the man died.
I also don't understand what speaking ill of the dead has to do with growing up.
@ BeyondThePale:
"And I thought the majority of people were aware that the Oscars is no judge or gauge of 'quality' film-making in any particular year. I'm always surprised when people mention it in that context."
I'm not surprised in the least. Actors, directors, producers, and even a few writers seem to think it's the only gauge of quality film-making.
Me? I think it's a joke, but I'm not foolish enough to believe that most people will or even should see it that way. The Academy labors each year to ensure that common folk regard an Oscar nod as the pinnacle of cinematic achievement. So, are you really so shocked that some people end up doing just that?
Well as they say, "dead men tell no tells."