Shocking news out of Hollywood today: a great Director has passed away…
Curtis Hanson, a great Director with a number of great films, has died. The director of “L.A Confidential” won, along with Brian Helgeland, the Adapted Screenplay Oscar for that classic slice of film noir.
According to Variety, Hanson was found dead in his Hollywood Hills home on Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson with the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed. He was 71.
Variety reports:
“The official said paramedics responded to a call of an unconscious man at Hanson’s home at about 4:52 p.m. on Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene. According to TMZ, which first reported the news, it appears as though Hanson died of a heart attack; while the LAPD spokesperson could not confirm that specific information, he said Hanson died of “natural causes.”
In the 1980’s Hanson directed cult films like the Hitchcock-ian “The Bedroom Window”, starring Elizabeth McGovern and Steve Guttenberg. It’s a great B-movie…
He also made the B-movie classic “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle.” This triller starred Julianne Moore in one of her early breakout hits…he also directed Meryl Streep in an action movie!
After a career making art films and serious dramas, Streep turned to Hanson to direct her in the riveting action thriller “The River Wild.” He gave her a chance to show female empowerment in what could have been a routine “woman in peril” thriller.
Of course, one of the great film noir is the brilliant “L.A. Confidential”, which looked at police corruption in Los Angeles and earned Kim Basinger a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
“The Wonder Boys”
Hanson gave Robert Downey Jr a role in “The Wonder Boys, an insightful drama starring Michael Douglas. Downey was going through personal issues at the time, and this film reminded Hollywood that he was a terrific Actor.
Hanson also directed Eminem’s film debut, “8 Mile.”
As you can see, he was a terrific Director across a wide variety of film genres, and was known to be a great person as well. This is indeed sad news…
RIP Curtis!
Categories: 70's Cinema, Academy Awards, Art, Awards, Books / Media, Comedy Movies, Cult Movies, Film Fight Club, Film Noir, Great Films, Hollywood, Independent Cinema, Los Angeles, Memoirs, Movies, Obscure Movies, Revenge Movies, Talent/Celebrities
johnrieber 
Oh, I didn’t connect the name with the hits. Wow. LA Confidential is such a great film and I thoroughly enjoyed Meryl and Kevin in “The River Wild”.
LikeLike
Sad news indeed. 71 is no age these days, when so many live much longer.
River Wild and The Hand That Rocks are great thrillers. And LA Confidential is one of my favourite modern films.
Best wishes, Pete.
LikeLiked by 1 person