Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Once Again, He Does It Well

When I grow up. I want to write posts like this.

6 comments:

Bee said...

OK, I read most of this; I might have skimmed in a few places. It made me really, really want to see Michael Clayton --
and as soon as I get my head together I'd like to do some serious talking about No Country for Old Men with him.

There was so much good stuff here; I wish that he had published it in installments!

Really the reason why I'm writing:
the BBC just reported that Anthony Minghella has died. 54. Routine operation. I am so upset about this. I love everything he's ever done. What a loss.

Brave Sir Robin said...

I saw that this morning, but no cause was given.

Anne said...

I think Blogger ate my comment the first time, so my apologies if this posts twice.

Michael Clayton was very, very good. It wasn't provocative in the way that No Country... and There Will... were, just SO well done. The Vagabond Scholar is absolutely right, I don't know of any other actor who could have pulled off "I am Shiva, the god of death." Clooney's performance was also fantastic.

Minghella's death was apparently due to a hemorrhage following neck surgery. Such a sad day for film.

Bee said...

I just read a BBC update on Minghella's death. As Anne said, the death was due to a hemorrhage; this latest report said he was actually been operated on for throat cancer. (Earlier they were just saying a "routine surgery" . . . I definitely don't think of cancer as routine.)

Apparently he died yesterday; they suppressed the news for a day.

I forgot that he did Truly, Madly, Deeply! I always thought he chose really great projects. There was a BBC program recently on the making of The English Patient and it was totally fascinating. In retrospect, it is amazing that any film gets made. They said that this one was a huge struggle -- because of location; because the main actors weren't American and "bankable" enough; and because a lot of people thought that the book was unfilmable.

As you said, Anne, it is a sad day for film.

Anne said...

To confirm what Bee says: the report I read said that the surgery had been to remove a growth from his neck. Perhaps it was thyroid or esophageal cancer.

I think what they mean by "routine" in this context is that the procedure is well understood and established--as opposed to experimental. When Dusty (one of our cats) had his hernia surgery in November, they told us it was a routine surgery... which sounds weird, but meant that they'd done many similar surgeries.

Batocchio said...

Sorry, I saw this post late. Thanks for the kind words. I reviewed about 50 films from 2007 if you click the "Oscar" category. I do the massive roundup after the Oscars, by tradition and because, um, I procrastinate. Please feel free to either leave any thoughts in the comments or e-mail me.

As for Minghella, I'm very sad about it. I was a fan, and heard him for a Q&A after a screening of Cold Mountain out here. A very gentle, humble man. I've re-watched The English Patient and am watching Ripley again - after which I'll write an overdue appreciation.