Michael Winner RIP

[Prospero]

The film director Michael Winnr has died aged 77.

Hated his films to be honest, but he redeemed himself in the work he did to remember WPC Yvonne Fletcher, murdered by a Libyan gunman in central London in 1984.

RIP Michael.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/michael-winner-dies-aged-77-141927046.html

[tsadriana]

RIP Michael

[Stavros]

Winner's earlier films are competent, and may be worth re-visiting -for example Chato's Land, and Lawman, and I would particularly like to see West 11 from 1963 which explores the grimmer parts of Notting Hill Gate when large parts of it were run-down slums run by crooked landlords. It wasn't that much better when I used to visit some friends I knew who lived just off Portobello Road in the late 60s and early 70s.

Winner was not a subtle director, but a basic storyteller who managed to assemble what today seem improbable casts -for his Olympics film, The Games (1970) the athletes are Michael Crawford, Ryan O'Neal and Charles Aznavour...as I recall it was an ok film, and better than Chariots of Fire. It might not mean much to an American audience, but a film which stars both Marlon Brando and Thora Hird would seem bizarre -apparently The Nightcomers (1971) is a prequel to Henry James story The Turn of the Screw. A varied career and films of varying quality, but that is the profile of most directors.

Although some of his restaurant reviews were amusing, he became too demanding and too sarcastic toward the end -I think the 1960s and 1970s was his era. I agree with Prospero about the campaign for PC Yvonne Fletcher.

[Prospero]

I forgot that he directed The Nightcomers. That was actually an interesting film. For me the appalling moral attitudes and repulsive violent sex of the Deathwish films left an indelible stain on him.

[Dino Velvet]

As a huge Death Wish(all of them) fan I wish Michael Winner to RIP. He also directed Chato's Land, The Stone Killer, The Sentinel, and The Big Sleep(remake w/Mitchum).

[Stavros]

Sorry Dino, not only should The Big Sleep have been left well alone, it was a dire remake by any standard, I won't even mention the participants who should have been ashamed of themselves.

[Dino Velvet]

Sorry Dino, not only should The Big Sleep have been left well alone, it was a dire remake by any standard, I won't even mention the participants who should have been ashamed of themselves.

I knew I was gonna get blasted for that. I'm a big Mitchum fan and can be entertained by almost anything he does. Wish he did a one-man show where he just poked fun of John Wayne. I like The Yakuza too.

[Stavros]

Hmmm, being a fan of Robert Mitchum is one thing, trying to rescue the re-make of The Big Sleep from history is quite another, leave it in the bin Dino.
Was Mitchum a sex addict? I read somewhere of him filming in Ireland and all his spare time was spent having sex (and drinking), and I think this is when he was in his fifties. Like Winner Mitchum had a varied career with some pretty dire films -but he was deeply disturbing in The Night of the Hunter...

[Dino Velvet]

Hmmm, being a fan of Robert Mitchum is one thing, trying to rescue the re-make of The Big Sleep from history is quite another, leave it in the bin Dino.
Was Mitchum a sex addict? I read somewhere of him filming in Ireland and all his spare time was spent having sex (and drinking), and I think this is when he was in his fifties. Like Winner Mitchum had a varied career with some pretty dire films -but he was deeply disturbing in The Night of the Hunter...

You should see the schlock in my collection that has sentimental value to me. Oh, the Horror...

As much as Mitchum drank he probably shared beds with quite a few ladies, I imagine. Really enjoyed him in Cape Fear and Night Of The Hunter. What a great baddie of that era in those 2 films.

Was Robert Mitchum ever friends with Oliver Reed? I knew they both respected each others ability to drink. How would you like to sit between those 2?

[Stavros]

Was Robert Mitchum ever friends with Oliver Reed? I knew they both respected each others ability to drink. How would you like to sit between those 2?

Not sure although Reed was an admirer of Mitchum, and Michael Winner was one of the few people who attended Reed's funeral in Ireland. As for sitting between them -er, no thanks! They wouldn't want it either...

[Dino Velvet]

Not sure although Reed was an admirer of Mitchum, and Michael Winner was one of the few people who attended Reed's funeral in Ireland. As for sitting between them -er, no thanks! They wouldn't want it either...

I have an Italian Crime Film named Revolver. Director Sergio Sollima mentioned having to shoot Reed's scenes before 2PM while he was still sober enough to work. Love the blatant honesty of many of those Italian filmmakers badmouthing the film you just viewed of theirs (even curious of why the interest) and admitting to stealing from others unapologetically.