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A figure of American cinema, Oscar-winning film critic and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich died Thursday at the age of 82. He was celebrated in the United States for his masterpiece “The Last Session”. His face was also known for his role in the series “The Sopranos”.
American filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, figure of the “New Hollywood” movement and director of “The Last Show”, has died at the age of 82, his agent announced Thursday (January 6th).
Entering the world of cinema as a critic, Peter Bogdanovich made his directorial debut with “La Cible”, before devoting himself to writing his ode to America in the 1950s, “The Last Session” (1971) (The last picture show).
The film, set in a small town in Texas going through hard times, garnered eight Oscar nominations, winning two statuettes. Some observers have compared it to Orson Welles’ masterpiece “Citizen Kane”.
“I am devastated. He was a great and wonderful artist. I will never forget the premiere of ‘The Last Screening’,” responded star director Francis Ford Coppola. “I remember the end (of the screening), the audience stood up all around me to applaud for at least 15 minutes … May they rest in joy for all eternity, savoring the uplifting moment. our applause forever, “the filmmaker added in a statement.
After other hits in the early 1970s, such as “Shall we pack up, doctor?” with Barbra Streisand and “Cotton Candy”, Peter Bogdanovich’s career began to decline, with a series of flops.
The director was also linked with model Dorothy Stratten, killed by her husband shortly before the release of “And Everyone Laughs”, where she appeared on screen alongside Audrey Hepburn.
Return to film criticism and role in “The Sopranos”
After marrying Dorothy Stratten’s half-sister and then ruining himself, Peter Bogdanovich left Los Angeles for New York, where he became a film critic once more.
Towards the end of his career, he had played in cinema and television, notably playing the shrink of Tony Soprano’s shrink in the series “The Sopranos”, or a DJ in “Kill Bill” by Quentin Tarantino.
He was born in 1939 in Kingston, New York. The causes of his death have not been specified.
Peter Bogdanovich passed away. He was a dear friend and a champion of Cinema. He birthed masterpieces as a director and was a most genial human. He single-handedly interviewed and enshrined the lives and work of more classic filmmakers than almost anyone else in his generation. pic.twitter.com/hL08ORCilN
– Guillermo del Toro (@RealGDT) January 6, 2022
“He was a dear friend and a herald of cinema,” tweeted Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, greeting someone who “made masterpieces” and was “very outgoing” moreover.
With AFP
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