LAmerican cinema mourns one of its biggest names. Figure of “New Hollywood”, the American director Peter Bogdanovich died at the age of 82, according to statements, Thursday, January 6, from his agent. Born in 1939 in Kingston, New York, the filmmaker made an impression in 1971 with his “Last Show”, a veritable ode to 1950s America. Peter Bogdanovich entered the world of cinema first as a critic, before making his debut behind the camera with the film “La Cible”. For now, the causes of his death have not been disclosed.
“The Last Show,” a film set in a small town in Texas going through tough 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, ”reacted 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.
Past with the Sopranos and with Quentin Tarantino
After other successes 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 was laughing”, where she appeared on screen alongside Audrey Hepburn.
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
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 a dear friend and a herald of the cinema,” tweeted the Mexican director Guillermo del Toro, greeting someone who “made masterpieces” and was moreover “very pleasant”.