RIP Richard Donner

[Batutta]

One of the great directors for me. He had an amazing run in the 70's and 80's, starting with The Omen and ending with the Lethal Weapon films. Superman 1 is his best for me, still the definitive Superman film and still one of the best superhero films. Just listened to this hilarious, informative podcast he was on a couple years ago with Gilbert Gottfried. He worked with so many legends it's amazing.

https://www.gilbertpodcast.com/richard-donner/

 

[combatentropy]

Noooooooo!

He first caught my eye as a teenager watching Lethal Weapon 3. I was a few years into my interest in filmmaking and was impressed by his camerawork and kinetic editing.

Kinetic could also describe the give-and-take of the characters.

I got to stop, or I'll post the whole movie.

He was probably underappreciated because he did action movies, but I also noticed a certain craft throughout and even art. But not a cold, sterile art. His scenes were full of warmth. He deserved all the success he got.

 

[Stephen Mick]

Man, he was a master. To me, the three best action movies of the 80s are The Road Warrior, Die Hard, and Lethal Weapon. Donner’s films always had a heart underneath all the action, something most modern action films lack.

 

[DLD]

Dick Donner was subject of many a joke.

But I thought the original Superman, which I first saw in Italian without speaking the language, was great. Lethal Weapons were OK.

 

[NorBro]

LWs were the best. Especially 1 and 2.

I actually discovered how much I like the saxophone because of them.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

Superman, Lethal Weapon 1 & 2 are some of my absolute favorite movies. I’ve watched those movies so many times that I’ve lost count. Donner’s eye for action still feels so modern and cutting edge. Scrooged has become a Christmas favorite in my family. Goonies is my childhood. Superman inspired me to seek out my first comic book. The Omen was my gateway drug to becoming a horror fan. Donner’s work had a huge impact on me, and I will forever be grateful for that.

 

[kevin baggott]

My first feature got some good reviews in the papers when I was younger and his office flew me out to LA from NYC for a meet-up. He sat with me for about an hour asking me this and that.
He was a really lovely guy. I wrote a treatment for them but it went nowhere. Like the rest of my career

 

[DLD]

Jean Paul Belmondo died on the 6th. He was mostly known in the US for his role in Godard's "Breathless" (1960) but he had a tremendous career in Europe, with roles in drama, comedy and action. He was 88.

Here, a frame grab from a James Bond spoof "L'Magnifique" (1973), where his costar was Jacqueline Bisset.



PS. I realize this is a Richard Donner thread but I didn't want to start another one. So, in memoriam.