Oscar-Winner Anthony Minghella Dies
We lost a great one today, friends. Filmmaker Anthony Minghella died of a hemorrhage following surgery at a London hospital.
He was only 54, which makes his passing all the more sad. He had at least five film projects were in the works, including a remake of “The Lives of Others,” which won kudos at film festival across the globe last year.
A multi-talented writer, director, and producer, Minghella was a major force behind such films as “The English Patient,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” and “Cold Mountain.”
In an Associated Press story, his publicist, Jonathan Rutter, said the filmmaker died at London’s Charing Cross Hospital. He was operated on last week for a growth in his neck, and although the operation seemed successful, he died at 5 a.m. today from a hemorrhage.
More after the jump…
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair had become friends with Minghella after the filmmaker directed a Labour Party election ad in 2005.
“Anthony Minghella was a wonderful human being, creative and brilliant, but still humble, gentle and a joy to be with,” Blair said in a statement. “Whatever I did with him, personally or professionally, left me with complete admiration for him, as a character and as an artist of the highest caliber.” ((Minghella is pictured with Jude Law on the set of “Cold Mountain.”)
“The English Patient” won multiple Oscars, including best director for Minghella. He scored another 25 wins and 36 nominations during his long film career.
In a 1996 interview with The Associated Press, Minghella called “Patient” the pinnacle of his career at the time: “I feel more naked and more exposed by this piece of work than anything I’ve ever been involved with.” He added that too many modern films let the audience be passive.
“This film goes absolutely against that grain,” he said. “It says, ‘I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to make some connections. There are some puzzles here. The story will constantly rethread itself and it will be elliptical, but there are enormous rewards in that.”‘
His other films include 1990’s “Truly, Madly, Deeply” and last year’s Oscar-nominated “Michael Clayton,” on which he was executive producer.
Minghella also turned his talents to opera. In 2005, he directed a highly successful staging of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” at the English National Opera in London, choreographed by Minghella’s wife, Carolyn Choa. The following year, he staged it for the season opener of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. It was the first performance of the Met’s new era under general manager Peter Gelb.
I could go on and on about this gifted filmmaker; suffice to say he will be deeply missed in the arts community. Minghella is survived by his wife; his actor son, Max Minghella; and his daughter, Hannah.
Minghella recently wrapped “The No.1 Ladies’ Detective’s Agency,” which he directed and co-wrote alongside Richard Curtis, for the BBC and HBO.
Photos: The Talented Mr. Ripley, Paramount Pictures, 1999; Cold Mountain, Miramax, 2003.
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1 opinion for Oscar-Winner Anthony Minghella Dies
Liz
Mar 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Wow, that is young. Very sad. The Talented Mr. Ripley was a very unique piece of work.
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