Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Paul Mazursky, Brilliant Director and Actor, Dies at Age 84, Made Modern Film Classics

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You’d have to put Paul Mazursky in the category of Robert Altman, Hal Ashby, Sidney Lumet, Martin Ritt, Alan Pakula and Sydney Pollack. The director of “Down and Out in Beverly Hills” was 84, and a giant among modern filmmakers. His “Enemies: A Love Story,” “Next Stop Greenwich Village,” “Moscow on the Hudson,” “Harry and Tonto,” and of course “An Unmarried Woman” represent a career that can only be admired.

Without these guys there would be no film business today and no American cinema. Mazursky was top of his class, and a classy guy. He was nominated for 5 Oscars, four for writing, for “Enemies,” “Harry and Tonto,” “An Unmarried Woman,” and “Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice.” The 5th was for Best Picture for “An Unmarried Woman.”

Anyone would be thrilled, over the moon, to have his credits. “Blume in Love” with George Segal, is a little gem. His version of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” with John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands is out of this world. “Alex in Wonderland,” a Hollywood satire with Donald Sutherland, caused a sensation when it was released.

Mazursky was also a fine actor. He has 76 credits on the imdb, from “thirtysomething” to “2 Days in the Valley.” As writer and director and actor he was a risk taker, an original, a forceful voice. He was also a kind and lovely guy with whom I had many chats over the years. He will be sorely missed.


Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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