Saturday, June 11, 2011

John Mackenzie: R.I.P.

John Mackenzie, Film Director, known as Frenzy Mackenzie, died on June 8, 2011 in London.

John Mackenzie's film The Long Good Friday is not only acknowledged as his most compelling film but it is widely considered the UK's greatest gangster movie. Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) is a ferocious East End gangster who tries to do a deal with the American mafia. But into this hectic atmosphere Mackenzie brought a sense of balanced realism; he was keen to let Hoskins display a more vulnerable quality for, as he said, "the worst villains in the world have certain qualities that are liked, and Bob had the personality and humour to pull it off".

Read about John Mackenzie here.

2 comments:

Marsdon said...

The Long Good Friday is a terrific movie and I highly recommend it.

Stan

vallerose said...

Another sad death. The Long Good Friday is a terrific gangster film, up with the best, no matter what the country. It holds up very well. Definitely one of Bob Hoskins' better roles. and Helen Mirren is also terrific.