"Evita" director Alan Parker died at the age of 76. Stars like Edgar Wright and Ben Stiller are dismayed.
The British star director Sir Alan Parker is dead. This is reported, among other things, by the British film magazine "Screen International". According to this, Parker died on Friday morning after a long illness. He was 76 years old. His most important works include the films "12 p.m. – Midnight Express" (1978), "Fame – The Road to Fame" (1980), "Angel Heart" (1987), "Mississippi Burning – The Root of Hate" ( 1988), "The Commitments" (1991) or "Evita" (1996) with pop star Madonna (61).
"An exceptional talent"
Parker's work has been recognized internationally with a total of 19 baftas, ten Golden Globe Awards and ten Oscars. In 2002 he was knighted for his achievements. A short time later he retired from the film business, but his work was remembered.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences describes the filmmaker posthumously as a "chameleon": "His work entertained us, connected us and gave us such a strong sense of time and place. An exceptional talent that we will miss very much" , it says on Twitter. The British Film Institute also says goodbye to the short message service from its former chairman. "We are deeply dismayed."
Ben Stiller praises "the best films of the 70s and 80s"
Stars like director and producer Edgar Wright (46) or actor Ben Stiller (54, "Zoolander") have also spoken out. Wright, who is responsible for "Shaun of the Dead" or "Baby Driver", wrote on Twitterthat Parker's "incredible success story as a British filmmaker" was an "extraordinary inspiration" for him.
Stiller praised the 76-year-old as "a great director who did what I think is 'real' films". He advised the Twitter community: "Check out his films – they are among the best of the 70s and 80s."