November 11, 2010 19:05
I read earlier that film producer Dino De Laurentiis died on Wednesday. He was 91 years old and he either produced or helped to finance over a 150 movies. He started his career with Federico Fellini and went on to produce two of the iconic pop art films of the 60s, Roger Vadim’s Barbarella and Mario Bava’s Danger: Diabolik. Then in the 70s he went through the most infamous stage of his career when he produced several overblown “event” films like the 1976 remake of King Kong. However, even while De Laurentiis was devoting his time and effort to critically reviled attempts at spectacle, he was also supporting the visions of independent directors like David Lynch. In the 21st Century, De Laurentiis was probably best known for producing the Hannibal Lecter films.
De Laurentiis, born in Naples, was a Southern Italian and, not surprisingly, was one of those legendary, larger-than-life moguls who built his career walking on the thin line between the Mainstream and the Grindhouse. Hollywood is run by people who try to be De Laurentiis but De Laurentiis was the real thing.
Dino De Laurentiis, R.I.P.
(On a personal note, De Laurentiis produced one of my favorite films of all time, Bound. And I’m a fourth-Southern Italian myself. Southern Italians are the best.)
Posted by Lisa Marie Bowman
Tags: Blue Velvet, Bound, Danger Diabolik, David Lynch, Dino De Laurentiis, Federico Fellini, Film, King Kong, La Strada, Lipstick, Lisa Marie Bowman, Manhunter, Mario Bava, Movies, Naples, Red Dragon, Roger Vadim, Southern Italian, Southern Italy
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Yeah, I saw the news about his death on Twitter this morning, but was at work so unable to make a post about. I’m actually glad that I wasn’t able to.
I think as someone who can connect much better with the man and the personality I couldn’t think of a better person to make this post than another Southern Italian…even one who is a fourth. 🙂
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By Arleigh on November 11, 2010 at 19:16
Thank you for your moving thoughts from the passing of Dino De Laurentiis.The man was involved with many films that will stand the test of time & are or will be recalled as classics.
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By Jake Moore on November 13, 2010 at 23:19
He was one of the giants of world cinema. That wasn’t always acknowledged because some of his films from the 70s had such terrible reputations but I think that, when you’ve helped to give the world La Strada, you’re allowed to produce a campy film or two. And, of course, even his “campy” 70s films have some very passionate defenders. De Laurentiis was a rare legend who deserved the title.
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By Lisa Marie Bowman on November 14, 2010 at 00:10