R.I.P. continued

Several more passings to commemorate ...

Phyllis Diller (1917-2012) - We loved Phyllis back in the 1960s - with all those other shows she was in, the very individual first lady of stand-up, and so funny. Good to see such glowing tributes to her, and what an age to live to.... how we laughed at all those 'Fang' jokes ...

Tony Scott, director (1944-2012) - perhaps overshadowed by his brother Ridley. His first feature THE HUNGER is one I have been meaning to re-see, that stylish chic very 80s vampire flick with the very cool trio of Deneuve, Bowie and Sarandon. TOP GUN was not my sort of thing and I had meant to catch TRUE ROMANCE if only for that great cast ... and then those routine actioners. He certainly terminated himself very quickly after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, if the newspaper reports are correct ... 

Another voice of my youth: Scott McKenzie, at 73 - that song from the summer of love 1967, the bells and caftans and beads and yes: "if you go to San Francisco, be sure to wear some flowers in your hair" ... as written by John Phillips of the Mamas and Papas - which McKenzie joined eventually in the 80s, presumably for the nostalgia circuit.

Helen Gurley Brown (1922-2012), another who got to 90; Editor-in-chief of 'Cosmopolitan' from 1965-1996, and author of SEX AND THE SINGLE GIRL, which became that rather droll comedy in 1964 with a terrific looking Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis and Lauren Bacall (who was actually one year older than Curtis!).  I dare say she paved the way for those SEX AND THE CITY girls ....and the concept of "having it all".

Christopher Challis, at the good age of 93, ace cinematographer (1919-2012), of films like THOSE MAGNICIFCENT MEN IN THEIR FLYING MACHINES, EVIL UNDER THE SUN, and many favourites of mine in a long career, including QUENTIN DURWARD, Losey's BLIND DATE, GENEVIEVE, THE SPANISH GARDENER, THE VICTORS and TWO FOR THE ROAD. He won a Bafta for his terrific photography on Donen's ARABESQUE, with all those different deep focus camera changes. He began by assisting Michael Powell on those '40s classics like BLACK NARCISSUS and A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH, THE RED SHOES etc. One of the great British cameramen.