Death of a …
Yesterday saw a collection of in-memoriam(s)…
Arthur C Clarke:
What can be said about him that hasn’t already been said, but visionary seems to be the most common and most apt word to use.
Most famous for his epic tale 2001 : A Space Odyssey which is strangely a book I have not read yet but keep promising myself I will, I must.
I first saw the film, made by that most savant of geniuses Stanley Kubrik, years and years ago and had forgotten much of it till a while ago purchasing it on shiny DVD and ready for viewing on my home theatre and being re-awed (is there such a phrase) by it. In the rankings for films that should be re-released/re-mastered onto the big-screen circuit, 2001: A Space Odyssey is high (right along side Jaws).
The point though, is not to venerate the film, but just to say, cheerio Arthur.
Anthony Minghella:
If you’d have mentioned that name to me yesterday I would have said who?
Possibly to my shame seeing as his film, the English Patient, scooped a shelf-load of Oscars way back in the mid 90s.
More notable (for me) is that he penned several episodes of Grange Hill – the English school based drama for children and Morse – the archetypal grumpy English detective.
Interesting path from these to having nine of the short gold fellows sitting in your trophy cabinet.
Sharkey:
A feral cat that lived in our garden and who was very old, passed away peacefully whilst snoozing under a bush in the garden.
