Sunday, August 30, 2015

R.I.P. Master Craven

Horror master Wes Craven has died.

The Scream and Nightmare on Elm Street director was 76. He had been battling brain cancer, and passed away in his L.A. surrounded by his loved ones.

Such a sad, sad bummer.

I met Craven once, in Miami, when he was in the Magic City doing press for Red Eye. Wow, that was 10 years ago.... Anyway, the filmmaker – he wrote! he helmed and edited! he produced! – was so kind. He took great care to answer all my questions even though we were in a roundtable situation, and he even entertained a query about Madonna and why she ended up not being in Music of the Heart and graciously signed the case of my Scream VHS. Oh, I absolutely geeked out on him.

A talented and generous man. I was not ready for him to leave us, and, in fact, had been thinking that he would be perfect to direct an Americanization of the Academy Award-nominated Argentinean film Wild Tales. I thought he had the perfect sensibility for the material, which would have allowed him to try his hand at a dark, dark comedy of sorts.

I will miss him.

Photo: Sacramento.CBSLocal.com.

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