Curtis Hanson, Oscar-winning filmmaker, dead at 71

CNN ^ | Sept., 21, 2016

[Wolfie]

Curtis Hanson, Oscar-winning filmmaker, dead at 71

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Curtis Hanson, perhaps best known for his acclaimed neo-noir drama "L.A. Confidential," has died. He was 71.

Hanson was found unresponsive in his home Tuesday, according to Officer Liliana Preciado, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department. He died of natural causes, she said.

Hanson won an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay of 1997's "L.A. Confidential," which he also directed. He also directed "8 Mile," a drama about Detroit's underground rap scene starring Eminem; the nanny-from-hell thriller "The Hand That Rocks the Cradle"; "The River Wild," a wilderness thriller with Meryl Streep as a whitewater rafting guide; and "Too Big to Fail" an adaptation of financial columnist Andrew Ross Sorkin's book on the 2008 financial meltdown.

But it was "L.A. Confidential" that really propelled him into Hollywood's elite. The film, which starred Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kevin Spacey and Kim Basinger, skillfully juggled corruption, intrigue and murder among cops and Hollywood figures in 1950s Los Angeles. It was nominated for nine Oscars, also winning best supporting actress for Basinger, and helped launch Crowe's career.

[whinecountry]

A very talented and underrated director. RIP Mr. Hanson.

[Rummyfan]

A good flick...

RIP Curtis Hanson.

[OrangeHoof]

“L.A. Confidential” is one of my all-time favorites, so filled with great writing and acting and tucks in tidbits about 1950s L.A. that really did happen such as glamour actress Lana Turner dating mobster Johnny Stompanato.

One subplot is that a high-society front man runs a prostitution ring where women have surgery to better resemble famous actresses of the time. So. Lt. Exley (Guy Pearce) and Lt. Jack Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) later encounters Turner and Stompanato at a bar and Turner gets huffy when they try to lean on Stompanato for information.

Exley: “Shut up! A two-bit whore cut up to look like Lana Turner is still a two-bit whore.”
Vincennes: “That is Lana Turner.”
Exley: “Wha..?”
Vincennes: “That’s Lana Turner.”
Exley then gets a face full of Ms. Turner’s drink splashed at him as he is about to apologize.

The DVD came with an interactive map which pointed out places in L.A. where events happened.

[jessduntno]

Outside of LA Confidential, I was not a huge fan...but there was some good stuff there, I suppose. LA is one of my favorites all time...top 100 list at least.

[fieldmarshaldj]

RIP.