'SUPERMAN THE MOVIE' DIRECTOR RICHARD DONNER PASSES AWAY AT 91
As much a part of my growing up as Steven Spielberg, Richard Donner - who has died aged 91 - created a body of work that was just as enthralling, exciting and influential to me.
Like Spielberg, Donner started in television, in fact his work probably influenced him in some way as he directed one of the seminal episodes of The Twilight Zone, Nightmare at 20, 000 feet, where a creature is on the wing of a passenger plane. The only person who can see it is a pre-Star Trek William Shatner.
Richard Donner (right) with Jaws director Steven Spielberg and actor Jeff Cohen on the set of The Goonies
That story would get re-filmed for The Twilight Zone: the movie that Spielberg was a part of, that section being helmed by Mad Max director George Miller.
The Omen (1976) has been a part of my life since I was at least 11 and, save for Jaws, is my favourite horror-related film. Like Jaws you could say that it taps into the disaster movie genre that was so big at the time with the likes of The Poseidon Adventure, Earthquake and The Towering Inferno.
The film also looks amazing in its widescreen which is used to brilliant effect utilising it to its full advantage and creating some mesmerising imagery that really set it apart. As well as the frame impressing so does the action taking place within in.
Director Richard Donner constructs some still impressive set pieces; it must have surely secured him directorial duties on Superman: The Movie two years later, in fact the Daily Planet helicopter incident could have come straight from The Omen.
Richard Donner (left) with star Gregory Peck on the set of The Omen
First there is the nanny, played by Jack Palance’s daughter, taking a rope-assisted dive from the Thorn mansion during Damien’s fifth birthday party, the way she falls and snaps back into that glass is horrible.
A suddenly windy day will always evoke thoughts of Patrick Troughton prior to getting spiked by a church spire.
Kathy Thorn’s fall from the balcony whilst pregnant is also fantastically taut, and the scene is brilliantly executed, along with the goldfish. The effect of the camera following on the way down is still amazing. It’s my favourite single shot after the reverse zoom and simultaneous dolly shot on Chief Brody in Jaws. In fact Roy Scheider was once mooted to be in the running for the role of Robert Thorn, played by Gregory Peck.
And of course the decapitation by sheet of glass, with David Warner doing his own version of the head spin. You think you see more than you do the blood you think you see is pots of paint. For such a film with so many nasty deaths it’s surprisingly devoid of any real blood.
The story goes that if The Omen had not been the success it had been for Fox then they wouldn’t have been able to spend extra money on bailing Star Wars out. That’s what you call the real power of the dark side.
Donner made us believe that our children could be the son of the devil, and just two years later he made us believe a man could fly in Superman: The Movie, still regarded by many as the greatest superhero film of all time.
And it could have been directed by Spielberg as, prior to Jaws, he was being pursued by the producers. It may not have had Spielberg but it did have the sublime score by John Williams and for many Christopher Reeve IS Superman. And the belated Richard Donner Cut of Superman 2 is also well worth the flying time as well.
Spielberg was on story and executive producer duties on The Goonies (1985) which plays like a junior Indiana Jones meets The Hardy Boys and was always a firm favourite growing up, Donner yet again showing that he could not just work with children, but get great performances out of them as well.
And there was a familiar face in the freezer, stuntman Teddy Grossman, who also played the iconic Estuary Victim in Jaws.
FURTHER READING: Jaws And The Goonies Connection
Donner could seemingly turn his hand to any genre, and in 1987 he added action-thriller to that cinematic success list with the Mel Gibson and Danny Glover-starring Lethal Weapon. Two years later Glover had appeared in Spielberg's The Color Purple.
It reinvigorated the buddy-cop film and Donner followed it up with three further sequels. Even at 91 he was planning for one final instalment.
Richard Donner on location with Lethal Weapon stars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover
That same year he produced the hit vampire film, The Lost Boys, which its late director Joel Schumacher said he took a leaf out of the book of Jaws by not showing the vampires during the first attack that opens the film.
The following year, Donner shifted pace again, this time into festive comedy with Bill Murray in Scrooged.
Richard Donner may no longer be with us, but his diverse back catalogue of films is still here for all of us to enjoy.
Releasing a statement to Variety, Steven Spielberg said: “Dick had such a powerful command of his movies, and was so gifted across so many genres. Being in his circle was akin to hanging out with your favorite coach, smartest professor, fiercest motivator, most endearing friend, staunchest ally, and – of course — the greatest Goonie of all.
“He was all kid. All heart. All the time. I can’t believe he’s gone, but his husky, hearty laugh will stay with me always.”
Words Dean Newman