Passages

[Big Ben]

To say that Jeremy Thomas was responsible for some of the most formative films I saw when I was younger is an understatement. He was directly responsible for helping shape my taste in films. I concur with the sentiment that he was one of the best to ever do it.

[j99]

Jeremy Thomas, one of the greatest producers in film history - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/s ... beast-dies

A quite frankly ridiculous collection of production credits for Roeg, Bertolucci, Cronenberg, and more.

Incredible. I was just watching an appreciation of Nagisa Oshima, and Jeremy Thomas helped him when he had his stroke in London. He came across as a really decent man, and the films he was involved in are some of my favourites of all time. A huge loss. RIP.

[beamish14]

To say that Jeremy Thomas was responsible for some of the most formative films I saw when I was younger is an understatement. He was directly responsible for helping shape my taste in films. I concur with the sentiment that he was one of the best to ever do it.

You could honestly call him the patron saint of Criterion’s MO

[hearthesilence]

This was the trailer to a Quad Cinema retrospective held almost exactly three years ago. It coincided with the opening of Cousins's documentary on him, and Thomas even made a few appearances to discuss some of the films.

[hearthesilence]

Per official social media accounts, Eugene Richard O'Connor, a.k.a. Cheetah Chrome, has died.

A member of the legendary proto-punk group Rocket from the Tombs, he went on to form the Dead Boys, which was best heard on its debut album Young, Loud and Snotty. That album opens with the classic "Sonic Reducer," written by Cheetah Chrome and David Thomas (most famously of Pere Ubu) during their tenure in Rocket from the Tombs. Incredibly Rocket from the Tombs reunited to much acclaim in the 2000s with Richard Lloyd taking the place of the late Peter Laughner - one of my biggest regrets was missing those tours altogether, but luckily video recordings survive and the performances are tremendous.

[Gregory]

Bob Mackie, 87

[Matt]

I’m glad Mackie got to experience a huge resurgence of interest in his work before he passed. Museum retrospective, book, documentary, an auction of his drawings and dresses, vintage designs pulled from the archives for celebrities to wear, and designing for younger performers like Sabrina Carpenter and Miley Cyrus. Truly nobody did it like him.

[ellipsis7]

Jeremy Thomas Guardian obituary

[Aunt Peg]

English born Australian actress Shelia Kennelly, 88, best known for TV soap the notorious Number 96 as well as other TV soaps over the years. She also had a successful stage career and appear in a handful of films including Fluteman & The Tale of Ruby Rose: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Kennelly

I also happen to discover that the writer/director of The Tale of Ruby Rose, Roger Schoes passed away in 2022 aged 71. Filmed in Tasmania is was sadly the only film that Schoes directed.

[kubelkind]

Catherine Ringer of Les Rita Mitsouko, best known outside France for their appearance in Godard's Soigne ta droite, but also early on for her appearances in some less reputable movies such as Lasse Braun's Body Love (with its great Klaus Schulze s/track).
https://www.lemonde.fr/disparitions/art ... _3382.html

[hearthesilence]

The legendary Chilean documentary filmmaker Patricio Guzmán, per social media.

[Lowry_Sam]

Bob Mackie, 87

After all these years, I had never noticed how much the Criterion C resembled the The Cher Show logo.

I will remember Mackie most for creating the best punchline in one of The Carol Burnett Show's best parodies, Went With The Wind.

[Lowry_Sam]

Cassandra Wilson

[okcmaxk]

Peter Max

[beamish14]

Peter Max

I’ve always wanted to see the Coca-Cola commercials he designed for Ralph Bakshi in the late 60’s.

[dadaistnun]

Annie Dillard

[Gregory]

Patricio Guzmán, one of the most influential documentary filmmakers in Latin America (La Batalla de Chile, Nostalgia for the Light, and much more)

[hearthesilence]

I already posted about Cassandra Wilson and Patricio Guzmán in this thread, but the links are welcome.

[Lowry_Sam]

I already posted about Cassandra Wilson and Patricio Guzmán in this thread, but the links are welcome.

Sometimes the obits we see get printed late & we (or at least I) only look back a few before posting. So many people seem to be checking out lately it seems more challenging to keep up these days!

[hearthesilence]

Motown's Rosalind Ashford-Holmes, a natural soprano who was later inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Martha (Reeves) and the Vandellas. She was with the group through their peak years, from the beginning through 1969, and can be heard singing the high notes.

[Lemmy Caution]

Canadian boxing legend George Chuvalo died September 12 2026, on his 89th birthday.
Fought most of the greats during the golden age of heavyweights. Squared up against Ali twice, as well as Frazier, Foreman, Floyd Patterson, Jerry Quarry. Chuvalo -- known as a tough guy -- was considered to have one of the greatest chins. Never knocked down in 93 bouts.

Was the first to go the distance with Ali in March 1966. This was the early days of Ali being hounded in the US, and he had to switch to Canada just to continue to fight. Ernie Terrell, his scheduled opponent, pulled out and Chuvalo took the fight with Ali on just 17 days notice. In the great documentary Facing Ali, Chuvalo explains that despite losing the decision, after the fight Ali went to the hospital while Chuvalo went out dancing. Chuvalo took Ali to the scorecards again 6 years later, in the 16th year of his pro career. Chuvalo was Canadian champion 5x. Reportedly, British champ Henry Cooper ducked Chuvalo for years, not willing to get in the ring with such a tough brawler. Denying Chuvalo a shot at the Commonwealth title.

[CSM126]

Duncan Sheik

[Drucker]

Rosalind Ashford Holmes, one of the Vandellas, of Martha fame.

[colinr0380]

Stephanie Cole, best known for theatre and TV work (Her roles in Tenko and the retirement home set sitcom Waiting For God are big ones, along with her supporting character in Open All Hours).

Film-wise, she does appear down the cast list of Richard Attenborough's 1999 film Grey Owl, and made early appearances in Martin Campbell's 70s sexploitation film Eskimo Nell, the Bryan Forbes directed sequel to National Velvet, International Velvet and Harley Cokeliss's That Summer! (which is the rarest of the three films that Ray Winstone appeared in during his debut year of 1979, along with Quadrophenia and Scum)

But most interesting is that she is part of the impressive cast list of the 1992 BBC Screen Two TV film Memento Mori, which was the last film from The Innocents director Jack Clayton.

[colinr0380]

It would also be remiss not to mention the passing of Bonnie Greer as well, who I'll most remember as one of the regular cultural commentator guests on the BBC's Review / Late Review / Newsnight Review programme throughout the early 2000s. It was easy to criticise some of the opinions offered up on that programme, but I sorely miss having something that actually delves deeply into cultural topics and discusses the meanings of the current arts scene, rather than simply just doing advertorials promoting them. With the "Review" series, there would always be the glossy, high class film segment that would be promoting the music/film/play/book, etc first with clips or interviews with the creators to let them sell the audience on their work, but then the discussion immediately following would often dissect the work without any consideration of having to be politely tactful if that meant not giving an honest opinion about something. There was a yawning gulf left behind on television (and in criticism more generally) once that show disappeared.

Here's an episode from 2000 featuring her, which focuses on a production of Hamlet, J.G. Ballard's novel Super-Cannes, and the initial response to a new show called "Big Brother" that was just starting up.