End Credits #39: Cinema's 2016 Lost Treasures Alan Rickman, David Bowie, Vilmos Zsigmond
These are some of Cinema's sad departures of 2016 taken from my personal notes soon after the events took place:
Still more sudden and tragic news: At the same age, the same disease that took David Bowie just a few days earlier, has taken another British born actor of extreme talent, Alan Rickman. He received a scholarship at the age of 26 to attend The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, which launched his professional career lasting almost 40 years that has included memorable appearances on stage, screen and television. His first motion picture role as Bruce Willis' nemesis Hans Gruber was a sensational triumph that raised the bar high for future villainous performances. Afterward Rickman displayed an incredible range by giving us such memorably diverse characters as Jamie in Truly Madly Deeply, Colonel Brandon in Sense and Sensibility, Eamon de Valera in Michael Collins, Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest, Harry in Love Actually and perhaps most recognizably, Professor Severus Snape in all of the 'Harry Potter' series of films. Alan Rickman (February 21, 1946 - January 14, 2016) R.I.P.
Alan Rickman in Die Hard (1988)
with Juliet Stevenson in Truly Madly Deeply (1990)
with Kate Winslet in Sense and Sensibility (1995)
in Galaxy Quest (1999)
with Heike Makatsch in Love Actually (2003)
in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Shocking news of sudden loss in the music and motion picture industry has just been reported: The death of a music industry giant and distinguished career in acting: David Bowie. He was 69 years of age losing his 18 month battle with cancer. He died peacefully with his family by his side. The U.K. born legend truly defined the word "artist", shooting to the pinnacle of any form of artistic expression he chose: Singing, songwriting, instrumentalist, record producing, arranging, painting, and acting. His loss is devastatingly sad but his amazing legacy lives on. David Bowie (January 8, 1947 - January 10, 2016) R.I.P.
David Bowie in The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
with Catherine Deneuve in The Hunger (1983)
in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983)
in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)
in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
in The Prestige (2006)
Vilmos Zsigmond (June 16, 1930 - January 1, 2016) has died at age 85. He was one of the most respected, sought-after and distinguished cinematographers of all time having photographed such notably striking films as McCabe and Mrs. Miller, Deliverance, The Long Goodbye, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Deer Hunter, and Heaven's Gate as well as contributing to the excellence of many other cinematic works.
Deliverance (1972)
The Long Goodbye (1973)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Heaven's Gate (1980)
To read about other losses to the world of cinema this year please see our 2016 In Memoriam Pinterest Board.