This is truly devastating news to me as a film fan.

Now we should demand that Lucas does a proper restoration of the 1980 version of the empire strikes back.

We should also lobby for the release of the Parbot documentary because it has a good interview with Kersh.

As some of you may know, I listen to film scores much more than any other type of music, always have.  Daily, in fact, at work and while commuting.  A staple for me (all day at work) is the XM Radio channel 76 - Cinemagic.  I email the program director regularly with questions, comments, etc.  I emailed him late yesterday and asked about any plans for scores from Kershner films.  He often puts together shows, where he features a common theme - composer, director, franchise, year released, academy award winners, etc.

For any of you with XM, this is a portion of his email response from just a few minutes ago.

"I'll be featuring music from 3 films directed by Irvin Kirshner as well as 3 films that Leslie Neilsen starred in later today.  You can catch those around 1:40pm ET."

Vanity Fair interview with Kershner from October:

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/oscars/2010/10/irvin-kershner.html

Great article. Makes you wonder what could've been, especially as he says he would've directed one of the prequels had he been asked.

I must say I really enjoyed Ratatouille too, far more than I thought I might.

Everyone talks about the scene in Raiders where Indy shoots the swordsman.  

But that's nothing compare to "I love you." "I know."  It's perfect.  It fits the character perfectly, it fits the scene perfectly.  You get tension tension tension a big laugh and then more tension.

And Ratatouille was awesome.

Anchorhead said:

For any of you with XM, this is a portion of his email response from just a few minutes ago.

I'll never know what he said BECAUSE YOU BROKE THE FORUM!

*tears*

From Anthony Daniels' twitter:

"Kersh fell asleep & snored, listening to me dubbing ESB. Just one reason I loved him. He was a lovely, thoughtful, talented man. We owe him."

TCM remembers montage

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=360189

There were several I didn't know had died in that montage. Don't remember hearing, anyway. Robert Culp, Dennis Hopper, Kevin McCarthy, Eddie Fisher (Carrie's dad, of course). Sad when they had to show three in a row from Airplane, too... :(

I just read this today....guess I need to visit this section more often.

R.I.P. Mr. Kirschner, I never knew you personally but you touched my inner child with Empire, so a part of me goes with you.

P.S.

Haunt George and tell him to stop screwing with these awesome movies...and to respect the originals.  I know I'm not the only one here who would appreciate it.

God's speed to you............

Ripplin said:

There were several I didn't know had died in that montage. Don't remember hearing, anyway. Robert Culp, Dennis Hopper, Kevin McCarthy, Eddie Fisher (Carrie's dad, of course). Sad when they had to show three in a row from Airplane, too... :(

Yeah, I didn't know about "Boy" from the Tarzan films or the Munchkin coroner, not mention Rhett and Scarlett's daughter. (Or that guy from Beetlejuice!) If they even had obits on CNN or elsewhere, I blinked and missed them.

Zelda Rubinstein adds to the Poltergeist curse, and now someone will probably invent an Airplane curse.

Jetrell Fo said:

I just read this today....guess I need to visit this section more often.

R.I.P. Mr. Kirschner, I never knew you personally but you touched my inner child with Empire, so a part of me goes with you.

P.S.

Haunt George and tell him to stop screwing with these awesome movies...and to respect the originals.  I know I'm not the only one here who would appreciate it.

God's speed to you............

 

 

I was watching the new Robot Chicken special last night, and thinking Marquand and Kershner haunting George would be a great sketch. ;)

SilverWook said:

I was watching the new Robot Chicken special last night, and thinking Marquand and Kershner haunting George would be a great sketch. ;)

A little obscure, even for RC.  But WOW I would love that!!  Throw in Sebastian Shaw for the win!

More obscure than a cartoon cutout of Stanley Kubrick endorsing a "special edition" of 2001? ;)

Mr. Shaw was on last night's special, although briefly.

Tallguy said:

SilverWook said:

I was watching the new Robot Chicken special last night, and thinking Marquand and Kershner haunting George would be a great sketch. ;)

A little obscure, even for RC.  But WOW I would love that!!  Throw in Sebastian Shaw for the win!

Yeah, this would be the "smack in the back of his fat head hat trick" George deserves but has up to this point been able to avoid.  It would also make an awesome sketch....even on Family Guy.....it would totally rule.

:)

R.C. has made some jokes at George's expense. The Jaws special edition sketch was clearly taking potshots at his revisionism.

This was pretty good.  http://rockwoodcomic.com/toons/10-1129.GIF

"I know."  See?  One of the greatest lines ever.

re: TCM's reel.  I had no idea Tom Mankiewicz passed away this year.  And David Brown.  Good grief, Empire, Superman, and Jaws!

SilverWook said:

TCM remembers montage

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?cid=360189

 

I meant to add my own sadness at hearing this news at the time, but got side-tracked.

Anyway, it's good to know that his most famous movie has just been announced as being amongst the latest ones that are being preserved for posterity by the US Library of Congress as part of it's National Film Registry -  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12085224

Couple of thoughts -  I take it that it's the PRE-SE version of ESB that they'll be preserving!  Also, since STAR WARS (again, I hope it's the original version...) has already been chosen for preservation, surely they can't miss out on the last chapter eventually?  I'm not sure that the prequels will get the same attention however...

ImperialFighter said:

I meant to add my own sadness at hearing this news at the time, but got side-tracked.

Anyway, it's good to know that his most famous movie has just been announced as being amongst the latest ones that are being preserved for posterity by the US Library of Congress as part of it's National Film Registry -  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12085224

Couple of thoughts -  I take it that it's the PRE-SE version of ESB that they'll be preserving!  Also, since STAR WARS (again, I hope it's the original version...) has already been chosen for preservation, surely they can't miss out on the last chapter eventually?  I'm not sure that the prequels will get the same attention however...

They cannot protect empire from Lucas.  Whats to stop him from recutting the film now that Kersh is gone.  Like he did to Marquand's Jedi.

skyjedi2005 said:

They cannot protect empire from Lucas.  Whats to stop him from recutting the film now that Kersh is gone.  Like to did to Marquand's Jedi.

Skyjedi, this is something that concerns me too after Kershners passing. There's nothing stopping him making even more changes to ESB