London-born filmmaker Sir Alan Parker has died at the age of 76 after a lengthy illness, his representatives have confirmed. Across his career, Parker was director, writer, and producer on several beloved, acclaimed and awards-favourite films, and a pioneering filmmaker who hopped between genres with ease, proving an endlessly versatile voice capable of drawing crowds and controversy alike.
Following his debut with the BBC’s 1974 film The Evacuees, Parker made his feature film directorial debut proper with Bugsy Malone, the kids classic musical that combined the milieu of the ‘30s mobster tale with an all-child cast, complete with splurge-guns and custard pie fights. He followed it up with the incredibly controversial prison drama Midnight Express, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director, a Best Picture nod, and a nomination for the Palme d’Or at Cannes.
Parker then returned to the musical genre to direct 1980 hit Fame, telling the story of young performers coming up through the High School Of Performing Arts in New York City. If its vibrant titular number by Irene Cara is an upbeat retro mainstay, Parker’s film itself dealt with plenty of hard-hitting topics, from abortion and drug abuse to prostitution – earning six Oscar nominations, four BAFTA nominations (including a win for Best Sound), and spawning a TV spin-off and 2009 remake.
In 1982, he delivered a different kind of musical film – directing Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Later in the 1980s, Parker went on to make Angel Heart – the sweltering, culty occult horror featuring a (literally) devilish performance from Robert De Niro as Louis Cyphre, steeped in noir flourishes, and notably slapped with an X rating in the US prior to the removal of ten seconds of footage to secure an R rating. In 1988, Parker switched gears to direct hard-powerful drama Mississippi Burning, telling the story of an FBI manhunt for the Ku Klux Klan members that killed three young civil rights activists in Mississippi in the 1960s. It received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.
In the early ‘90s, Parker directed the beloved musical drama The Commitments – one of the sweariest films ever made – about a bunch of Irish musicians who form a soul band, which endures for its loveable characters and stellar soundtrack. He returned to the musical genre properly in 1996 with the Madonna-starring screen version of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical Evita, telling the life story of Argentine first lady Eva Péron who died in her early 30s. The film was a huge hit, and another awards contender for Parker.
Later in his career, Parker helmed the 1999 adaptation of Angela’s Ashes, which he also co-wrote, and made his last film with 2003’s The Life Of David Gale. He was knighted in 2002, and was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship in 2013. Our thoughts are with his friends, family and loved ones.