Icons, some of the cinema’s true greats slipped into eternity in 2025, yet are immortalized forever in their films or the movies they created as directors. Death came to a couple in truly tragic ways, including murder, while others passed after illnesses. No matter how famous, how wealthy, death finds each of us and comes without warning, striking us down with prejudice.
DAVID LYNCH was among the most original directors ever to helm a film in Hollywood. He gave us the cult classic Eraserhead (1977) and was handpicked to bring THE ELEPHANT MAN (1980), DUNE (1984), BLUE VELVET (1986), WILD AT HEART (1990), THE STRAIGHT STORY (1999), and his superb performance as John Ford in THE FABELMANS (2023).
Two time Academy Award winner GENE HACKMAN died a terrible death at his home in New Mexico. Hackman suffered heart disease and severe Alzheimer’s and it is assumed his wife died seven days before him and he had no one to care for him and give him his pills. He had been gone a number of days before he was found. Hackman was best known for BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967), THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971), FRENCH CONNECTION II (1975), MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1988), UNFORGIVEN (1992) and THE ROYAL TANENBAUM (2001). Widely considered one of the cinema’s greatest actors.
ROBERT REDFORD was an actor, director, producer, and environmentalist, considered one of the most handsome actors in Hollywood. Best known for BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969), THE STING (1973), JEREMIAH JOHNSON (1972), THE WAY WE WERE (1973), and ALL THE PRESIDENTS MEN (1976), he later won an Oscar for Best Director for ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980) and a further nomination for QUIZ SHOW (1994). In the early eighties he created the Sundance Film Festival for indecent cinema, one of the world leading film festivals.
DIANE KEATON was among the most gifted actors of her generation, comfortable in both comedy and drama. She broke through in THE GODFATHER (1972) and THE GODFATHER PART II (1974) before becoming Woody Allen’s leading lady in ANNIE HALL (1977), MANHATTAN (1979) before moving of to REDS (1981), the exquisite SHOOT THE MOON (1982), up to SOMETHING’S GOTTA GIVE (2003). Her death was a shock, she passed after a one week fight with pneumonia.
And finally the most horrific and shocking, the murder of director ROB REINER and his wife, murdered in their sleep by his son. I will not besmirch Reiners memory by naming his son here. Reiner was an actor first, the much put upon Meathead on All in the Family. When he jumped to making films he made THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984), STAND BY ME (1986), THE PRINCESS BRIDE (1987), WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989), Misery (1990), and so many other fine films but was never an Oscar nominee for Best Director. Reiner was proof one did not need an Oscar nominee to be great.
RIP all.
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