By Keith Uhlich
The influential, much beloved critic Robin Wood—author of Hitchcock's Films and Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan, among other titles—passed away yesterday. I only have a passing familiarity with his work, mainly his years-separated "reintroductions" to Hitchcock's Films, which deal with the breakup of his marriage and his coming out as gay. But I can't tell you how often I've re-read those passages, fascinated and moved by the dovetailing of the personal, political and critical. He's a model to aspire to (and to mimic at one's peril), and I fully intend on making his body of work a priority catch-up. Currently, there appears to be a lack of reportage on Wood's death (this will change soon, I hope). For the moment, here's Glenn Kenny, who shares a few choice Wood passages, and Robert Cashill. I'd also like to direct everyone to a personal favorite: Wood's Film Comment essay on Lee Isaac Chung's Munyurangabo, which called my attention to a very worthy and wonderful film. Please share links, thoughts and remembrances in the comments section.
UPDATE: David Hudson rounds up the growing number of tributes to Wood at the Auteurs Daily.
Keith Uhlich is editor of The House Next Door.
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9 comments:
thanks for this.
here's something I just posted about Wood's thoughts on Hawks...
http://blog.waysofseeing.org/2009/12/robin-wood-on-howard-hawkss-el-dorado.html
his book on Hitchcock is just perfect, THE book to read about Hitchcock. the one on Hawks is also good.
This is a great loss.
Wood's place in the pantheon of important critics would have been secure even if he'd stopped writing in the 70s. But the next phase of his career, which saw him completely re-invent himself as an intensely and openly political critic and revisiting and revising many of his previous opinions, raised his entire output to a new level. And he doesn't deny that he's changed, unlike some writers who have that Orwellian, "We were never at war with Oceania" mindset. The process of his own evolution is one of the subjects, maybe the key subject, in his work. In some of the later anthologies (and reissues of earlier work) he even juxtaposes what he wrote earlier and what he believes now on the same page, so you can compare and contrast.
He was an honest man.
I really need to read more of his work, and would have written more about HOLLYWOOD if I had it in front of me. An enlightened, and enlightening, figure. There's some other comments about him at the Mobius forum: http://www.mhvf.net/
Robin Wood of Sherhood forest.
p.s. Sorry, drunk
Very sad. Wood was one of the most original, daring, sensitive, and provocative film critics ever. One of the giants. "Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan" and "America Horrors" - along with his Hitchcock book(s) - are indispensable. His BFI essays on Rio Bravo and The Wings of the Dove are - frankly - more pleasurable than the movies themselves. Fare thee well.
I just heard that another provocative film presence - Brittany Murphy - died today at age 32. She was an edgy dramatic actress (making an indelible impression in The Dead Girl and Freeway) and a sharp comedienne (voice work on King of the Hill, Drop Dead Gorgeous). She wasn't really suited for romantic comedy, but it didn't stop her from being Flavor of the Month for a few seasons at the movies. Her rough edge gave a supporting part in Clueless distinction and made Girl Interrupted ABOUT something other than the two leads. A great loss for moviegoers.
Love Wood's criticism, and not just cuz we shared a common political outlook. As Matt notes, he was a man who wasn't afraid to admit he had changed his mind, who acknowledged that it was possible to LEARN, that reevaluating does not mean repudiating, that criticism is a process, not a product.
He was a great critic.
Along with Pauline Kael, Robin Wood has long been one of my critical heroes. His intelligence, insight, courage, dry humor, and frank discussions of the role of sexuality in films makes him, in my view, the finest of all film critics.
My new book, "Manhood in Hollywood from Bush to Bush," is an homage to his great work, "Hollywood from Vietnam to Reagan." I mourn his passing as I celebrate in his extraordinary accomplishments.
I was privileged to have had Robin Wood as my film professer twenty something years ago. His intellect was staggering, and I absorbed his lectures in complete awe. Many years later I encountered several directors who held him in great esteem, but who also wanted to know what he thought of their work.
I adored this man, admired his work and will miss him terribly.
Elinor Kirby
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