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Ismail Merchant passes away...

Harry, you had short hair, were pre-law and weren't a full-on Au by TooMuchFreeTime	May 25th, 2005 05:37:11 PM
Oh come now, you jest! and...first first?
His Legacy Lives on in Harry by John-Locke	May 25th, 2005 05:38:45 PM
Sad news indeed :(
So Merchant hiring Harry is like Sebulba not killing Anakin in t by Big Bad Clone	May 25th, 2005 05:45:04 PM
But seriously, I did like Surviving Picasso and some of the other stuff he did. It's sad when anyone dies but it seems he lead a pretty full life. In the end that's all any of us could ask for.
class by mag7man	May 25th, 2005 05:52:42 PM
He certainly did add a bit of class into an industry sorely in need of just that. In order to save some a trip to imdb: The name of the film Harry appeared in was "Ballad of the Sad Cafe"
A Room with a View by Littles	May 25th, 2005 06:00:00 PM
When I hear people talk about the wonders of 1930s King Kong, I think, "For you the amorous monkey is #1. For me, A Room with a View." Yes, howl with laughter [sentimental pap! melodrama! bonham hair!], but that movie is IT for me. RWAV is everything a film should be. Everything I want film to be. Thank you Ismail.
Harry Is Zelig by Ockham	May 25th, 2005 06:02:56 PM
Very sad news, indeed.
Remains of the Day is a great film. by Barry Egan	May 25th, 2005 06:41:45 PM

I loved his films by cynibun	May 25th, 2005 08:25:06 PM
And will always remember them for their style, class and story. The old expression of "they just don't make them like that anymore," will probably be the case after this. There is hardly anything good ever made anymore with actual dialogue that does not make one hurl, or deep character studies. Thanks Harry.
there's room for by cynibun	May 25th, 2005 08:52:22 PM
a Merchant film and the Mummy too. If done "well," and that is the key word, isn't it. I actually sort of liked the Mummy, so there you go. Done well, thank you, not millions put into a pile of poo that stinks to kingdom come.
Wow..now one RIP yet.. by Bong	May 25th, 2005 09:55:04 PM
RIP
If only Merrick Biotech had perfected their inanimate cloning te by Prince of Space	May 26th, 2005 12:30:56 AM
Damn you Merrick Biotech, you pursuit of extending the average human's life span should have been expidited or at least put on fast-track basis. Now all I have to remember Ismail Merchant by are movies like a Room with a View, Howards End, and the Remains of the Day. sigh Luckily, I have this Sideshow Collectibles General Grievous to keep my preoccupied which, by the way, I purchased by taking out a second mortgage on my house.
who? by therightclique	May 26th, 2005 03:44:18 AM
i've never even heard of this guy. why make posts about ever random guy that dies?
Dude, he was not some 'random guy' by Big_Bubbaloola	May 26th, 2005 03:53:25 AM
Just coz your not film educated enough to know who he is, don't come hear and bitch. He was a very classy gent and a great producer. He will be missed.
goodbye, Ismael Merchant by emeraldboy	May 26th, 2005 05:17:17 AM
There was a time when Mercahnr/Ivory were the most talked about production company in the UK. And for a while British critics hailed their work and american audiences and the american media fell in love, with this romantic view of the UK. When CBS did a news item about brimingham and disorderly yobs, there was uproar and the british media went into a frezy, how dare they portray Birmingham in this way. As the 80's turned into the 90's, Merchant Ivory got replaced by Working Title and WT became the biggest production company in the UK and consequently they conquered america, too. And WT made hugh grant a star. But ultimatley just like Merchant Ivory,Working Title have become passe and everyone will be looking for the next brit production company. The films that Merchant Ivory made are beautiful but it is debateable whether in 50 years say will we be watching their slightly staid movies.
therightclique by Bart of Darkness	May 26th, 2005 05:55:57 AM
Just so you know, this is a site about movies. Did you arrive here by accident whilst surfing for "hot asian babes" or something?
Merchant by Rhett Butler	May 26th, 2005 06:20:50 AM
Like them or loathe them - Ismail Merchant made films from the heart. He
You film snobs should swallow your cynicism and rent REMAINS OF by Cash Bailey	May 26th, 2005 06:21:26 AM
It's simply one of the greatest movies you'll ever see.
The thing about Merchant Ivory films... by Sepulchrave	May 26th, 2005 06:50:00 AM
that I've come to realse more and m,ore clearly is that, no matter how they showcase sterling scriptwriting abilities, adapting some very internal and novel-esque novels for the screen, and no matter how many woneerful actors get to whet their canines on literature's most wonderful creations (Daniel Day Lewis as Cecil Vyse, anyone? How about Maggie Smith as cousin Charlotte or Simon Callow running corpulantly naked through the wood as the Reverend Beebe), these films are essentially addendums to books. Forster, like Henry James, is very filmable, you just lose so much of what is james or Forster when you do so that it becomes a 'lovely period piece' rather than a magnificent dissection of the secret machinery of the human.
Well Said by Evil Chicken	May 26th, 2005 06:56:38 AM

Harry likes Merchant Ivory films and ARMAGEDDON??!! by Spacesheik	May 26th, 2005 07:09:27 AM

According to IMDB Harry played "fat boy" in that movie. by rev_skarekroe	May 26th, 2005 09:28:06 AM
Not much of a stretch, eh? Sorry.
My favorite was Maurice" by riskebiz	May 26th, 2005 10:46:00 AM

My favorite was "Maurice" by riskebiz	May 26th, 2005 10:50:14 AM
I thought it was really done well. I think anyone can watch it and appreciate that film for it's skill. Great first Hugh Grant performance.
Lovely eulogy, Harry by DocPazuzu	May 26th, 2005 11:20:39 AM
And it's nice to see the love for Remains of the Day, a wonderful, heartbreaking film. Hopkins's best role ever. The scene where he - being the emotionally crippled, consummate professional butler that he is - is standing by his father's deathbed, visibly wrestling with the discomfort is amazing to watch. Also, the look on Emma Thompson's face in the bus as it drives off is something I'll never forget. Thank God for the Merchant Ivory body of work.
So he's behind all those movies where Anthony Hopkins is a butle by I Dunno	May 26th, 2005 12:26:35 PM
Well, RIP, I guess.
Many Great Films by Knobules	May 26th, 2005 01:25:38 PM
And anyone that can make Emma Thompson come across human even though she looks like a cow in a parachute in half her movies has got to be talented.
Good Eulogy My Orange Ass. by TommyThePumpkin	May 26th, 2005 01:32:40 PM
A good eulogy is about the deceased, not about those still living. Count the number of times Harry uses the word "I" in this steaming pile of putrescence some erroneously refer to as a eulogy. It's not all about you, Harry. Stop jibberjabbering about your childhood. I thought Merchand died a long time ago.
Sniff by mistrmindqed	May 26th, 2005 02:02:22 PM
Boo-hoo
KING KONG teaser posters and AICN doesn't seems to care by IAmLegolas	May 26th, 2005 02:05:13 PM
I thought AICN and P.J. were buddies?
Re:The thing about Merchant Ivory films... by Littles	May 26th, 2005 02:15:33 PM
I agree with you completely Sepulchrave. You describe one of the difficulties of film and especially of adapting the musers like those two authors--they can easily come across as vapid. I love that M&I films try. Yes, they have a formula that now borders on self-parody. Once in a great while I actually try to learn from many people out there who are smarter than me, instead of dismissing them with cutting snark. I'm sad because Merchant was one of those smart people , and he gave a damn and tried. I appreciate that--and that he tried to do something to hold today's cynicism at bay.
I WAS EIGHTH by JBouganim	May 26th, 2005 02:25:34 PM
I cant believe they took down my post from before.. i was eighth
I love A Room With a View... by Fitzcarraldo2	May 26th, 2005 03:07:20 PM
It's so beautiful, warm, moving and funny. What the hell happened to Julian Sands after that anyway?
AICN - a Merchant Ivory Production by hamo455	May 26th, 2005 04:26:05 PM
And in the beginning I thought that was just a cool name for a production co - didn't even know it was two guys' names til later. RIP sir.
Why the hell was my first talkback deleted!!!!! by VatoLoco	May 26th, 2005 06:43:08 PM
Guess you can't have a point of view eh ??
DAMN by staros24	May 26th, 2005 06:49:19 PM
It's pretty damn sad. I always hoped that he would team up again with James Ivory, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in some other classy film. Nice one Harry.
Sad to hear.. by MissyAggravation	May 26th, 2005 07:31:00 PM
I absolutely loved A Room with a View. Daniel-Day Lewis was great it in. I'll never forget the wet, naked men chasing each other. By the way, did someone mention Julian Sands?? Don't get me started on him.
Sad day by Hardman	May 27th, 2005 01:37:29 AM
Sad day for film lovers. Some of his films were a bit sissy but all in all some good stuff over the years.
"Unwatchable movies from unreadable books" Nuff said. by JackRabbitSlim	May 27th, 2005 08:53:27 AM

Watchable Movies to Come by Littles	May 27th, 2005 09:51:14 PM
Oops, I forgot. It's cool to dislike school, so I shouldn't like M&I films. (LOL) Has anyone heard when the White Countess is to premiere? And I'm wondering who will direct the Rabindranath Tagore movie now. Darn another movie about one of them smart book writers!
Remains of the day is Brilliant... by BigTuna	May 28th, 2005 08:25:14 PM
It always makes my list of best of the 90's. Every scene is perfect. Hopkins is brilliant, much better then his overrated Silencve of the Lambs performance.
This is disgusting by balajazz	May 29th, 2005 06:31:06 PM
So you don't like the guy, so you don't care about his films, so you don't know who he is (?!), so come on a talkback and piss on his legacy? Wankers. This man was 100 times more interesting, intelligent and hard-working than you will ever be. He and his partner rescued British cinema from the languishing depths which it was heading towards, and he is a true legend of modern cinema. Never mind he was also one of the biggest characters around, with enough generosity to make nuns blush. Now he passed away after a long illness, during which he still kept working and maintained all his responsibilities to the end. And you hijack a nice eulogy thread with inane comments and pathetic backbites? I guess its true what they say in the bible : AICN talkbackers SUCK ASS. I'm just surprised none of you American assholes haven't tried to use this as another platform for your neo-con vs liberal political debates. R.I.P. Ismail Merchant

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