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RIP - Haskell Wexler


Jeff Wexler

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The Los Angeles Times this morning devoted a section of the editorial pages to reprints of some of the letters that Haskell Wexler had written to the paper on a variety of subjects. From the Times editorial page:

 IN THE TIMES’ FRONT-PAGE OBITUARY Monday of Academy Award winner Haskell Wexler, son Jeff Wexler is quoted as saying that the late cinematographer’s “real passion was for human beings and justice and peace.” 

   Wexler sometimes took to The Times’ Letters page to express those views, most recently on Nov. 17 in reaction to the Paris terrorist attack. Before then, he had letters published that discussed long work days for film crews, drone warfare and domestic surveillance, among other topics.  

 Here are a few of those letters, some edited down for space. — PAUL THORNTON, letters editor 

L.A. Times online: http://www.latimes.com

(Sorry, I can't seem to navigate to a link to the letters online but they are available in the paper. I expect that an online link will become available later. I'll check back and update the link as it becomes available.)

David

 
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Thank you, David, for the mention of today's LA Times. I looked for a link as well since I have been pulling all these things from all the online sources so I don't lose anything. Pop was definitely old school, still feeling that there is value in Letters to the Editor in real physical newspaper publications. He would be very pleased that the LA Times saw fit to reprint some of his letters. As far as reading these online, the LA Times does not always keep the online edition in sync with print --- we'll see.

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Jeff, you've probably already heard this...but just in case, I thought this 17-minute interview from 1993 (rebroadcast this week), was good. Standard high points, but well told (as per usual).

 

Remembering Oscar-Winning Cinematographer Haskell Wexler

December 29, 20151:25 PM ET

Wexler won Oscars for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf and Bound for Glory, and was nominated for One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest and Matewan. He died Sunday. He was 93. Originally broadcast in 1993.

Stream or download the audio....or save a transcript here:

http://www.npr.org/2015/12/29/461380742/remembering-oscar-winning-cinematographer-haskell-wexler

 

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Thank you, Jim, I did find a link to this NPR interview and it is truly a gem --- listening to it I wasn't sure when it was done (didn't hear the year mentioned at the beginning of the re-broadcast) but it was wonderful just to hear Pop's voice. I think it is a really good interview with lots of insight into my father's view of the craft of movie-making and his views on life in general. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On December 27, 2015 at 8:49 AM, Jeff Wexler said:

HaskellWexler.2.jpg.0371fff00269cc2e1130

February 6, 1922 - December 27, 2015

It is with great sadness that I have to report that my father, Haskell Wexler, has died. Pop died peacefully in his sleep, Sunday, December 27th, 2015.  Accepting the Academy Award in 1967, Pop said: "I hope we can use our art for peace and for love". An amazing life has ended but his lifelong commitment to fight the good fight, for peace, for all humanity, will carry on. 

 

 

 

To add, seeing your father's documentary film Who Needs Sleep was an eye opener and I will forever be grateful for his contribution to all filmmakers working in the industry who fight the good fight of safety. As far as I am concerned he was not only a filmmaker but a champion to all people who work in our industry to try and make a safe place to go to work. Thanks Haskell. 

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  • 2 months later...

Jeff--a doco editor I just worked for on a post job related this story.  This editor had cut a bio-doc about a famous antiwar activist and a rough cut was going to be screened for interested folks in LA--this was last year just before your dad passed.  There ended up being a whole lot of speechifying from many famous folks before the film started, with lots of point-counterpoint on various political issues and a lot of people wanting to be heard.  The rest of the audience grew restless.  Finally a voice boomed from the back of the hall: "Just show the fucking movie!!!".  Guess who that was?

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