The film community has lost a pioneer over the weekend when legendary Hollywood director John Frankenheimer passed away on Saturday of a stroke. The 72 year old director has filmed over forty films and several television series since his introduction to film in the early 1950’s. Frankenheimer remained a somewhat unique enigma in Hollywood directing such classic and recognized films as The Manchurian Candidate and The Birdman of Alcatraz as well as the occasional low budget cult classic as Tales From The Crypt, but treating each film with a respect and dignity rare in Hollywood. Even his recent action films including the acclaimed Ronin, presented a class rare in the genre.

Frankenheimer’s passing is a loss for all of us. We have lost a friend of both film and DVD.