Alan J. Pakula | |
|---|---|
 Pakula in 1990 | |
| Born | Alan Jay Pakula April 7, 1928 The Bronx, New York City, U.S. |
| Died | November 19, 1998 (aged 70) Melville, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, producer |
| Years active | 1957–1998 |
| Notable work | |
| Spouses | |
Alan Jay Pakula (/pəˈkuːlə/; April 7, 1928 – November 19, 1998) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Associated with the New Hollywood movement,[1] his best-known works include his critically-acclaimed "paranoia trilogy": the neo-noir mystery Klute (1971), the conspiracy thriller The Parallax View (1974), and the Watergate scandal drama All the President's Men (1976).[1] His other notable films included Comes a Horseman (1978), Starting Over (1979), Sophie's Choice (1982), Presumed Innocent (1990), and The Pelican Brief (1993).
Pakula received Academy Award nominations for Best Director for All the President's Men and Best Adapted Screenplay for Sophie's Choice. He was also nominated for Best Picture for producing To Kill a Mockingbird (1962). Additionally, he was a BAFTA Award, Golden Globe Award, and Directors Guild of America Award nominee.
Pakula's films often dealt with psychological and political themes. His New York Times obituary stated Pakula made "different kinds of movies, all of them intended to entertain, but the thread connecting many of them was a style that emphasized and explored the psychology and motivations of his characters."[2] He was the subject of the 2023 documentary, Alan Pakula: Going for Truth.[3]
- ^ a b "Alan J. Pakula: An American Cinematheque Retrospective". American Cinematheque. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
- ^ Sterngold, James (1998-11-20). "Alan J. Pakula, Film Director, Dies at 70". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
- ^ Kennedy, Lisa (2023-04-06). "'Alan Pakula: Going for Truth' Review: A Hollywood Memorial for a Friend". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-15.