Happy 84th Birthday, Hugh Hudson! Born today in 1936, this English screenwriter, producer and film director was among a generation of British directors who would begin their career making documentaries and television commercials before going on to have success in films.
In 1942, st the age of six, Hudson was sent to boarding school and thereafter was educated at Eton College.
Hudson began his National Service in the Dragoon Guards from January 28, 1956, reaching the rank of second lieutenant and remained as a lieutenant in the Army Reserve of Officers. This was until he was discharged on January 16, 1960.
In the 1960s, after three years of editing documentaries in Paris, France, Hudson headed a documentary film company with two partners.
These were American graphic designer Robert Brownjohn and English producer, writer and actor David Cammell.
The latter was the brother of Scottish painter, screenwriter, and film director Donald Cammell. He would later be the writer and co-director (along with Nicolas Roeg) for the 1970 British crime/drama film 'Performance'.
Hudson's company eventually emerged with much success in the 1960s, winning many awards and pioneering a new graphic style for documentary and advertising films.
Hudson then began a career in advertising, producing and directing many television commercials. He worked alongside English film director, producer and screenwriter Sir Alan Parker, Ridley Scott and his younger brother Tony Scott ('Top Gun').
This was for Ridley Scott Associates (RSA), a British film and commercial production company founded in 1968.
Hudson's first filmmaking job was as a second-unit director on Parker's 1978 American prison drama film 'Midnight Express'.
Between 1973 and 1975, Hudson wrote and directed the 1980 Italian documentary film 'Fangio: Una vita a 300 all'ora' ('Fangio, A life at 300 km/h'). The film had been written by Italian documentary film director Gualtiero Jacopetti (co-director of 'Mondo Cane').
From 1979 to 1980, Hudson directed his first and most successful feature film of which he is best known. This was the 1981 British historical sport/drama 'Chariots of Fire'.
Set in 1919, in the class-obsessed and religiously divided United Kingdom, two determined young runners train for the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a devout Christian born to Scottish missionaries in China, sees running as part of his worship of God's glory and refuses to train or compete on the Sabbath.
Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), an English Jew, overcomes anti-Semitism and class bias, but neglects his beloved sweetheart Sybil Gordon (Alice Krige) in his single-minded quest.
The film also co-stars Ian Holm as Abrahams' running coach Sam Mussabini. British feature-film, theatre and documentary director, film critic, and leading light of the Free Cinema Movement and of the British New Wave Lindsay Anderson ('if....'). He is credited as Master of Caius College at Cambridge University.
The title for 'Chariots of Fire' was inspired by the line, "Bring me my Chariot of fire!", from the William Blake poem adapted into the British hymn "Jerusalem"; the hymn is heard at the end of the film. The original phrase "chariot(s) of fire" is from 2 Kings 2:11 and 6:17 in the Holy Bible.
The following year, 'Chariots of Fire' won four Oscars. This was for Best Picture, Best Writing (Original Screenplay) (Colin Welland), Best Music (Original Score) (Vangelis) and Best Costume Design. However, Hudson earned a nomination for Best Director. This occurred at the 54th Academy Awards in late March 1982.
Vangelis' anachronistic soundtrack eventually became iconic, being used as theme music for sporting events as well as in countless films, television shows, and commercials.
One month later, the film won two BAFTA Awards. This was for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Ian Holm) and Best Costume Design. This occurred at the 35th British Academy Film Awards.
American film and theatre critic and then chief film critic of the New York Times Vincent Canby wrote in 1981 "It's to the credit of both Mr. Hudson and Mr. Welland that Chariots of Fire is simultaneously romantic and commonsensical, lyrical and comic. ... It's an exceptional film, about some exceptional people."
In 2017, some thirty-seven years after the showing of 'Chariots of Fire' at the 34th Cannes Film Festival, the film was shown to a large audience at the Classic Screenings beach cinema. This was to help support the bid for the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in Paris.
'Chariots of Fire' is ranked 19th in the British Film Institute's list of Top 100 British films. It is said to have revitalized the fading British film industry.
Among his other credits, Hudson's other most notable work is the 1984 British/American adventure/drama film 'Greystroke' (or 'Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes').
On August 18, 2020, Ben Cross passed from cancer in Vienna, Austria. He was 72.
On August 18, 2020, Ben Cross passed from cancer in Vienna, Austria. He was 72.
Without pressing the comparison too far, one might describe Hugh Hudson as the Orson Welles of British cinema.
His directing debut could hardly have been more auspicious: a critically acclaimed work that was not only a huge international hit but won the Oscar as the year's best film.
His directing debut could hardly have been more auspicious: a critically acclaimed work that was not only a huge international hit but won the Oscar as the year's best film.
Yet within five years, Hudson's film career was floundering, amid accusations of him being a profligate perfectionist who had squandered his opportunities.
With this slim, intriguing body of films, Hudson could be seen as one of British cinema's most talented, tantalising underachievers.
Hudson has been active from 1967–present.
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