Filmmaker, theater director, and playwright Stuart Gordon passed away on Tuesday, March 24th at the age of 72. Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1947, Gordon first rose to recognition with his work in experimental theatre. His productions were so jarring that his 1968 play, The Game Show, ended with audience riots. With a beginning like that, it’s no surprise he went on to become a cinematic cult classic icon.
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In 1985, Gordon co-wrote and directed the film he’s undoubtedly most known for—an adaptation of H.P. Lovecraft’s serial novelette “Herbert West—Reanimator,” titled simply Re-Animator. Though Gordon originally devised the script of this gruesome horror comedy for a stage production, his pivot into film established him as a bold new talent. He followed up his filmmaking debut with other over-the-top horror gems like From Beyond (1986), Dolls (1987), and the Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, The Pit and the Pendulum (1991).
Stuart Gordon
Photo Credit: IMDBThough Gordon shined brightest with his gory horror masterpieces, he also branched out into other genres and helmed big studio projects. He directed the early 90s action flick Fortress, and co-created the family-friendly hit Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The last feature film Gordon worked on was the 2007 biographical crime drama, Stuck, which he co-wrote and directed.
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No cause of death has yet been released, but Stuart Gordon will be remembered by his wife Carolyn, his daughters Suzanna, Jillian, and Margaret, and his grandchildren. He will also be held in the memory of his fans, and the everlasting contributions he made to the horror genre.
Featured photo: Wikimedia Commons
