The genre world has just lost one of its best.
AICN is reporting that Dan O’Bannon has passed away after a week-long stay in a hospital, leaving this world at the age of 63.
Dan O’Bannon’s career began back in the 70s when he attended USC film school, where he met another student in his graduating class named John Carpenter. They went on to work on Carpenter’s debut feature Dark Star, in which O’Bannon co-wrote, edited, acted and worked as special effects supervisor. After that he went on to work on the visual effects team on the original Star Wars before realizing he was a better screenwriter, going on to write the first script for Alien (which was originally titled Star Beast!)
As if laying the groundwork for the Alien series wasn’t enough, he also wrote such films as Total Recall, John Carpenter’s Dark Star, Lifeforce, two sections of Heavy Metal, and he even wrote and directed the classic Return of the Living Dead. He was also the genius behind one of the most underrated zombie films of all time, Dead And Buried, which you can bet I’ll be watching again tonight in honor of the man.
Our thoughts go out to Dan’s wife and family, and we can only hope that they know how much happiness the man’s work has brought people.
18 comments
Oh, just god fucking damn it. Goodbye Dan you brilliant cranky bastard.
Pinback was my pope. Sad news.
he was a genius. i've loved the guys work for 30 years.
A-men. I appreciated his work, and will definately re-watch Dead and Buried soon.
Sad news. Sad news. Here is a guy who made things more difficult for himself than they had to be, but did it with style and talent, a rare commodity nowadays.
The Tarman will be welcoming him into his gooey embrace. "Send more paramedics!"
You all know that the character in Sunshine, Pinbacker, was named after O'Bannon's character in Dark Star right? Sure you did….
This is terrible news. I was lucky enough to see a screening of ROTLD at the New Beverly with the cast and crew present in 2008. Dan had a fire burning in him- so many good stories, so much talent. This is such a shame.
Rest in peace Dan.
Shit! I mean, what else can I say? For Alien and Total Recall HE WAS A GOD. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
Dan O'Bannon is a fucking badass! Invaders from Mars rules!!! RIP* (Rock-in-Peace) — *tear
Goodbye, sergeant Pinback; your elevator-dangling, franchise-inventing antics will be sorely missed
Damn. The man was a genius and made some of the best genre films, ever. He will be missed.
i can't believe how few coments there are here?! the man was ONE OF THE GREATS!
He also wrote the Heavy Metal comic story that was Ridley Scott's inspiration for Blade Runner, "The Long Tomorrow". Goodbye Dan, you will be missed.
What, and none of you bastards mention 'Blue Thunder'?! Damn I remember that experience at the theater well when I was a tad. And complications due to Chrons? I've known enough people living with it, and shit (hmmm…no joke intended), no wonder the guy was cranky.
He had Crons? My reference to his crankiness was his willingness to stick his heels in a fight, and to say what he felt with unusual honesty, whether you'd agree or not – it was admirable. And Blue Thunder rules. Very much identify with the J.A.F.O. gag. — also, yeah – why are there so few comments here? Maybe he's a Gen X and Older Geek Legend now. How sad for the youngers…
I'll miss the hell out of this guy.
In his honor, lets never make another Alien movie!
Comments are shown as archived from the original site; new comments are closed.