Dream Merchant
Introduction: The genius in Merchant lay in his deft handling of some of the most acclaimed litrary works to suit cinematic needs
(Source: Vijay Times, LIFE.)
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal
Ismail Merchant (b: 25th December 1936), the Indian-born producer of some of the most acclaimed film adaptations of literary works, died 25thMay 2005, a day after he underwent surgery for stomach ulcers.
Longtime collaborators James Ivory as director, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala as screenwriter, and Merchant's career took off with their initial film, The Householder (1963). They not only adapted great books by Henry James, E.M. Forster and V.S. Naipaul, but also helped establish the careers of renowned English actors, including Hugh Grant (Maurice), Helena Bonham-Carter (A Room with a View) and Emma Thompson (Howards End).
Merchant's was also a great financial and marketing whiz, which helped him as a producer and contributed to the team's success in enhancing their international profile. Maybe his market savvy attitude was a result of him having acquired a Masters Degree in Business Administration from New York University.
Although Merchant never won an Academy Award, his films received 31 Oscar nominations, including three best picture selections. His works won over both critics and moviegoers.
Merchant and his partners helped pave the way for the rise of independent distributors Miramax Films and Sony Pictures Classics, the latter of which distributed Merchant's "Howards End" as its first release. The Merchant-Ivory model was soon widely imitated by the likes of Martin Scorsese (The Age of Innocence) and Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility).
The scripts were full of with eloquent, zealous and bright storylines, with many tightly stitched corsets and costumes. Though the movies looked expensive, they cost less than that of major studio films. He also produced several more modern tales, including Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Le Divorce and Slaves of New York, the last of which was one of Merchant's few outright flops.
He was less successful as a director than he was as a producer, making mediocre films like: In Custody, Cotton Mary, The Proprietor and Mystic Masseur.
Merchant's association with Jhabvala and Ivory, who was also Merchant's life partner, spanned more than 40 years, and collaborated for the last time with Ivory on The White Countess, which starred Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson.
In one famous confrontation, Merchant was so upset over Miramax's plans to recut the Merchant-Ivory-Jhabvala film The Golden Bowl that he raised the money to buy back the movie from the company, and was ultimately released by Lions Gate Entertainment, unedited.
The Golden Bowl, starring Nick Nolte, Uma Thurman and Angelica Huston, will mark the Fortieth anniversary of Merchant's career in film production.
Merchant is also a renowned chef and author of a number of books on cuisine, including Ismail Merchant's Indian Cuisine; Ismail Merchant's Florence; Ismail Merchant's Passionate Meals and Ismail Merchant's Paris: Filming and Feasting in France. He also authored books, 'Hullabaloo in Old Jeypur', 'Once Upon a Time … The Proprietor'. His most recent book is entitled, My Passage From India: A Filmmaker's Journey from Bombay to Hollywood and Beyond.
Merchant is also recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Arts at Bard's College, New York, Wesleyan College and the University of Illinois. He has been honored by the Mayor of New York and the Maire de Paris, and received the title of Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Ministry of Culture in France, for his outstanding contribution to cinema.
At the time of his death, Merchant was developing The Goddess. Which was to star Tina Turner, the film was to be a modern version of a Bollywood musical. The film has been in controversy with regards to having Tina portraying the character of Goddess Durga, for some time.
(Source: Vijay Times, LIFE.)
Copyright © 2005 Puja Goyal
Ismail Merchant
Ismail Merchant (b: 25th December 1936), the Indian-born producer of some of the most acclaimed film adaptations of literary works, died 25thMay 2005, a day after he underwent surgery for stomach ulcers.
Longtime collaborators James Ivory as director, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala as screenwriter, and Merchant's career took off with their initial film, The Householder (1963). They not only adapted great books by Henry James, E.M. Forster and V.S. Naipaul, but also helped establish the careers of renowned English actors, including Hugh Grant (Maurice), Helena Bonham-Carter (A Room with a View) and Emma Thompson (Howards End).
Merchant's was also a great financial and marketing whiz, which helped him as a producer and contributed to the team's success in enhancing their international profile. Maybe his market savvy attitude was a result of him having acquired a Masters Degree in Business Administration from New York University.
Although Merchant never won an Academy Award, his films received 31 Oscar nominations, including three best picture selections. His works won over both critics and moviegoers.
Merchant and his partners helped pave the way for the rise of independent distributors Miramax Films and Sony Pictures Classics, the latter of which distributed Merchant's "Howards End" as its first release. The Merchant-Ivory model was soon widely imitated by the likes of Martin Scorsese (The Age of Innocence) and Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility).
The scripts were full of with eloquent, zealous and bright storylines, with many tightly stitched corsets and costumes. Though the movies looked expensive, they cost less than that of major studio films. He also produced several more modern tales, including Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Le Divorce and Slaves of New York, the last of which was one of Merchant's few outright flops.
He was less successful as a director than he was as a producer, making mediocre films like: In Custody, Cotton Mary, The Proprietor and Mystic Masseur.
Merchant's association with Jhabvala and Ivory, who was also Merchant's life partner, spanned more than 40 years, and collaborated for the last time with Ivory on The White Countess, which starred Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson.
In one famous confrontation, Merchant was so upset over Miramax's plans to recut the Merchant-Ivory-Jhabvala film The Golden Bowl that he raised the money to buy back the movie from the company, and was ultimately released by Lions Gate Entertainment, unedited.
Uma Thurman in the Golden Bowl (2000)
The Golden Bowl, starring Nick Nolte, Uma Thurman and Angelica Huston, will mark the Fortieth anniversary of Merchant's career in film production.
Merchant is also a renowned chef and author of a number of books on cuisine, including Ismail Merchant's Indian Cuisine; Ismail Merchant's Florence; Ismail Merchant's Passionate Meals and Ismail Merchant's Paris: Filming and Feasting in France. He also authored books, 'Hullabaloo in Old Jeypur', 'Once Upon a Time … The Proprietor'. His most recent book is entitled, My Passage From India: A Filmmaker's Journey from Bombay to Hollywood and Beyond.
Merchant is also recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Arts at Bard's College, New York, Wesleyan College and the University of Illinois. He has been honored by the Mayor of New York and the Maire de Paris, and received the title of Commandeur de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the Ministry of Culture in France, for his outstanding contribution to cinema.
At the time of his death, Merchant was developing The Goddess. Which was to star Tina Turner, the film was to be a modern version of a Bollywood musical. The film has been in controversy with regards to having Tina portraying the character of Goddess Durga, for some time.
The Perfect Murder
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