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Director Hugh Hudson at a film festival in 2019
Photo: imago/Reporters
British director Hugh Hudson, who won four Oscars for the film »The Hour of the Winner«, is dead. The 86-year-old died on Friday »after a short illness« in London, his family said on Friday evening.
»The Hour of the Victor« from 1981 is remembered in particular for the soundtrack by the musician Vangelis, but it also won awards at the 1982 Oscars, among other things, for best film and for best director.
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Hugh Hudson on the set of Chariots of Fire
Photo: Mary Evans Picture Library / imago images / Ronald Grant
In the sports film, Hudson tells the story of two British athletes competing in the 1924 Olympic Games.
One of the two is the Jewish athlete Harold Abrahams, who is struggling with massive anti-Semitism.
He was "beyond devastated" by the death of his "close friend" Hugh Hudson, said actor Nigel Havers, who had a supporting role in The Hour of the Winner.
Hudson's next film was Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, starring Christopher Lambert, Ian Holm and Andie MacDowell.
The film was a box office hit and received three Oscar nominations.
In 1985, the adventure film »Revolution« followed, in which Al Pacino played the leading role.
Hudson also made a career of directing commercials and documentaries.
He was the father of one son and had been married to actress Maryam d'Abo, who became known as the Bond girl, since 2003.
In 2015, Hugh Hudson staged the opera »Witch Hunt« at the Staatstheater Braunschweig, based on the play of the same name by Arthur Miller.
jae/AFP