233
THE POWERFUL AND THE FAMOUS. Cont'd.
He tops Hollywood power list: TV and film producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been named the most powerful figure in entertainment by a US list.
Days Of Thunder (1990), Bad Boys (1995), Crimson Tide (1995) and The Rock (1996) were among the other hit projects to emerge from their 14-year partnership. Sadly the partnership came to a premature end in 1996 when Don Simpson died of heart failure aged 52. Simpson, who was known for his flamboyant lifestyle and volatile temper, had been battling with drug problems for years before his death. Afterwards, Bruckheimer says, he was faced with the challenge of having to prove himself to the industry. Yet, thanks to the likes of 1998's Armageddon and Enemy Of The State and 2001's Black Hawk Down, as well as the success of smaller films such as 2000's Coyote Ugly, he has done just that. Even 2001's Pearl Harbor made nearly $200m in the US despite largely negative reviews. He's also scored a hit on the small screen with CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, currently doing battle in the US ratings with another of his shows, Without A Trace. But while Bruckheimer's name above the credits virtually assures box office success, the critics aren't usually so impressed with his brand of loud, flashy blockbuster. "It scared me a little when they liked Pirates," he says of the film's largely positive reviews. "Because if the critics love it, I think, 'Is it going to be a hit?'" His success with Pirates of the Caribbean is perhaps his crowning achievement. It is the ultimate high concept movie - a film based on a theme park ride.
Photo:
Bruckheimer has been at the top in Hollywood for more than 20 years
Bruckheimer has
worked on films such as Pirates of the Caribbean and Black Hawk Down plus TV
shows like CSI. "Bruckheimer has become a brand," said Entertainment
Weekly magazine in its 14th annual list of the 101 most powerful people in
Hollywood. A spokesman for Bruckheimer said he was "flattered" by the
honor - but wanted people to judge him on his work. Bruckheimer produced one of
the most successful films of the summer in Pirates of the Caribbean and Bad Boys
II, the sequel to the 1995 film starring Will Smith, was a more modest hit.
Blockbusters
And besides CSI, which is the most popular show in the US, Bruckheimer's has also produced TV hits including CSI: Miami and Without a Trace. Bruckheimer made his name as part of a production team in the 1980s with Don Simpson. Together, they produced landmark films like Flashdance, Beverley Hills Cop, Top Gun and Days of Thunder. Since Simpson's death in 1996, Bruckheimer has produced blockbusters including Con Air, The Rock, Enemy of the State, Armageddon and Pearl Harbor. Entertainment Weekly's top ten also included director Steven Spielberg, Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks, Harry Potter author JK Rowling, actor Tom Cruise and rapper Eminem. Last year's number one, Denzel Washington, went down to number 22.
End of the article.
Annely Juda Fine Art
4th Floor, 23 Dering Street,(off New Bond Street), London W1S 1AW, UK
e-mail: ajfa@annelyjudafineart.co.uk
tel: +44 (0) 207 629 7578
fax: +44 (0) 207 491 2139
