Tag Archives: cinema

RIP Gianni Cavina (1940 – 2022)

Two actors died. Both played a role in paracinema.

Exploding head scene in Scanners

The first is the Canadian actor Lawrence Dane (1937-2022) who is best-known for his part in Scanners (1981), the Cronenberg film forever famous for its exploding head scene.

The House with Laughing Windows


The second is the Italian actor Gianni Cavina best-known for his parts in The House with Laughing Windows (1976) and Traffic Jam (1979).

Traffic Jam

Traffic Jam is reminiscent of the eight minute traffic jam scene in Weekend by Truffaut which is based on the infinitely more interesting short story “La autopista del sur” by Julio Cortázar.


RIP William Hurt (1950 – 2022)

William Hurt was an American actor known for his parts in Ken Russell’s drug epos Altered States (1980), the gay epic Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985), the cyberpunk classic Dark City (1998) and Cronenberg’s A History of Violence (2005).

Hurt’s death has made me curious about Dark City, which I should have seen already but I have not.

RIP Veronica Carlson (1944 – 2022)

Veronica Carlson on the cover of Midi Minuit Fantastique 21 (1970).

Veronica Carlson was a British actress best known for playing in Hammer horror films.

Above she takes refuge behind a cross in Dracula Has Risen from the Grave (1968).

The publicity shot is from the cover of Midi Minuit Fantastique 21 (1970).

RIP Douglas Trumbull (1942 – 2022)

Brainstorm (1983), death trip, final scene

Silent Running (1972), opening prayer

Douglas Trumbull was an American film director known for directing films such as Silent Running (1972) and Brainstorm (1983).

He also did special effects on 2001: A Space OdysseyBlade Runner and The Tree of Life.