RIP, Tom Mankiewicz

[DarthPipes]

Tom Mankiewicz, known among other things as the true writer behind the first two Superman movies has passed away.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118022501.html?categoryid=13&cs=1http://www.kansascity.com/2010/08/02/2124035/tom-mankiewicz-screenwriter-of.html

He was also involved with James Bond and Hart to Hart. I recall his very entertaining commentary with Richard Donner on the first Superman movie.

RIP, Mr. Mankiewicz.

 

[Christopher]

Oh, damn. I have a Netflix DVD of Superman: The Movie at home right now and I saw him in the documentaries. I haven't even listened to the commentary yet.

 

[drychlick]

rip superman 1 and 2 are one my fav. movie

 

[Captaindemotion]

RIP. Without Tom, we would almost certainly have gotten a more campy, silly and less respectful Superman movie. His input to the movie is considerable - it's ridiculous that Mario Puzo (who included all sorts of silly stuff in his script, like a Kojak cameo) gets credit for the screenplay and not Mankewicz.

Mankiewicz' script for a never-made Batman movie, from the late 1970s - early 1980s is well worth hunting down on the internet. It's very much a companion piece to Superman The Movie and is more in the vein of Batman Begins than the Tim Burton movie.

 

[DarthPipes]

Here's a link summarizing Mankiewicz's Batman script...

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/mediageek/news/?a=21031

 

[ToddPence]

He was a cousin of Star Trek TOS writer Don Mankiewicz ("Court-Martial", "Operation - Annihilate!")

 

[Christopher]

Oh, that explains why I've always found his name vaguely famiiar.

 

[JacksonArcher]

This really saddens me.

 

[cardinal biggles]

Oh, that explains why I've always found his name vaguely famiiar.

And of course, he's part of Hollywood's legendary Mankiewicz family. His father, Joseph, was a writer/director/producer behind such films as All About Eve, Cleopatra, Guys and Dolls, and the original versions of The Quiet American and Sleuth. And his uncle Herman is best remembered for co-writing Citizen Kane.

His commentary with Richard Donner for Superman is really incredible, too. Definitely worth listening to.

 

[Christopher]

His commentary with Richard Donner for Superman is really incredible, too. Definitely worth listening to.

I'm working my way through it as time permits. It is pretty interesting so far. (And refreshing in that it's easy to tell who's who. Only two people and clearly delineated on the left and right channels.)

 

[Too Much Fun]

I'm not a huge fan of "Superman" as I find parts of it too preposterous (I love the sequel, though, aside from the final battle), but there's a lot of classic stuff in there. The fact that in 30 years Hollywood hasn't been able to give us a Superman movie as good as or better than the ones he helped write shows how talented he was. I enjoyed "The Man with the Golden Gun" too.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Sad news. He made valuable contributions to cinema and it's a great shame that he and Richard Donner weren't left in control of the Superman film series. He seemed like a very personable and engaging man in the Superman and Bond commentaries and featurettes he participated in.

Rest in peace, Tom Mankiewicz.

 

[RandyS]

He was a cousin of Star Trek TOS writer Don Mankiewicz ("Court-Martial", "Operation - Annihilate!")

Really? I didn't know that. I did know that Tom was the nephew of Herman Mankiewicz, the screenwiter of Ciizen Kane, though.

 

[RandyS]

Oh, that explains why I've always found his name vaguely famiiar.

His commentary with Richard Donner for Superman is really incredible, too. Definitely worth listening to.

It is indeed. Their commentary for Superman II The Donner Cut, is also enjoyable.

 

[DarthPipes]

I liked when Mankiewicz jokingly asked Donnor how much money he wasted on the shot of Superman going through Luthor's "maze of doom."

 

[RandyS]

I liked when Mankiewicz jokingly asked Donnor how much money he wasted on the shot of Superman going through Luthor's "maze of doom."

And I thought it was funny how they continually referred to the Phantom Zone as "The Zone of Silence".

 

[DarthPipes]

Donnor tells a great story too about meeting Brando and Brando started screwing around with them, telling them what he thought aliens would look like.

 

[A beaker full of death]

Oh, that explains why I've always found his name vaguely famiiar.

The family is very prominent in Hollywood. His father was writer and producer Joseph L. Mankiewicz. His uncle Herman co-wrote Citizen Kane. His nephew Ben hosts TCM on weekends.

 

[broberfett]

I just watched Citizen Kane tonight for the first time. Too bad the ending was spoiled for me a very long time ago. I thought of this thread immediately when I saw the writer's name and thought maybe Superman was something he did later in life when he was ancient, but a quick read of some of the posts reveals otherwise.

 

[Keith1701]

rip superman 1 and 2 are one my fav. movie

R.I.P. He will be missed. My prayers go to the family.