Hugh Hudson

Hugh Hudson was born on in London, England, 25 August 1936.{{cite web | title=Hugh Hudson obituary: Chariots of Fire and Greystoke director | website=BFI | date=15 February 2023 | url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/news/hugh-hudson-obituary-chariots-fire-greystoke-director | access-date=4 July 2025}}{{cite web | last=Barnes | first=Mike | title=Hugh Hudson, Director of ‘Chariots of Fire,’ Dies at 86 | website=The Hollywood Reporter | date=10 February 2023 | url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/hugh-hudson-dead-chariots-of-fire-1235322411/ | access-date=4 July 2025}}

He first went to boarding school, and later attended Eton College.

Hudson began his National Service in the Dragoon Guards.

In the 1960s, after three years of editing documentaries in Paris, Hudson headed a documentary film company with partners Robert Brownjohn and David Cammell. The company produced, among others, the documentaries A for Apple, which won a Screenwriters' Guild Award, and The Tortoise and the Hare, which was nominated for a BAFTA Award. The company emerged with much success in the 1960s, winning many awards and pioneering a new graphic style for documentary and advertising films.

Hudson then began a career in advertising, producing and directing many television commercials. He worked alongside Alan Parker, Ridley and Tony Scott for Ridley Scott Associates (RSA), a British film and commercial production company founded in 1968.{{Cite journal | last = Dutta | first = Kunal | title = Great Scott – Forty years of RSA | journal = Campaign | date = 30 November 2007 | url = http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/news/features/770904/Great-Scott–-Forty-years-RSA/ }}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} His first filmmaking job was as a second-unit director on Parker's Midnight Express (1978).

Between 1973 and 1975, Hudson wrote and directed Fangio, A life at 300 km/h, a documentary film about motor racing seen through the eyes of Juan Manuel Fangio, five times the world Formula One Champion.

From 1979 to 1980, Hudson directed his first and most successful feature film, Chariots of Fire (1981), the story of two British track runners, one a devout Christian and the other an ambitious Jew, in the run-up to the 1924 Olympic Games. The film is said to have revitalized the fading British film industry, and it won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture; Hudson earned a nomination for Best Director. His friend and colleague Vangelis created an Academy Award-winning score for the film.

Vincent Canby of the New York Times wrote in 1981 "It's to the credit of both Mr Hudson and Mr Welland that Chariots of Fire is simultaneously romantic and commonsensical, lyrical and comic. ... It's an exceptional film, about some exceptional people."{{cite news | url=https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9802E2D61138F936A1575AC0A967948260 | newspaper=The New York Times | access-date=12 June 2009 | date=25 September 1981 | title=Olympic Glory in 'Chariots of Fire' | first=Vincent | last=Canby }}

In 2017, some 37 years after its showing at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival, it was shown to a large audience at the Classic Screenings beach cinema to help support the bid for the 2024 Olympic Games to be held in Paris.

Hudson had rejected numerous feature film offers before Chariots of Fire's success. His next production was Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984) which received four Oscar nominations, and was Ralph Richardson's last screen performance, for which he was nominated in the 1985 Oscars as Best Supporting Actor. It was a success at the box office and with critics.

In 1985, Hudson directed Revolution, which depicted the American War of Independence, and which was released before it was a fully completed film.{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2009/mar/22/revolution-al-pacino-hugh-hudson | publisher=The Guardian | access-date=12 June 2009 | date=22 March 2009 | title='Pacino has never been more moving' | first=Jason | last=Solomons | work=The Observer }} The film was a critical and commercial failure at the box office and earned Hudson a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Director.

Hudson's next theatrical feature film was Lost Angels (1989), nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.{{cite web|url=http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/224/year/1989.html |title=Festival de Cannes: Lost Angels |access-date=1 August 2009 |work=festival-cannes.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917135028/http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/archives/ficheFilm/id/224/year/1989.html |archive-date=17 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }} The film was an American-based drama starring Donald Sutherland and Ad-Rock of the Beastie Boys and dealing with disaffected youth in California.

In 1999, Hudson directed My Life So Far. Jean-Claude Carrière wrote of it, "Hugh Hudson's film My Life So Far is a delightful bittersweet film, which covers the start of a boy's life during the first part of the 20th century – from his last baby's bottle to his first cigar. A film which sadly is not known as well as it should be. It is a variation on a universal theme which will never end. There will always be men and women, old people and youngsters, horses and dogs."{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Hudson next directed I Dreamed of Africa (2000), which was the closing film of the Cannes Film Festival of that year.

In 2006, Hudson was reported to be working, together with producer John Heyman, on an historical epic based on the life of the monotheistic Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife Nefertiti.{{cite web|url=http://ahmedosman.com/film_overview.html |title=Film Overview |publisher=Ahmedosman.com |date=1 May 2005 |access-date=18 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201035515/http://ahmedosman.com/film_overview.html |archive-date=1 February 2009}} The film was to center around their tempestuous relationship.

In 2008, Hudson re-edited Revolution, giving the film a narration by Al Pacino.{{cite web|last=Addiego|first=Walter|url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Hugh-Hudson-recuts-maligned-Revolution-3231221.php|title=Hugh Hudson recuts maligned 'Revolution'|website=SFGate|date=May 31, 2009|access-date=March 4, 2025}} The Observer film critic Philip French writing about the new version said, "Revolution was misunderstood and unjustly treated on its first appearance twenty years ago. Seeing it again in the director's slightly revised version it now strikes me as a masterpiece – profound, poetic and original. Hudson's film should take its place among the great movies about history and about individual citizens living in times of dramatic social change. One hopes it will finally find the wide audience it deserves."{{cite web|last=Reed|first=Betsy|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/aug/25/hugh-hudson-pays-tribute-philip-french|title=Hugh Hudson pays tribute to Philip French|website=The Guardian|date=August 24, 2013|access-date=March 5, 2025}}

In 2009, he was in active development on Catalonia, a drama set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War based on George Orwell's memoirs, and was preparing to shoot it the next year. Described as a "three-sided story", the film was to have starred Colin Firth as Orwell, alongside Geoffrey Rush and an unknown female actress.{{cite web|last=Gallagher|first=Brian|url=https://movieweb.com/exclusive-hugh-hudson-takes-us-back-with-revolution/|title=Hugh Hudson Takes Us Back with Revolution [Exclusive]|website=MovieWeb|date=May 27, 2009|access-date=May 4, 2025}}

Hudson co-produced Chariots of Fire, the 2012 stage adaptation of the film of the same title. The stage adaptation was his idea, for the London Olympic year. Also in 2012, it was announced that Hudson would direct Midnight Sun, a feature film about a child who tries to help a family of polar bears on the shrinking polar ice cap. Hudson co-wrote the script as well.{{cite magazine |last=Dickey |first=Josh L. |date=30 April 2012 |title=Hyde Park, Image Nation team for Hugh Hudson pic |url=https://variety.com/2012/film/news/hyde-park-image-nation-team-for-hugh-hudson-pic-1118053346/ |access-date=18 April 2013 |magazine=Variety}} The script became The Journey Home with directors Roger Spottiswoode and Brando Quilici replacing Hudson.

In 2016, he staged his debut as an opera director with Robert Ward’s setting of The Crucible at the Staatstheater Braunschweig.Staatstheater Braunschweig: Hexenjagd (The Crucible), Opera programme, 2015 The sets and painted backdrops were designed by British artist Brian Clarke. The second run of the opera was to sold-out audiences.

In 2016, Hudson directed the period drama Altamira, about the discovery of the famous Spanish cave paintings. The film stars Antonio Banderas and Rupert Everett. The New York Times gave the film a glowing review.{{cite news|last=Webster|first=Andy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/16/movies/finding-altamira-review.html|title=Review: ‘Finding Altamira’: A Prehistoric Discovery, Vehemently Disputed|newspaper=The New York Times|date=September 15, 2016|access-date=March 5, 2025}} Released in two U.S. cities the film then was distributed by Netflix in USA/Canada and Sky in the UK. The Spanish release was very successful.

In 1988, Hudson directed a 2½-minute advertisement for British Rail, in the style of, and in homage to, the Post Office Film Unit's 25-minute documentary Night Mail, which was made in 1936.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZMuz-2a06E "Britain's Railway Advert"] Poet W. H. Auden had written verse specifically to fit the original 1936 film's footage, which showed the enormous scale of BR's daily operation and the structure of the 'sectorised' business. The opening sequence of Hudson's British Rail advert features the northbound Travelling Post Office with Auden's original verse, narrated by Sir Tom Courtenay.

Some of the many other acclaimed advertisements created by Hudson include the 1989 British Airways "Face" advert{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40690aXsc4c |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/40690aXsc4c |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Hudson's BA "Face" advert |publisher=Youtube.com |access-date=18 April 2013}}{{cbignore}} seen in over 80 countries around the world and running for almost a decade; the 1979 Fiat Strada Figaro advert;{{cite web|url=http://adland.tv/commercials/fiat-handbuilt-robots-1979-060-uk-classic |title=Hudson's Fiat Strada "Handbuilt by Robots" advert |publisher=Adland.tv |date=22 February 1999 |access-date=18 April 2013}} and the Benson & Hedges "Swimming Pool" and "Salvage" adverts .{{cite web|url=http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v1224284en6K4X7w# |title=Benson & Hedges "Swimming Pool" advert |publisher=Veoh.com |access-date=18 April 2013}} In 2007 he created his Silverjet advert, a direct parody of his own 1989 British Airways advert.{{cite web|url=http://www.nitmesh.com/blog/2007/10/hugh-hudson-par.html |title=Silverjet "Face" advert and original BA "Face" advert |publisher=Nitmesh.com |date=4 October 2007 |access-date=18 April 2013}} He also created the Courage Best "Gercha" advert{{cite web|url=http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v1223763DwYrj4g4# |title=Courage Best "Gercha" advert |publisher=Veoh.com |access-date=18 April 2013}} and the Cinzano "Aeroplane" advert.{{cite web|url=http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v1241026YHpjq8KX# |title=Cinzano "Airplane" advert |publisher=Veoh.com |access-date=18 April 2013}} Hudson also directed Kinnock – The Movie (1987), an election broadcast for the British Labour Party.

In 2003, Hudson was given a special Cannes Lions award on the 50th Anniversary of the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, an award given only to directors who have won the Grand Prix more than once.Anderson, Mae. [http://www.nationaljewelernetwork.com/aw/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1911211 "Grand Prix Past Meets the Present."]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} AdWeek. 11 June 2003. Hudson won Grand Prix Cannes Lions awards for his 1972 Levi's "Walking Behinds"[http://www.canneslions.com/lions/lightbox.cfm?sub_channel_id=151&height=530&width=820&modal=true Hugh Hudson's Levi's advert] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708115042/http://www.canneslions.com/lions/lightbox.cfm?sub_channel_id=151&height=530&width=820&modal=true |date=8 July 2011 }} at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival and 1978 Coty L'Aimant "French Lesson" adverts.[http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/tv-commercials/laimant-french-lesson-tv-1978-512847/ba32af21dc41430bbe43dbaa3ceebef715deb884/ Hugh Hudson's Coty L'Aimant advert] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120722124705/http://www.coloribus.com/adsarchive/tv-commercials/laimant-french-lesson-tv-1978-512847/ba32af21dc41430bbe43dbaa3ceebef715deb884/ |date=22 July 2012 }} at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival

In August 2007, in Nîmes, France, "Un Realisateur dans la Ville", a festival created by Gérard Depardieu and Jean-Claude Carrière to showcase each year the work of one director, featured the work of Hudson.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

In October 2008, at the Dinard British Film Festival, Hudson's work was honoured. As a tribute five of his films were shown, with My Life So Far opening the festival.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

He also headed many film festival juries.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

{{no sources|section|date=July 2025}}

International awards received by Hudson include:

• 1981: Cannes Golden Palm – nomination – Chariots of Fire
• 1981: Toronto Audience Award – Chariots of Fire
• 1982: Academy Awards – Chariots of Fire – Best Picture; nomination as Best Director and 6 others
• 1982: Golden Globe – Best Foreign Film
• 1982: BAFTA – Best Picture. Chariots of Fire
• 1985. Academy Awards 4 Nominations – supporting actor. script. make up fxs.
• 1985: BFI – Technical achievement award – Greystoke
• 1985: Cesar Awards – nomination, Best Foreign Film – Greystoke
• 1985: Venice Film Festival Lion d'Or – nomination – Greystoke
• 1986: Golden Raspberry Award – Revolution – nomination as Worst Director
• 1989: Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival – nomination, Lost Angels
• 2000: Cannes Festival 2000 – nominated closing film – I Dreamed of Africa
• 2005: Taormina Festival – award for Cinematic Art
• 2007: Cairo Film Festival – Silver Pyramid Award
• 2009 Prague Film Festival – Special award for contribution to cinematic art
• 2014 Bulgaria Sofia Film Festival . Award for contribution to cinema.
• 2017 FEST film festival, Serbia – Belgrade Victor for Outstanding Contribution to Film Art

Hudson's maternal half-brother was noted musicologist John Warrack.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

His first marriage in 1977 was with painter Susan Michie, with whom he had a son.{{cn|date=July 2025}} In November 2003, Hudson married actress Maryam d'Abo, and they remained married until his death.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

Hudson died at Charing Cross Hospital in London on 10 February 2023. He was 86.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/02/10/chariots-fire-director-hugh-hudson-dies-aged-86/ | publisher=The Daily Telegraph | access-date=10 February 2023 | date=10 February 2023 | title=Chariots of Fire director Hugh Hudson dies aged 86|url-access = subscription}}

• An adaptation of The October Circle (1975) starring Ian Holm, Dirk Bogarde, Simone Signoret, Richard Attenborough, Sean Connery and Richard Burton{{cite web|last=Brown|first=Tim|url=https://cris.brighton.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/501886/Not-Showing-At-This-Cinema.pdf|title=NOT SHOWING AT THIS CINEMA|website=University of Brighton|publisher=Cinecity|year=2015}}
• Reversal of Fortune (1987){{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/58671|title=AFI|Catalog - Reversal of Fortune|website=AFI Catalog of Feature Films|access-date=March 4, 2025}}
• Fat Man and Little Boy (1988){{cite web|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Catalog/moviedetails/58066|title=AFI|Catalog - Fat Man and Little Boy|website=AFI Catalog of Feature Films|access-date=March 4, 2025}}
• an adaptation of Nostromo (1993) starring Alec Baldwin{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1993/voices/columns/mancuso-zeroes-in-on-first-big-project-109766/|title=Mancuso zeroes in on first big project|magazine=Variety|date=August 19, 1993|access-date=February 28, 2025}}
• The Women of Valor (2001), a WWII drama starring an international cast{{cite magazine|last=Hopewell|first=John|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/doing-the-macarena-at-produce-plus-1117855730/|title=Doing the Macarena at Produce Plus|magazine=Variety|date=November 13, 2001|access-date=March 4, 2025}}
• an adaptation of Moses and Akhenaten: The Secret History of Egypt at the Time of the Exodus (2005){{cite web|last=|first=|url=http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/050502h.php|title=Heyman Plans "Nefertiti" Biopic|website=Dark Horizons|date=May 2, 2005|access-date=March 4, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007004259/http://www.darkhorizons.com/news05/050502h.php|archive-date=October 7, 2008}}
• an adaptation of Homage to Catalonia (2008) starring Colin Firth and Kevin Spacey{{cite web|last=French|first=Philip|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2008/oct/12/1|title=How I got lost in translation|website=The Guardian|date=October 11, 2008|access-date=March 4, 2025}}{{cite magazine|author1=McClintock, Pamela|author2=Hopewell, John|url=https://variety.com/2009/biz/markets-festivals/firth-spacey-to-star-in-catalonia-1118003884/|title=Firth, Spacey to star in 'Catalonia'|magazine=Variety|date=May 18, 2009|access-date=March 4, 2025}}
• Midnight Sun (2012)
• Forbidden City (2013), a film set between Venice and China in the 15th century{{cite web|url=http://www.hudsonfilmltd.co.uk/|title=Director Producer Writer {{!}} London {{!}} Hudson Film Ltd UK|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130415180238/http://www.hudsonfilmltd.co.uk/|archive-date=April 15, 2013|quote=Forbidden City
  A story set between Venice and China in the 15th Century. Produced by John Heyman, Screenplay written by Bart Gavigan and Directed by Hugh Hudson.}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• {{Official website|http://www.hudsonfilmltd.co.uk}}
• {{IMDb name|399853}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20121017133159/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/78635 Hugh Hudson] at BFI
• [http://www.tcmuk.tv/movie_database_results.php?action=participant&id=90239 Hugh Hudson] at TCM UK
• [http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/495274/index.html Hugh Hudson] at ScreenOnline
• [https://allmovie.com/artist/hugh-hudson-95079/bio Hugh Hudson] at AllMovie
• [http://vimeo.com/92846852 Hugh Hudson showreel]
• {{discogs artist|Hugh Hudson}}

{{Hugh Hudson}}

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Category:1936 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:Television commercial directors

Category:People educated at Eton College

Category:Film directors from London

Category:Directors of Best Picture Academy Award winners