Alexander Walker (critic)
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Alexander Walker (23 March 1930 – 15 July 2003) was a British film critic who wrote for the London ''
Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...
'' from 1960 to the end of his life. He wrote 20 books.


Life and career

Walker was born in
Portadown Portadown () is a town in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The town sits on the River Bann in the north of the county, about southwest of Belfast. It is in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area and had a population of a ...
, County Armagh in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...
, the only son of Alfred, a commercial traveller, and Ethel Walker. He was educated at Portadown Grammar School,
Queen's University, Belfast , mottoeng = For so much, what shall we give back? , top_free_label = , top_free = , top_free_label1 = , top_free1 = , top_free_label2 = , top_free2 = , established = , closed = , type = Public research university , parent = ...
, the
College of Europe The College of Europe (french: Collège d'Europe) is a post-graduate institute of European studies with its main campus in Bruges, Belgium and a second campus in Warsaw, Poland. The College of Europe in Bruges was founded in 1949 by leading ...
in
Bruges Bruges ( , nl, Brugge ) is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country, and the sixth-largest city of the countr ...
,
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to ...
and the
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
, where he lectured in political philosophy for two years from 1952. He worked for the ''
Birmingham Post The ''Birmingham Post'' is a weekly printed newspaper based in Birmingham, England, with a circulation of 2,545 and distribution throughout the West Midlands. First published under the name the ''Birmingham Daily Post'' in 1857, it has had a s ...
'' from 1953, where he was noticed by Godfrey Winn, who became a significant influence upon him as well as, later,
Lord Beaverbrook William Maxwell Aitken, 1st Baron Beaverbrook (25 May 1879 – 9 June 1964), generally known as Lord Beaverbrook, was a Canadian-British newspaper publisher and backstage politician who was an influential figure in British media and politics o ...
and Lord Rothermere. The film critic of the London ''
Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...
'' from 1960, he remained in the role until his death in 2003. His most extended work was a book trilogy on the history of the British film industry: ''Hollywood England'', ''National Heroes'' and ''Icons in the Fire''. In addition, he was the author of an
Elizabeth Taylor Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (February 27, 1932 – March 23, 2011) was a British-American actress. She began her career as a child actress in the early 1940s and was one of the most popular stars of classical Hollywood cinema in the 1950s. ...
biography, a history of the impact made on
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
by the rise of the talkies (''The Shattered Silents'') and a study of the work of
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
.


Ken Russell

Walker had a close relationship with Kubrick, but was a fierce critic of the British director
Ken Russell Henry Kenneth Alfred Russell (3 July 1927 – 27 November 2011) was a British film director, known for his pioneering work in television and film and for his flamboyant and controversial style. His films in the main were liberal adaptation ...
, referring to the director's visceral '' The Devils'' (1971) as being "a garish glossary of sado-masochism … a taste for visual sensation that makes scene after scene look like the masturbatory fantasies of a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
boyhood." Having previously been a defender of Russell's early work for the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
he was increasingly critical of Russell films of the 1970s, reviewing ''
The Music Lovers ''The Music Lovers'' is a 1971 British drama film directed by Ken Russell and starring Richard Chamberlain and Glenda Jackson. The screenplay by Melvyn Bragg, based on ''Beloved Friend'', a collection of personal correspondence edited by Cath ...
'' (1970) he wrote: "This man must be stopped: bring me an
elephant gun An elephant gun is a large caliber gun, rifled or smoothbore, originally developed for use by big-game hunters for elephant and other large game. Elephant guns were black powder muzzle-loaders at first, then black powder express rifles, the ...
." In a television showdown between the two men in response to Walker's assessment of ''The Devils'' as "monstrously indecent", Russell reached over and hit him around the head with a rolled up newspaper copy of his own review. In later life, when asked about the incident and if he regretted it, Russell responded that he did regret it, "I wish it had been an iron bar." Walker assembled a collection of more than 200 drawings and prints by modern artists, which were bequeathed to the
British Museum The British Museum is a public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is among the largest and most comprehensive in existence. It docum ...
after his death in 2003. In 1968, he was a member of the jury at the
18th Berlin International Film Festival The 18th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 21 June to 2 July 1968. The Golden Bear was awarded to the Swedish film '' Ole dole doff'' directed by Jan Troell. Jury The following people were announced as being on the jury fo ...
. Walker was a frequent broadcaster on radio and television on the arts. He authored the television series ''Moviemen'' and the BBC Radio series ''Film Star''. He was the author and co-producer of television programmes on the history of
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywoo ...
,
Greta Garbo Greta Garbo (born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson; 18 September 1905 – 15 April 1990) was a Swedish-American actress. Regarded as one of the greatest screen actresses, she was known for her melancholic, somber persona, her film portrayals of tragic ch ...
, and
Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is conside ...
. Walker was a member of the British Screen Advisory Council (formerly the Wilson Interim Action Committee on the Film Industry) from 1977 to 1992 and of the Board of Governors at the BFI from 1989 to 1995.


Honours

In 1970, 1974 and 1998, Walker was named Critic of the Year at the annual British Press awards, also being commended in 1985. He was made a
Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is t ...
in 1981, and won the Golden Eagle Award in the Philippines for services to international cinema in 1982.


Personal life and death

Walker died in July 2003, aged 73. He listed his recreations in ''
Who's Who ''Who's Who'' (or ''Who is Who'') is the title of a number of reference publications, generally containing concise biographical information on the prominent people of a country. The title has been adopted as an expression meaning a group of not ...
'' as "ski-ing and persecuting smokers". He lived at 1 Marlborough, a block of flats at 38-40 Maida Vale in the area of the same name.


Books

*''Double Takes'' - notes and afterthoughts on the movies 1956-1976, Elm Tree Books 1977 *His history of British Film: **''Hollywood England'' – The British Film Industry in the 1960s: Harrop 1974 **''National Heroes'' – British Cinema in the 70s and 80s, London: Harrop 1985 **''Icons in the Fire – the decline and fall of almost everybody in the British film industry 1984-2000'', London, Orion Books 2004 *''Stanley Kubrick - Director'', Norton 1999 *''Audrey - her real story'', St. Martin's Press 1995 *''
Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...
– a celebration'', New York: Applause Theatre Books, 1998 *''Dietrich'', New York: Harper and Row 1984 *''The Celluloid Sacrifice – aspects of sex in the movies'', London: Joseph 1966 *''Elizabeth - The Life of Elizabeth Taylor'', Weidenfeld 1991 *''Garbo - A portrait'', Macmillan 1980 *''Fatal Charm – The Life of
Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey "Rex" Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French Without Tears'', in wh ...
'', St. Martin's Press 1993 *''
Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway. Crawford was signed to a motion pict ...
- the ultimate star'', Harper and Row 1983 *''It's only a movie, Ingrid'' – encounters on and off the screen, London, Headline 1988 *''
Peter Sellers Peter Sellers (born Richard Henry Sellers; 8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English actor and comedian. He first came to prominence performing in the BBC Radio comedy series ''The Goon Show'', featured on a number of hit comic songs ...
- the authorized biography'', Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1981 *''Vivien - The life of Vivien Leigh'', Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1987 *''
Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
'', Stein and Day 1976 *''Shattered Silents - how the talkies came to stay'', London: Elm Tree Books 1978, New York: Morrow Quill Paperbacks, 1980 *''
Stanley Kubrick Stanley Kubrick (; July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and photographer. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, his films, almost all of which are adaptations of nove ...
directs'', New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich 1972 *''Stardom - the Hollywood phenomenon'', Stein and Day 1970 *''No Bells on Sunday: the Journals of Rachel Roberts'' (editor), London: Pavilion Books, 1984; New York, Harper & Row 1984


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Alexander 1930 births 2003 deaths British biographers British film critics British male journalists College of Europe alumni London Evening Standard people People associated with the British Museum People educated at Portadown College People from Portadown 20th-century biographers 20th-century British male writers Male biographers