Jean-Pierre Coursodon (23 July 1935 – 31 December 2020) was a French film critic and historian. He wrote film reviews and journal articles to the magazines including ''Cinéma'' (1958–1965, 1977–1986) and ''Anthologie du Cinéma'' (1966–1969). In 1967, Coursodon began living in the United States where he contributed essays to ''
Film Comment'' (1973–1975) and ''Cinéma d'Aujourd'hui'' (1975–1976). Since 1988, Coursodon served as an American correspondent for ''
Positif'' magazine.
In 1970, Coursodon also co-wrote with
Bertrand Tavernier an encyclopedic book ''30 ans de cinéma Américain'' (translated as ''30 Years of American Cinema''). The book was updated in 1991 as ''50 ans de cinéma américain'' to encompass two more decades. Both encyclopedia editions have yet to be translated into English. Coursodon was the co-editor (along with
Pierre Sauvage) of the two-volume, English-language work ''American Directors'' (1983). Coursodon also worked as a translator, being responsible for the French editions of
Michael Powell
Michael Latham Powell (30 September 1905 – 19 February 1990) was an English filmmaker, celebrated for his partnership with Emeric Pressburger. Through their production company Powell and Pressburger, The Archers, they together wrote, produced ...
's autobiography, the memoirs of
André de Toth, and biographies of
Roberto Rossellini,
Howard Hawks
Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896December 26, 1977) was an American film director, Film producer, producer, and screenwriter of the Classical Hollywood cinema, classic Hollywood era. Critic Leonard Maltin called him "the greatest American ...
, and
John Ford
John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), better known as John Ford, was an American film director and producer. He is regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers during the Golden Age of Hollywood, and w ...
.
On 31 December 2020, Coursodon died in
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, at the age of 85.
Published works
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* (later re-published in 1986 in a new revised and expanded edition, Atlas / Lherminier éditeur, )
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*
''50 ans de cinéma américain''
on DVD Classic
*
References
External links
Jean-Pierre Coursodon
on revues-de-cinema.net
Jean-Pierre Coursodon
on Actes Sud
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coursodon, Jean-Pierre
1935 births
2020 deaths
20th-century French male writers
20th-century French non-fiction writers
21st-century French male writers
21st-century French non-fiction writers
Film theorists
French film critics
French film historians
Writers from Paris