One of the great journeyman directors of the eighties, John Irvin, has passed away. According to The Guardian, the eighty-six-year-old director passed away peacefully at his home. Irvin is among the more underrated directors of his era, with perhaps his most famous film being the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Raw Deal, which came out back in 1986. That film was a change of pace for Arnie, putting him in a contemporary crime drama when, at the time, he was better known for his larger-than-life roles in Conan the Barbarian, The Terminator, and Commando.
Yet, Irvin did a lot of other good stuff that flew under the radar. In the UK, his TV adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy was a phenomenon, with Alec Guinness receiving universal acclaim for his portrayal of George Smiley (later played by Gary Oldman in the remake). This led to a slew of films, including the excellent mercenary drama The Dogs of War, starring Christopher Walken, and the horror flick Ghost Story, which starred none other than Fred Astaire in one of his final screen roles and is now considered a minor classic.
Perhaps Irvin’s most underrated movie was the Vietnam War drama Hamburger Hill, which got lost among a glut of movies about the war, including Platoon and Full Metal Jacket, but was among the most stripped-down and realistic (and also had a great score by Philip Glass). He also helmed the Patrick Swayze action flick Next of Kin (one of our Best Movie You Never Saw picks). He also directed Michael Caine in the hardcore British crime flick Shiner and even turned Jeremy Irons into an unlikely action star in the largely forgotten (but kinda cool) thriller The Fourth Angel.
Too often, journeyman directors like Irvin, who churned out quality work over decades, even if they never really scored an out-of-the-ballpark hit, are forgotten. Irvin’s movies were well-crafted, entertaining, and hold up well decades later. His skill behind the camera will be missed.
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