Donald Sutherland has died

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Overall reaction

  • Many express sadness and admiration, emphasizing how often he elevated otherwise average films.
  • Several note the breadth of his work: multiple generations “met” him via very different roles.

Notable roles and favorite works

  • Frequently cited films: MASH, Kelly’s Heroes, Don’t Look Now, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978), Eye of the Needle, The Eagle Has Landed, Ordinary People, The Great Train Robbery, Backdraft, Space Cowboys, Six Degrees of Separation, The Italian Job (2003), Pride and Prejudice (2005), JFK, Pillars of the Earth, Without Limits, A Time to Kill, Fellini’s Casanova.
  • TV and smaller/obscure work also remembered: an Avengers episode, Pillars of the Earth, the DOS game KGB/Conspiracy, the film Virus, and narration of The Old Man and the Sea.
  • Several highlight his turn in Kate Bush’s “Cloudbusting” video; it’s noted he apparently did it for free.

Debate over “Don’t Look Now”

  • One side warns new viewers about an extended sex scene.
  • Others argue it should be seen as a “love scene” central to the film’s emotional core.
  • Rumors that the sex was real are called persistent; some characterize them as infantile and misogynistic, others question that characterization.
  • General agreement that the scene and film are powerful and haunting.

Career, craft, and politics

  • Commenters note a 60+ year screen career and a highly distinctive voice.
  • Anecdotes describe his meticulous viewing of dailies and his ability to rise above weak material.
  • Antiwar/anti-authoritarian work is recalled, including MASH’s impact and the Vietnam-era documentary F.T.A.

Generational and national perspectives

  • Younger people first saw him in The Hunger Games or via 90s media/games.
  • Canadians mention pride in his roots and his role as a cultural ambassador.

Meta discussion about HN relevance

  • Some question why a celebrity obituary is on Hacker News.
  • Others reply that HN has long mixed tech with broader cultural topics and that such threads have historical precedent.