Movie Article

Farewell, Friend

'Sophie's Choice' director Alan J. Pakula is dead

Alan J. Pakula, the producer, director, and writer best known for the films "All the President's Men" and "Sophie's Choice," was killed in a freak accident on Thursday. The 70-year-old was driving his 1995 Volvo along the Long Island Expressway when a metal pipe came through his windshield, striking him in the head. According to police, Pakula lost control of his car and drove into a fence. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

While he had brought some uneven fare to the big screen in recent years, most notably last year's "The Devil's Own," Pakula made a name for himself with such stellar early works as "Klute" and "The Parallax View." Pakula also had a distinguished run as a producer, including his first project, 1962's Oscar-nominated "To Kill a Mockingbird." Pakula was said to be working on an adaptation of the book "No Ordinary Time" to direct next year.

Originally posted Nov 19, 1998
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