Events Mail

Today is the birthday of British film director/ writer/ producer Guy Richie.

“I am relatively familiar with getting a good old rumping from the critics. In some cases, the critics just didn’t like the film – fair cop. Others, I think, didn’t understand it.”
~Guy Richie

Guy Stuart Ritchie as born on 10 September 1968 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. He dropped out of school at 15.

He got a job as a runner (an errand runner on film and TV sets). He was a fast learner and soon started directing music videos and commercials.

He wrote and directed his first short movie A Hard Case (1995) which was a prequel to his hit feature debut film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (2000). Lock Stock won him a (best director) Tokyo Film Festival award and a (best new filmmaker) MTV movie award.

He then made my favourite Richie film: Snatch (2000). The movie is hilarious and violent and features popular actors like Brad Pitt,Benico Del Toro and Jason Statham. Richie won the Empire “Best British Director” award for the brilliant movie. It was very successful at the box office. I have watched this flick several times

Guy Richie is perhaps more famous for his marriage to Madonna, which has since folded, than for his films. In 2002 he cast his wife as the leading lady in a remake of the 1974 Lina Wertmüller film Swept Away. He won a “worst director” Razzie for this box-office flop. Not surprisingly, it was ill received by critics and disappointed his fans. I think this movie sucks big time. I thougt I’d buck the trend and give it a rave review… but then I actually watched it… and I just could not. Watching it only once was more than enough. Luckily I waited for it to be on TV, so there was no money lost.

He also directed:

• Star (2001) – Short
• Revolver (2005)
• Suspect (2007) – TV
• Rock n Rolla (2008)

His latest film is Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jnr, which will be released this year. I look forward to seeing this movie. Judging from the trailers: it looks awesome!

Happy Birthday Guy! I think I’ll pop Snatch into the DVD player tonight and have a good laugh.

Filmography: IMDB
Photo Credit: Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos