by Nathaniel R
One of Hollywood's most important artists has died. The film editor Anne V Coates who won both a competitive and an Honorary Oscar has died at the age of 92. Her career began in the editing room of 1940s pictures -- she worked on The Red Shoes (!!!) -- but it didn't take her long to become a lead editor. Her first lead editing gigs were in British cinema in the early 50s. Her career really came roaring to life with Lawrence of Arabia (1962) for which she won her first and only competitive Oscar...
Many famous films followed including Becket, Murder on the Orient Express, The Elephant Man, Greystoke, Out of Sight, In the Line of Fire, and on up through Fifty Shades of Grey which would be her last film. My personal favorite work of hers is that whip-smart, sexy, brisk, and shaded cutting job on Erin Brockovich (2000) for which she was mysteriously passed over for an Oscar nomination.
image via stay for the end credits
She even played an editor (uncredited) in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator (2004, pictured above) which takes place in the Golden Age of Hollywood! And no, that wasn't an anachronism. Though we all know that Hollywood has problems with gender parity, including within editing, editing is, historically, one of the kinder professions to women within Hollywood. If you believe that Oscars have always reflected Hollywood at large -- people can only vote on what's made in a given year and on who made it -- consider that there was a female nominee for editing in the very first year of the category and a winner within six years. That's a far cry from, say, the cinematography category which just barely had its first female nominee this past season after 90 years of prizes !!!
Some of the most important and/or most celebrated editors of all time have been women: Thelma Schoonmaker, Verna Fields, Barbara McLean, Anne Bauchens, Dede Allen, Dorothy Spencer, Sally Menke, Viola Lawrence, etcetera... and Anne V Coates... well Anne V Coates stood tall among them. Michael Tronick, VP of the Academy's Board of Governors says that Coates 'belongs on the Mount Rushmore of editing'
By all accounts Coates was a beloved coworker, imaginative artist, and wonderful wit. She leaves a rich filmography behind. We thank her profusely.