Legendary B-Movie Director Larry Buchanan Dead at 81

Legendary B-movie director Larry Buchanan, whose five-decade filmography features dozens of campy cult classics such as Mars Needs Women" and Its Alive," died Thursday December 2 in Tucson, AZ of complications from a collapsed lung. He was 81.

(PRWEB) December 5, 2004 -- Legendary B-movie director Larry Buchanan, whose five-decade filmography features dozens of campy cult classics such as Mars Needs Women" and Its Alive," died Thursday December 2 in Tucson, AZ of complications from a collapsed lung. He was 81.

He wrapped his last film only weeks before his death, the final touches on the directors cut of what he considered his magnum opus, The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene," about the life of Jesus Christ.

In his 1996 book It Came from Hunger: Tales of a Cinema Schlockmeister," Buchanan terms his style Guerilla Filmmaking." Besides the sci-fi and horror films and genre he had an equally low-budget series of biopics that included genre hits Goodbye Norma Jean" and The Trial of Lee Harvey Oswald."

We are saddened by the loss of this unique filmmaker and proud to have worked with him on the completion of The Copper Scroll of Mary Magdalene," said producer Ken Kreisel of M&K Sound Entertainment. On and off, he worked on this film for 30 years. Throughout his career, this film was his goal. It was a religious passion as well as an artistic passion."

Buchanan was born Marcus Larry Seale Jr. on Jan. 31, 1923 in Lost Prairie, Texas and later became Larry Buchanan by edict of the 20th Century Fox casting department when he was a contract player in the 50s.

He began his career behind the camera making documentaries for evangelist Oral Roberts in the early 50s and assisted George Cukor in the The Marrying Kind." He first helmed the made-for-TV cult films for AIP in the late 50s and 60s such as Zontar, The Thing From Venus," The Eye Creature," In The Year 2889" and Creature of Destruction."

Other notable films included A Bullet for Pretty Boy" The Naked Witch," and the art film Strawberries Need Rain."

Writer Rob Craig calls him a genius of his genre and says in Horror-Wood.com Buchanan wrote or adapted prime pieces of pulp genre fiction on assignment, filmed them as best he could given his resources, and offered the results to the world with no apologies, nor any revisionist strings attached. This is not only an act of creative integrity, but often the formula for great art."

Buchanan is survived by wife Jane, Randy Barry and Jeff and daughter Dee.

For further info: Ken Kreisel, M&K Sound Entertainment (818) 701-7010
For photos, clip from www.thecopperscroll.com

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