IN MEMORIAM: Dede Allen, 1923-2010

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IN MEMORIAM: Dede Allen, 1923-2010

POSTED: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 12:04 AM

Filed Under: In Memoriam | Movies

Any movie fan knows the work of film editor Dede Allen, who died on Saturday at the age of 86. The first editor to be given her own screen credit, Allen worked on such films as Bonnie and Clyde, The Hustler and Dog Day Afternoon. But more those classics, Allen helped changed the landscape of American film. So, what exactly, did Allen do that shown a spotlight on the art of film editing? The L.A. Times' Claudia Luther sums up Allen's contribution perfectly:

Allen departed from the standard Hollywood way of cutting -- making smooth transitions starting with wide shots establishing place and characters and going on to medium shots and finally close-ups -- by beginning with close-ups or jump cuts. Although these editing methods had been pioneered by the French new wave and some British directors, Allen is generally credited with being the first to use and shape them in American film.

(Luther's obit is highly recommended. She explains film editing without getting bogged down in film vocab. Other obits to check out: S.T. Vanairsdale further illuminates Allen's contribution to cinema by discussing five of her most iconic clips at Movieline.com, Inquirer Carrie Rickey has some nice anecdotes up on her Flick Grrl blog and Matt Zoller Seitz talks about the soul of Allen's work at Salon.) Allen's most fortuitous collaboration was with Philadelphia's own Arthur Penn. The Bonnie and Clyde director worked with Allen six times, and told the L.A. Times she was "not an editor, but a constructionist." In college, one of my film studies professors went through Bonnie and Clyde scene-by-scene and essentially taught us what editing was. I've got a lot of Allen favorites: Odds Against Tomorrow, Slap Shot, The Hustler and, of course, Bonnie and Clyde. What's your fave?

M. Carlson

Posted 2010-04-21 02:48:47

Dede Allen was not the first film editor to receive her own screen credit.
Have you never watched movies? Look at silent films and see the editor's credit. Allen did get an opening credit in Bonnie & Clyde, which is believed to be a first for an editor, but let's get real...

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 12:04 AM Permalink | Post a comment

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