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July 2010, Week 1

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 6 Jul 2010 14:11:52 +0200
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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Frank Burke <[log in to unmask]>
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Thanks to Gloria Monti for posting the shocking news of Peter Brunette's
death. I haven't seen anything on the listserv beside Gloria's posting, so I
thought I would share a couple of thoughts. Peter was a great friend whom I
met in mid career and hardly ever saw. A bit of a paradox. We first met at
an AAIS conference in Utah in the late '80s or early '90s. He was
responsible, I believe, for bringing Ingrid Rossellini to the conference in
conjunction with the publication of his book on Roberto Rossellini. Of
course, as an Italianist, Ingrid Rossellini would have belonged there
entirely on her own, but I believe she avoids these sorts of events
generally because of the notoriety she carries with her as Rossellini's
daughter. I remember that either there or at some other conference Peter and
I sat next to each other as we were being bussed somewhere, and our
relatively brief conversation formed a bond that endured till his passing.
We didn't see each other again or even communicate until 2003, when we spent
a good deal of time together at a Fellini conference in Seattle. The
re-bonding was immediate. After that, he brought me on board to do the
Criterion AMARCORD commentary with him, and we had a great time together in
New York. Other than that, it was occasional emailing because he was so
often on the move at film festivals, etc., and I was in Canada. However,
there was the sense of closeness that, in my experience. normally only
happens with friendships formed early in life. I mourn Peter's passing
greatly.

He was open, eclectic, and cosmopolitan in the most positive of ways. He was
a dedicated and tireless scholar who was always three projects ahead of
himself--and who always brought those projects to completion. His work was
scrupulously researched, and it was always amazing to me that he managed to
write as many books as he did, when he spent so much time on the road.

I hope many others on the listserv had the opportunity to know Peter, not
just from his work but from his gallivanting.

Italians are fond of saying "Cent'anni" (100 years) on people's birthdays.
Peter deserved that and more. It is a shame it wasn't in the cards.

Frank Burke

On 6/19/10 6:17 PM, "godard" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>    i have been waiting all week for a mention of our colleague peter
> brunette's passing:
> http://www.indiewire.com/article/writer_peter_brunette_dies_at_italian_festiva
> l/?sms_ss=facebook
> 
>     gloria monti

-- 
Frank Burke, Phd
Professor, Department of Film and Media
Queen's University
Kingston, ON Canada K7L 3N6
Tel: 613 533-2178
Fax: 613 533-6023

In Italy:
Viale Castracani, 282
Lucca, Italia 55100
Tel: (011 39) 0583 491773
Cell: (011 39) 334 711-3261

----
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