Michael Schlesinger, a prominent figure in the world of repertory cinema, passed away on January 9 at the age of 74. He died at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles after battling a rare form of cancer.
Schlesinger was well-known for his work in restoring and re-releasing classic films. His contributions spanned decades, with significant roles at United Artists Classics, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Repertory.
During his time at Sony Repertory as vice president, Schlesinger oversaw the restoration of the iconic film Lawrence of Arabia in 70mm. At Paramount, he was involved in the 50th anniversary release of Citizen Kane, which featured the addition of Orson Welles’ unfinished documentary It’s All True.
Film historian and author Joseph McBride, a close friend of Schlesinger, paid tribute to him, describing him as a “true mensch.” McBride added, “Mike was a passionate advocate for preserving and sharing classic films. He often went against the grain of major studios that didn’t always value film history, yet he was a key figure in getting Hollywood to recognize its legacy.”
Schlesinger’s impact extended beyond classic Hollywood. As a supporter of international cinema, he worked on the U.S. version of Godzilla 2000, where he rewrote some of the dialogue to introduce a humorous tone.
In a 2001 interview, Schlesinger reflected on his approach to Godzilla 2000, saying, “I wanted to make the human elements lighter, so the monster scenes wouldn’t feel as out of place. I think it worked to some degree.”
Throughout his career, Schlesinger also contributed insightful commentary on numerous classic films, including Baby Face, In The Heat of The Night, One, Two, Three, Monkey Business, and It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, which he considered his favorite. In recent years, he provided commentary for the 2019 Shaft remake and the 2023 film A Haunting in Venice.
In addition to his work behind the scenes, Schlesinger ventured into filmmaking, creating projects such as The Adventures of Biffle and Shooster, Bride of Finklestein, and Schmo Boat. His latest film, Rock and Doris (Try to) Write a Movie, starring Marilu Henner, premiered at the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival in 2024.
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