John Cook (director)

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John Cook (born November 26, 1935 in Toronto , † September 21, 2001 in La Capelle-Farcel near Albi ) was a Canadian photographer, filmmaker and writer working in Paris , Vienna and southern France .

biography

Cook dropped out of law school prematurely in 1958, traveled through Europe and settled in Paris, where he worked as a professional photographer in advertising and for international fashion magazines. In Paris he met Elfie Semotan , who worked there as a model. According to Semotan's recollections, Cook was busy as a photographer, but actually wanted to make films. He tried different ways of approaching fashion photography, which was actually boring him. So he tried to tell stories in the photo series and to incorporate more of reality.

In 1968 he moved to Vienna with Semotan , where he made his first published film together with her in 1972, I just can't do it , and subsequently, Slow Summer , Headlock and Artichoke .

In 1984 Cook left Vienna and settled in the south of France, where he produced another film (as a video) and wrote short stories. He died unexpectedly of a stroke in 2001.

Although hardly known in Canada, Cook created a permanent place in the history of Austrian film with the films he shot in Vienna from 1972 to 1982.

The first monograph on Cook, John Cook. Viennese by Choice, filmmaker by profession , edited by Michael Omasta and Olaf Möller, was published in 2006 by the Austrian Film Museum Collection and contains a previously unpublished autobiography by Cook.

Filmography

  • José Manrubia Novillero d' Arles . L'apprentissage d'un matador de toros (1990/96)
  • Artichoke (1981)
  • Headlock (1978)
  • Slow Summer (1974/76)
  • I just can't do it (1972/73)

literature

  • Michael Omasta, Olaf Möller Ed .: John Cook. Viennese by Choice, Filmmaker by profession , Synema, Vienna 2006 ISBN 3-901644-17-2 (bilingual: Part 1 German, Part 2 (Vita) English)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Michael Omasta, Olaf Möller (eds.), John Cook. Viennese by Choice, Filmmaker by Profession , Vienna 2006, pp. 67–72 and p. 104.
  2. ↑ Michael Omasta, Olaf Möller (ed.): John Cook. Viennese by Choice, filmmaker by profession . Vienna 2006, pp. 67–72 and p. 105
  3. ↑ Michael Omasta, Olaf Möller (eds.), John Cook. Viennese by Choice, Filmmaker by Profession , Vienna 2006, p. 106.
  4. ^ Tribute to John Cook. In: filmmuseum.at. Austrian Film Museum, accessed on September 11, 2019 .
  5. ↑ Michael Omasta, Olaf Möller (ed.): John Cook. Viennese by Choice, filmmaker by profession . Vienna 2006
personal data
SURNAME Cook, John
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Canadian photographer, filmmaker and writer
DATE OF BIRTH November 26, 1935
PLACE OF BIRTH Toronto
DATE OF DEATH September 21, 2001
Place of death La Capelle-Farcel near Albi