Blake Edwards R.I.P.

Blake Edwards, an interesting director whose work defied easy, intellectually sloppy categorization, passed away at age 88. Rather than comment on his life and work, I'll simply suggest that you read the LA Times' obit.

The photograph shows Edwards (right) and Peter Sellers on the set of The Pink Panther. The photo suggests a collaborative relationship; in fact, Edwards and Sellers were often quite contentious with one another. Somehow, they managed to make five Pink Panther movies together, as David Mermelstein noted in a Summer 2009 piece he wrote for the Directors Guild of America Quarterly. (The photograph is taken from Mermelstein's article.)