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Abel Gance

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Filmmaker

The Resume

    (October 25, 1889-November 10, 1981)
    Born in Paris, France
    Birth name was Abel Perethon
    Director/producer
    Best known films were 'J'accuse' (1919), 'La Roue' (1923) and 'Napoleon' (1927)

Why he might be annoying:

    He initially called movies 'infantile and stupid' and took film jobs, as an actor and writer, only out of financial necessity.
    His original edit of 'La Roue' lasted nine hours and 'Napoleon' ran for six hours.
    His first sound film, 'La Fin du Monde' (1931), was a critical and commercial flop.
    He initially praised Marhsall Petain and the Vichy puppet government.
    He spent decades complaining about film historians not giving him the recognition he felt he deserved.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He experimented with color, widescreens and 3-D decades before Hollywood did.
    He eventually fled Vichy, fearing for his life because he was half-Jewish (1943).
    He lived long enough to see a restored version of 'Napoleon' become an art house hit in America (1981).
    He was called 'the D.W. Griffith of Europe' and 'the greatest romantic of the screen.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 8 Votes: 87.50% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 18 Votes: 88.89% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 12 Votes: 41.67% Annoying