The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Holocaust survivor and movie pioneer
Ben Barenholtz, the producer-distributor who helped launch the careers of legendary filmmakers David Lynch and the Coen brothers, has died at the age of 83.
Mr Barenholtz, a holocaust survivor, died on Wednesday at his home in Prague.
He was credited with pioneering the concept of the “midnight movie” by screening future cult classics like John Waters’ Pink Flamingos and Alejandro Jodorowsky’s El Topo.
He decided to screen the latter film at the now defunct Elgin Theatre in New York City, after attending a private showing of it at the Museum of Modern Art.
That screening is seen as essential by film historians to helping the film gain a legacy as one of Jodorowsky’s most famous works.
During the Second World War Mr Barenholtz escaped the Nazi concentration camps aged eight by living in Polish woods with 11 escapees.
He kept that part of his life a secret until 2010 when he revealed it in a series of blog posts.
As an adult, Barenholtz got his start in the film industry as a movie theatre owner, opening The Elgin in 1968.
It became a hotbed for New York’s cinema scene, screening classic films from Buster Keaton, experimental work by Andy Warhol and films from New Hollywood directors like Martin Scorsese.
His impact on film expanded when he entered film distribution, starting labels like Libra Films and Circle Films.
Through those firms, he released the debut films by David Lynch and Joel and Ethan Coen, Eraserhead and Blood Simple, respectively.
In 2010 Lynch praised Barenholtz, crediting him with helping start his career.
“Ben saved my life in films,” Lynch said, adding: “To oversee getting a good print, Ben gave me a room in his house.
“He gave me money to get food. He said I only ate McDonald’s and only drank coffee. Thank you, Ben. You deserve awards.”