The Less Remembered Movie of Tony Scott

I was very upset by the recent death of director Tony Scott. I also hate the hypocrisy that often takes place after deaths: people with no knowledge of the deceased will pour out tributes about how genius they were and how much they'll be missed. Although it made headlines, I rather think it's too little too late. Why did these people, artists or otherwise, only gain true recognition when they unexpectedly died? Did these same mourners write fan mail, or cherish their Tony Scott collection, before August 19th? Doesn't seem that way. 
I was very upset by Tony Scott's passing, because I already had an appreciation for his work, and my favourite, one that hasn't been shown on the Tony Scott Nights on Film4, is The Hunger. 

Scott's first real big movie, it was a very stylish '80s vampire flick, starring the ever-divine Catherine Deneuve, my rock hero David Bowie, and the wonderful Susan Sarandon. I studied The Hunger in some detail recently for a project entitled 'How does Susan Sarandon portray independent females?' which was highly regarded by my tutors, and was even made into a poster that I now proudly sport in my house. Susan Sarandon is Dr. Sarah Roberts, a young scientist studying the process of ageing. Deneuve and Bowie feature as vampire lovers, Miriam and John Blaylock, who spend their nights in punk clubs picking up tantalised victims, and their days playing classical music with a local teenager, Alice. Miriam seductively sports the piano, with John on cello and Alice on violin, as she contemplates who will be her next vampire love. You see, John suddenly starts ageing decades within the space of a day, but Miriam seems hardly surprised.This seamless make-up design on Bowie is by the great Dick Smith.

 In his desperation, John seeks out Sarah's help, having heard of her research. She dismisses him as a harmless old senile, and when she traces him back to a grand, stately townhouse, finds only his beautiful widow. 

This leads to a scene which gained The Hunger its infamy, in which Miriam and Sarah seduce each other over Delibes' Lakme and some spilled sherry. The rest of the movie is how a vampire-human love triangle plays out, and all played out very beautifully.
Visually, The Hunger is softly sensual, shadowy and sleek, but with this comes very vague non linear narrative. I seem to change at least one of my interpretations every time I watch this film, and that is a quality I like in it. It's very mysterious.
I remember a very old video copy of The Hunger being on my parents' shelf all my life, and they were the ones who introduced me to it. My long-term Bowie obsession also compelled me to check it out, and it has definitely become one of my favourite cult movies. It's got a nicely diverse cast, and is dedicated to visual style.

I understand that the fashion designer one day disappeared, and turned out to have flown from the London set to Rome to get just the right fabric for Bowie's handkerchief. Set design is superb in an effective merge of Exotic, Gothic and French Renaissance, all submerged in blowing net curtains.

Despite being panned at the time, I am a proud cult follower of Tony Scott's The Hunger, as my parents were before me! It's stylish, erotic and very enjoyable. 
He really was a very artistic director, and he really will be sadly missed. What a professional.