Peter R. Hunt

Peter Roger Hunt (11 March 1925 – 14 August 2002) was an English director, editor, and producer of film and television, best known for his work James Bond film series, first as an editor, then later as a second unit director and director. His work on the series helped pioneer an innovative, fast-cutting editing style.

Peter R. Hunt
Born
Peter Roger Hunt

(1925-03-11)11 March 1925
London, England, U.K.
Died14 August 2002(2002-08-14) (aged 77)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
OccupationFilm director, film editor, film producer
Years active1940–2002
Known forJames Bond series
Military career
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1942–1947
RankStaff Sergeant

Biography

As an infantryman, Hunt served in Salerno, Italy in 1943.[1]

After serving on a number of jobs, Hunt worked as an assistant cutter for Alexander Korda, before working as an assembling editor on The Man Who Watched Trains Go By. After several B-movies, he served as the supervising editor on A Hill in Korea. The following year, Hunt edited The Admirable Crichton (directed and co-written by Lewis Gilbert), where he became good friends with John Glen. Hunt continued his collaboration with Gilbert on films such as Ferry to Hong Kong and Sink the Bismarck!.

In the 1960s, Hunt signed on as an editor on the James Bond film, Dr. No, and in 1963 he edited From Russia with Love and Goldfinger. On those three films, Hunt developed an editing technique in which he utilized quick cutting, allowing camera swings during action and inserts interleaving other elements.[2][3] He also worked with Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli on the 1963 Bob Hope film Call Me Bwana, and with Saltzman and a few other Bond veterans on the non-Eon thriller The IPCRESS File. Call Me Bwana is the only film produced by the James Bond production company Eon Productions that is not a Bond film.

After editing Thunderball, Hunt was promoted to second unit director on You Only Live Twice. When production of On Her Majesty's Secret Service went underway, Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman selected Hunt as director impressed with his quick cutting skills feeling it had set the style for the series.[4] Hunt also asked for the position during the production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and he brought along with him many crew members, including cinematographer Michael Reed and editor John Glen.[5] Also, Hunt was focused on putting his mark – "I wanted it to be different than any other Bond film would be. It was my film, not anyone else's."[6]

On Her Majesty's Secret Service was the last film on which Hunt worked on in the series. In 1971, Hunt directed episodes of The Persuaders! with future Bond star, Roger Moore, in Gold and Shout at the Devil with Charles Bronson and Lee Marvin. Although approached by Kevin McClory, he refused to direct Never Say Never Again afraid that Broccoli would consider him a traitor. His last films included Wild Geese II and the Cannon Film thrillers, Death Hunt and Assassination, both starring Bronson. He also directed the epic television miniseries The Last Days of Pompeii.

Personal life

In his final years, Hunt lived in California.[1] On 14 August 2002 Hunt died of heart failure at his home in Santa Monica, California at the age of 77.[7]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Editor Director Other Notes
1940 The Thief of Bagdad Yes As associate editor
1943 The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp Yes
1949 Badger's Green Yes
1950 They Were Not Divided Yes
Gone to Earth Yes
1951 Cheer the Brave Yes
1952 The Man Who Watched Trains Go By Yes
1953 Wheel of Fate Yes As sound editor
House of Blackmail Yes As assistant editor
1954 Orders Are Orders Yes
Burnt Evidence Yes
Stranger From Venus Yes
1956 The Secret Tent Yes
Doublecross Yes
A Hill in Korea Yes
1957 The Admirable Crichton Yes Yes As second unit director
1958 Next to No Time Yes
A Cry from the Streets Yes
1959 Ferry to Hong Kong Yes
1960 Sink the Bismarck! Yes
There Was a Crooked Man Yes
1961 The Greengage Summer Yes
On the Fiddle Yes
1962 H.M.S. Defiant Yes
Dr. No Yes
1963 Call Me Bwana Yes
From Russia with Love Yes
1964 Goldfinger Yes Yes As second unit director
1965 Thunderball Yes Yes
The Ipcress File Yes
1966 Strange Portrait Yes
1967 You Only Live Twice Yes Yes As second unit director
1968 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Yes As title sequence director
1969 Arthur! Arthur! Yes
On Her Majesty's Secret Service Yes
1974 Gold Yes
1976 Shout at the Devil[8] Yes
1980 Rough Cut Yes Uncredited;
Replaced by Don Siegel
Night Games Yes
1981 Death Hunt Yes
1983 The Jigsaw Man Yes As second unit director
1985 Wild Geese II Yes
1986 Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star Yes
1987 Assassination Yes
1990 Desperate Hours Yes

Television
Year Title Editor Director Notes
1971 The Persuaders! Yes Yes Episode: "Chain of Events"
1972 Shirley's World Yes Episode: "Always Leave Them Laughing"
1978 The Beasts Are on the Streets Yes Television film
1983 Philip Marlowe, Private Eye Yes 2 episodes
1984 The Last Days of Pompeii Yes 4 episodes
1991 Eyes of a Witness Yes Television film

References
  1. "Peter Hunt". The Daily Telegraph. London. 21 August 2002. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  2. Peter Hunt (2000). Inside Dr. No (DVD). MGM Home Entertainment Inc. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  3. Peter Hunt, Norman Wanstall (2000). Inside From Russia with Love (DVD). MGM Home Entertainment Inc. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  4. Stutz, Collin (2007). James Bond Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 978-1-4053-3427-3.
  5. "Director John Glen - James Bond Crew". www.007james.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  6. NTR. "De 'vergeten' 007". Andere Tijden (in Dutch). Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. "Peter R. Hunt, 77, Film Editor And Director of a 007 Movie". The New York Times. 25 August 2002. Retrieved 14 April 2009.
  8. Maçek III, J.C. (7 October 2013). "From Heart of Darkness to All Out War: 'Shout at the Devil'". PopMatters.
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