Sally Menke, 1953-2010 | Buzz Blog
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

A&E / Culture

Sally Menke, 1953-2010

Posted By on September 28, 2010, 8:47 AM

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Most laypeople don't really understand what film editors do, so they're not often given attention upon their passing. But Hollywood lost one of the best yesterday. ---

Film editor Sally Menke -- best known for her collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, including Oscar nominations for Pulp Fiction and Inglorious Basterds -- was found dead in a Los Angeles ravine yesterday after failing to return from a hike, presumed to be a victim of the 100-degree-plus heat wave affecting the area. Menke was only 56 years old.

Tarantino's work in particular was a challenge for a film editor, often combining multiple narrative threads and overlapping time frames. As gifted a writer and director as Tarantino may be, it's hard to imagine the tension of a scene being as dependent on brilliant editing as Butch's return to retrieve his watch in Pulp Fiction, or Hans Landa's opening scene in Basterds. Great artists of any kind are too rare; it's a shame to have lost one whose talents were on view to so many, yet whose name was probably know by only a few.

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Scott Renshaw

Scott Renshaw
Bio:
 Scott Renshaw has been a City Weekly staff member since 1999, including assuming the role of primary film critic in 2001 and Arts & Entertainment Editor in 2003. Scott has covered the Sundance Film Festival for 25 years, and provided coverage of local arts including theater, pop-culture conventions, comedy,... more

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