http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050525/ap_ ... t_merchant

LONDON - Filmmaker Ismail Merchant, who with partner James Ivory became synonymous with classy costume drama in films such as "A Room With A View" and "Howard's End," died Wednesday. He was 68.

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Merchant died surrounded by friends and family at a hospital, Merchant-Ivory's London production office said.

Merchant, who was born in Bombay but spent most of his life in the West, had been unwell for some time and recently underwent surgery for abdominal ulcers, according to Indian television reports.

Merchant and Ivory, an American, made some 40 films together and won six Oscars — four for best picture — since forming their famous partnership in 1961 with German-born screenwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.

Their hits — especially E.M. Forster adaptations like "A Room With a View" and "Howard's End" — helped revive the public's taste for well-made, emotionally literate period drama.

In an interview with The Associated Press last year, Merchant said Merchant-Ivory films worked because they captured great stories.

"It should be a good story — speak about a time and place that is permanent," he said. "It should capture something wonderful with some great characters whether it's set in the past or in the future."

Whats happening this week, they're dropping like files. RIP.

Ali

It's always a sad affair whenever anyone passes away.

For the sake of organizing/ minimizing thread titles should we have one "sticky" "filmi personality" obituary thread??

All names in one thread also makes it a good reference. If Ali/ Urbanlegend did that, may be some volunteers can post links to all "Film personality passes away" threads??

Pretty Sad - Subodh Mukherjee, Sunil Dutt and Ismail merchant in a week, RIP . This year seems to have an unsually higher amount of people passing away