FILM DIRECTOR AKKAD DIED

Last updated: Sunday, November 13, 2005

FILM DIRECTOR AKKAD DIED

Most famous Arab film director passed away.

Arabian film director Moustafa Akkad brought visuals of the Islamic ways. Many movies like the “Lion of the Desert” and “The Message”. He left home after a normal childhood to follow his dream to become a film director. He only had $200 to his name when he left his home in Aleppo. Akkad went straight to California and was accepted to study film at university of California, according to The Daily Star. Akkad graduated in ’58 and continued studies through Masters, that’s when he learned about the latest trends of film: documentaries. He did not direct right away instead his first job was to be a translator for director Sam Peckinpah. The movie that Peckinpah was working on never worked out but Akkad gained an assistant, Peckinpah and a mentor. It was Peckinpah that kept encouraging him to write. Akkad finally created a documentary on the Arab way of life. He had two offers from National Networks. NBC offered him about $400/week but no credits or CBS offered him a $1/week but with credits. (**Which do you think he accepted? Well, you would think NBC because he was offered a lot more money. **) Akkad told Peckinpah; his mentor shouted take the credit! That day Akkad never regretted his decision. His career took off. Akkad did many documentaries and finally launched his films, too. One of his most famous films was “Halloween” horror series. Just last year “Halloween: H2O” was his last. Moustafa Akkad was staying at the Amman hotel when the bombings occurred and was wounded. His wounds caused a heart attack and he passed away Friday.

Source: Google Entertainment

| Sunday, November 13, 2005

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FILM DIRECTOR AKKAD DIED

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