CURTIS HANSON,
1945-2016

Curtis Hanson, the director of Eminem's rap-battle saga 8 Mile and an Oscar winner for writing L.A. Confidential, died at his Hollywood Hills home late Tuesday afternoon. He was 71.

The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed his death, saying he died of natural causes. He had been retired in recent years and was reported to be suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Eminem issued a statement that read "Curtis Hanson believed in me and our crazy idea to make a rap battle movie set in Detroit. He basically made me into an actor for 8 Mile. I'm lucky I got to know him."

Eminem won an Oscar for his 8 Mile song “Lose Yourself.” Another Hanson-directed film, Wonder Boys, led to Bob Dylan receiving an Original Song Oscar.

Hansen’s career began in the 1970s when he wrote and directed a string of horror and thriller films. Three consecutive hits in the thriller genre—Bad Influence, The Hand That Rocked the Cradle and River Wild—elevated his stature in Hollywood, leading to him being the choice to adapt and direct James Ellroy’s L.A. Confidential.

A stylish noir film, 1997’s L.A. Confidential was named to the National Film Registry, won an Oscar for Kim Basinger and was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Director.

He followed L.A. Confidential with 8 Mile and Wonder Boys, which many consider his finest film. His most-recent works were the Emmy-nominated TV movie Too Big To Fail and the surfing drama Chasing Mavericks.