Flash Gordon director Mike Hodges has died

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Hodges ended his career the same way he started it – with a gangster film – 2003’s I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead

Mike Hodges, the British director known for his “Flash Gordon” movies, died on Saturday at the age of 90 at his home in Dorset, England.

His death was confirmed in the Guardian newspaper and in the American publication Variety by Mike Kaplan, producer and long-time friend of Hodges.

Among the films he directed were “Get Carter” (1971) and “Pulp” (1972), while at the end of his career “Croupier” (1999) and “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” (2003) .

Born in Bristol in 1932, Hodges first worked as a chartered accountant and spent two years in the Royal Navy as a minesweeper, going from port to port in the north of England.

His first job in the entertainment industry was as a TV anchor, which led him to produce and direct news series and documentaries.

His first major film was “Get Carter”, a film adaptation of Ted Lewis’ book.

It starred Michael Caine, who played a London gangster. The 1971 film was a big hit and led to Hodges teaming up with Caine the following year on Pulp.

This was followed in 1980 by the science fiction film “Flash Gordon” with Sam Jones, Melody Anderson, Brian Blessed and Timothy Dalton.

In 1987 he directed the thriller “A Prayer for the Dying” starring Mickey Rourke and in 1989 “Black Rainbow” with Rosanna Arquette.

His 1998 film “Croupier” starring Clive Owen was not a box office success when it was released. Then Hodges reportedly decided to retire considering his career was over. But when the film was released in the US it received good reviews and was re-screened in the UK.

Hodges ended his career the same way he started it: with a gangster film: “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” was released in 2003 again with Clive Owen, who played a thug hungry for revenge then from the rape of his younger brother.

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