Thelma schoonmaker biography of rory

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career Pivot from Politics to Film
3. Breaking into the Film Industry
4. Meeting Martin Scorsese
5. Collaboration with Martin Scorsese
6. Recognition and Legacy
7. Personal Life and Powell's Legacy
8. Quote

Thelma Schoonmaker: A Journey from Aspiring Diplomat to Oscar-Winning Film Editor

Early Life and Education

Thelma Schoonmaker was born on January 3, 1940, in Algeria to American expatriates. Due to her father's profession with the Standard Oil Company, she spent her childhood in various countries, including the Caribbean island of Aruba. In 1955, as a teenager, she moved to the United States, where she felt like an outsider amid the vibrant American culture.

Career Pivot from Politics to Film

Schoonmaker initially aspired to a career in international diplomacy. She enrolled at Cornell University in 1957, majoring in political science and Russian. During her time at Cornell, she was taught by the renowned author Vladimir Nabokov. Upon graduating in 1961, Schoonmaker applied to the State Department, hoping to join the United States Foreign Service. However, her outspoken criticism of South Africa's apartheid policy made her views unpopular with the department.

Breaking into the Film Industry

Faced with a career setback in politics, Schoonmaker pivoted to the arts, initially studying painting. However, a job advertisement in The New York Times for an "assistant film editor" caught her attention. She landed the position and began her career trimming frames from classic European films to meet American standards. While she resented the crude treatment of films by François Truffaut, Jean-Luc Godard, and Federico Fellini, she acquired invaluable technical skills, including negative cutting.

Meeting Martin Scorsese

At New York University, Schoonmaker met director Michael Wadleigh and edited his influential documentary on the Woodstock music festival, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Editing. Her intricate use of superimpositions and freeze frames elevated the documentary filmmaking technique.

Collaboration with Martin Scorsese

Despite her editing prowess, Schoonmaker's early career was marked by challenges in a male-dominated film industry. She worked on Scorsese's student films for twelve years before finally receiving an Oscar for her masterful work on "Raging Bull." Over the years, she has edited every one of Scorsese's films, leaving an enduring mark on cinema.

Recognition and Legacy

Schoonmaker has become a force in breaking down societal barriers for women in the film industry. Her extensive filmography includes "The Aviator," "Goodfellas," "The Last Temptation of Christ," and "The Departed." She is recognized as one of the great female editors in cinema, alongside Dede Allen, Verna Fields, Anne V. Coates, and Dorothy Spencer.

Personal Life and Powell's Legacy

Thelma Schoonmaker was married to director Michael Powell from 1984 until his death in 1990. After his passing, she devoted herself to preserving his films, ensuring the legacy of Powell's classics, including the 1948 cinematic masterpiece "The Red Shoes."

Quote

"You drive home at night frustrated and depressed, and turn the motor of your car off, and in the morning you go back to work and try again." - Thelma Schoonmaker on the demanding yet rewarding nature of editing.