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Ivan Reitmann

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He was best known for “Ghostbusters”, although he had success with other titles, such as “Dave, President for a Day” or “The Nutty Squad”. The filmmaker Ivan Reitman passed away on February 12, 2022, at the age of 75, while he slept at his residence in Montecito (California). “Our family mourns the unexpected loss of a husband, father and grandfather who taught us to always look for the magic in life. We are heartened to know that his work as a filmmaker brought laughter and happiness to countless people around the world. Even though we are in mourning privately, we hope that those who knew him through his films will always remember him”, explained a joint statement, signed by his children, Catherine, Caroline and also director Ivan Reitman.

Born on October 27, 1946, in Komárno, Czechoslovakia, now Slovakia,  Ivan Reitman  came from a family of Hungarian Jews (his mother survived the Auschwitz concentration camp). When he was four years old, his family immigrated to Canada. He graduated in Music from McMaster University, in Hamilton, Ontario, where he began directing shorts. After some adventure in the field of radio and theater, he began as a producer of two  David Cronenberg films ,  They Came From Within…  and  Rage .

He debuted as a director with  Foxy Lady , and later produced  Desmadre à la americana , which had an enormous impact. Ivan Reitman  began his collaboration with  Bill Murray  with  The Incorrigible Meatballs , followed by  The Nutty Squad  and  The Ghostbusters , the biggest hit of his career, which today has become an eighties classic. He himself was in charge of a watered-down second part,  Ghostbusters II , and the film also gave rise to the female version,  Ghostbusters , and a tribute directed by his son,  Ghostbusters, Beyond, where he worked as a producer and co-writer. “I started crying as soon as Jason told me the story,” he said in an interview on  Screen Rant . The first time he explained to me that he thought he had an idea for  Ghostbusters  that he was considering doing, he told me the story and I could feel the emotion of it and how it was such a right idea to continue this story that he was lucky enough to direct. in 84. 

In addition,  Ivan Reitman  swept by retraining stuntman  Arnold Schwarzenegger for comedy  in  The Twins Strike Twice ,  Junior  and  Kindergarten Cop . Also, he made it big with  Dave, President for a Day  and  Six Days and Seven Nights . With the arrival of the 21st century, his career languishes, with less massive titles, such as  Evolution  or  My super ex-girlfriend . Final decision , from 2014, marks the last work of his signed as a director, which he did not withdraw from him, since he was trying to carry out various projects until his death, such as  Triplets , sequel to The twins strike twice .

As a producer,  Ivan Reitman helmed  Beethoven  , which spawned a franchise, and  Up in the Air , directed by his offspring, for which he earned his only Oscar nomination, in the best picture category.

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