In tribute to the legendary actress, Elizabeth Taylor, the British Film Institute are to pay homage to the golden screen goddess by screening ten of her most iconic films throughout August 2011. Taylor, who died on 23rd March, was an extraordinary figure in Hollywood with a career spanning six decades and over three hundred screen roles.
The British-American started her career as a child actress for media giants, MGM, before moving onto the adult roles that she is now renowned for. Her adult career started with the flop, Conspirator (1949), before appearing in the classic film, Father of The Bride (1950), though it was not until 1951 when she found critical acclaim with A Place in The Sun.
Taylor’s fame and critical acclaim ballooned, with a total of forty industry awards (including two Oscars) with another sixteen film nominations. Some of her most famous titles include Little Women (1949), Cleopatra (1963) and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966).
Taylor was the first celebrity to acknowledge and campaign for HIV and AIDS awareness, organising the first ever AIDS fundraiser in 1984. Years of work and campaigning saw Taylor raise $270 million for the cause, an achievement that didn’t go unnoticed by the film industry when Taylor was awarded the special Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1992.
However, Taylor struggled with her health throughout her life, being hospitalised no less than seventy times and undergoing at least twenty major operations. After a list of health problems including cancer, pneumonia and phlebitis, Elizabeth died surrounded by her family, aged seventy-nine.
The British Film Institute are showing the films at theSouthbank Cinema in London. For booking information telephone 0207 928 3232. Tickets are £9 unless otherwise stated. Concessions pay £6.65 and BFI members get a £1.40 discount on any ticket. The showings are as follows:
Father of The Bride: 27th Aug, 29th Aug
A Place in The Sun: 16th Aug, 20th Aug
Giant: 10th Aug, 13th Aug
Raintree County: 27th Aug, 31st Aug
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: 1st Aug, 2nd Aug, 12th Aug
Suddenly, Last Summer: 23rd Aug, 25th Aug, 28th Aug, 29th Aug.
Butterfield 8: 3rd Aug, 6th Aug, 28th Aug
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf: 6th Aug, 15th Aug, 30th Aug
The Taming of The Shrew: 7th Aug, 15th Aug
Boom!: 4th Aug, 13th Aug
For more information see www.bfi.org.uk
words Andrew Jessop
