Theater of the Dead

Great post from Jim Henshaw about genius, perception, and the too-short life of Andre Bernard Bergé.

Bergé was a French Post-Existentialist writer obsessed with American cinema. He longed to write tawdry detective movies and taut thrillers in a post-war culture obsessed with Buňel, Goddard and Truffault. Unable to find producers for his screenwriting, Bergé crafted a play entitled "The Theatre of the Film Noir" which became a critical sensation when it opened in Paris in the late 1950’s.

Unfortunately, Bergé did not live to enjoy his newfound fame. The morning after his theatrical triumph, he was crushed by a Citroën, while peddling his bicycle home from retrieving his morning baguette.

Be sure to read about the critically acclaimed performance of "The Theatre of the Film Noir" at the '82 World Theatre Festival in Toronto. It's a great story for aspiring writers and directors.