Paul Frederick Hirsch (born November 14, 1945) is an American film editor with over 40 film credits since 1970, best known as one of the premier filmmakers to come out of the New Hollywood movement, collaborating with directors like Brian De Palma, George Lucas, George A. Romero, and Herbert Ross. He won an Academy Award and Saturn Award for his work on the original Star Wars, which he shared with Richard Chew and Marcia Lucas.
Life and career Hirsch is a native of New York City, and the son of painter Joseph Hirsch. His father was of German-Jewish descent.Paul Cummings, Oral History Interview with Joseph Hirsh, (Archives of American Art, November 13 & December 2, 1970). After graduating from Columbia in 1966, he began to pursue a career in editing. In the late 1960s, while editing trailers in NYC, he was introduced by his brother, Charles, to then unknown filmmaker Brian De Palma. Their collaboration has yielded eleven feature films.John Castagno, Jewish Artists: Signatures and Monograms (Rowman & Littlefield, 2010), p. 209.
In 1978, he won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing for his work on Star Wars, along with Richard Chew and Marcia Lucas. He was also the first person to win the Saturn Award for Best Editing twice, first for Star Wars in 1977 and then Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol in 2011.
He has edited over 35 feature films, including The Empire Strikes Back, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Mission: Impossible, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, Footloose, Carrie, Falling Down, Phantom of the Paradise, Obsession, Blow Out, The Secret of My Success, Steel Magnolias and Ray, for which he received a second Academy Award nomination in 2005 and the American Cinema Editors' award for Best Edited Feature Film (Comedy or Musical). He has also worked with Duncan Jones on Source Code and Warcraft.
Hirsch rarely watches movies other than his own more than once. However, he cites that the musical An American in Paris and the science fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey are worthy of repeat viewing.
Filmography
As film editor Year Film Director Notes1970Hi, Mom!Brian De Palma1972Sisters1974Phantom of the Paradise1976CarrieObsession1977Star WarsGeorge LucasCo-editor with Marcia Lucas & Richard Chew Academy Award for Best Film EditingSaturn Award for Best EditingNominated—BAFTA Award for Best EditingNominated—ACE Eddie for Best Edited Feature Film1978King of the GypsiesFrank PiersonThe FuryBrian De Palma1980The Empire Strikes BackIrvin Kershner1981Blow OutBrian De Palma1982CreepshowGeorge A. RomeroSegment: "The Crate"1983The Black Stallion ReturnsRobert Dalva1984FootlooseHerbert Ross1986Ferris Bueller's Day OffJohn Hughes1987Planes, Trains and AutomobilesThe Secret of My SuccessHerbert Ross1989Steel Magnolias1990Coupe de VilleJoe Roth1991DutchPeter FaimanCo-editor with Adam Bernardi & Rick Shaine1992Raising CainBrian De PalmaCo-editor with Robert Dalva & Bonnie Koehler1993Falling DownJoel SchumacherWrestling Ernest HemingwayRanda Haines1994I Love TroubleCharles ShyerCo-editor with Adam Bernardi & Walter Murch1996Mission: ImpossibleBrian De PalmaNominated—Awards Circuit Community Award for Best EditingNominated—Satellite Award for Best Editing1998Hard RainMikael SalomonCo-edited with Amnon David and Gillian L. HutshingMighty Joe YoungRon Underwood1999Lake PlacidSteve MinerCo-edited with Marshall Harvey2000Mission to MarsBrian De Palma2002The Adventures of Pluto NashRon UnderwoodCo-edited with Alan Heim2003The Fighting TemptationsJonathan Lynn2004RayTaylor HackfordACE Eddie for Best Edited Feature film – Comedy or MusicalNominated—Academy Award for Best Film Editing2006Date MovieAaron SeltzerDeck the HallsJohn Whitesell2008Righteous KillJon Avnet2010Love RanchTaylor Hackford2011Source CodeDuncan JonesDylan Dog: Dead of NightKevin MunroeMission: Impossible – Ghost ProtocolBrad BirdSaturn Award for Best Editing2016WarcraftDuncan Jones2017The MummyAlex KurtzmanCo-editor with Gina Hirsch & Andrew Mondshein
As additional editor Year Film DirectorEditor(s) Notes1979Home MoviesBrian De PalmaCorky O'Hara1986The Clan of the Cave BearMichael ChapmanWendy Greene Bricmont2002Extreme OpsChristian DuguayClive BarrettSylvain Lebel2007Lions for LambsRobert RedfordJoe Hutshing2012Life of PiAng LeeTim SquyresUncredited2013The Great GatsbyBaz LuhrmannJason BallantineJonathan RedmondMatt VillaWorld War ZMarc ForsterRoger BartonMatt Chessé2018The Nutcracker and the Four RealmsLasse HallströmJoe JohnstonStuart Levy
References
External links