Halloween horror films producer Moustapha Akkad dies in Jordan blasts

[Starbucks Anarchist]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/cpress/20051111/ca_pr_on_en/jordan_explosions_akkad_1

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - Moustapha Akkad, the Syrian-born producer of the Halloween horror films, died Friday from wounds sustained in the triple hotel bombings, a hospital official said.

Akkad, who lived in Los Angeles, died at 7:30 a.m. in a Jordanian hospital where he was being treated, according to surgeon Dr. Yousef Qisous. "He had bleeding in the lungs, his ribs were fractured and he died of his wounds and a severe heart attack this morning," Qisous said. Akkad's daughter, Rima Akkad Monla, 34, also died in one of Wednesday's three explosions, said her mother Patricia Akkad, speaking from Los Angeles.

Three suicide bombers hit the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels in the Jordanian capital, Amman, Wednesday night and killed at least 59 people, including the three suicide bombers.

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. NPR did a decent report about him

Very sad, he was one of the good guys.

[umtalal]

7. May they rest in peace. In sadness.

[madeline_con]

2. He also did "Lion of the Desert" & "The Message", a film about...

the birth of Islam. He was a bit controversial, and a pain in the rear to some. Here's a quote:

Moustapha: "The media runs the world. Absolutely. No tanks or planes. The media and the public companies. This is what The Protocols of Zion .

"The Zionists, last century, were persecuted in Europe. So they immigrated to the United States. They had a target. They were united. And they did not permit critical of Zion.

(snip)

"You can't be more Jewish than Miramax . They financed me and I did it. But probably if I did something about Israel, they would not. So I get financing from overseas, such as when I did The Message."
(snip)

http://www.lukeford.net/profiles/profiles/moustapha_akkad.htm

===============================

Was his death an amazing coinky dink, or what? :shrug:

[cascadiance]

8. This is a shame... The Message was pretty unique in the way

it protrayed Mohammed and Muslims. Very respectfully done towards Mohammed. "The Message" was filmed such that Mohammed was always depicted as a point of view shot from his own eyes, so you never saw his character. This stays with Islamic tradition of never showing Mohammed's face.

I'm guessing that perhaps his death was one of a few things that lead to some protests against Al Quaida there too. I'm guessing he was loved by quite a few Muslims in those parts for his efforts to show their history in a complimentary fashion.

His death underscores the tragedy and brings home how terrorism can hurt everyone.

[madeline_con]

9. He said Qaddafi helped fund his film...

so, there could have been speculation about terror ties, a Special Ops op, etc.

[ECH1969]

3. Producer Of 'Halloween' Movies Dies Of Bombing Injuries

LOS ANGELES -- Moustapha Akkad, the Syrian-born Hollywood filmmaker behind the "Halloween" film franchise, died in a Jordanian hospital Friday of wounds suffered in this week's terror strikes on three hotels in Amman.

His 34-year-old daughter, Rima Akkad Monla, a USC graduate and former Brentwood resident, died immediately in Wednesday's bombings, for which al-Qaida in Iraq, the group led by the elusive Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, claimed responsibility.

Some 60 people -- including two Americans and three suicide bombers -- were killed and more than 100 people were wounded in the attacks on the Grand Hyatt, Radisson SAS and Days Inn hotels in the Jordanian capital.

Rima Akkad Monla "was beautiful inside and out," her mother, Patricia Akkad of Brentwood, who was divorced from Moustapha Akkad, said. "She was everybody's favorite. She was so sweet and so good and so caring."

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/5302974/detail.html

[MiniMandaRuth]

4. It was Friday.

The best day to go out on.

R.I.P

[sabra]

5. so sad :-(

I was just reading this morning about his daughter... RIP

[Copperred]

6. RIP

A friend who knew them both dearly said they were both great people...always positive.

RIP