Peter Medak, director of The Changeling and The Krays, dies at 88

By Grace Kim

Peter Medak, the Hungarian-born director and actor, died Tuesday in Los Angeles at 88. The filmmaker behind The Changeling, The Krays and The Ruling Class built a six-decade career across film and television.

Medak directed 27 feature films, moving among psychological horror, black comedy and crime drama. His 1980 supernatural thriller The Changeling, starring George C. Scott, won eight Genie Awards, including best motion picture. He received the Evening Standard Award for best director for the 1990 British gangster drama The Krays.

How did Medak reach the film industry?

Medak was born in Budapest in 1937 and spent part of World War II hiding with his family. Under Hungary’s Communist regime, his father was imprisoned and Medak was barred from attending school.

He fled to England during the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 and began working in the British film industry. He eventually served as an assistant director before moving to Hollywood.

Which films established his reputation?

His feature directorial debut came with 1968’s Negatives, starring Glenda Jackson. The 1972 satire The Ruling Class starred Peter O’Toole and competed for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. O’Toole also received an Oscar nomination for the film.

Other credits include A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, Let Him Have It and the Gary Oldman-led Romeo Is Bleeding. They place black comedy and crime drama beside supernatural horror, rather than confining his reputation to one genre.

The award record marks different forms of recognition. The Changeling won eight Genie Awards, including best motion picture; The Krays earned Medak the Evening Standard Award for best director. One honored the film with eight awards, while the other singled out his direction.

How did television extend his career?

Medak also worked extensively in television, directing episodes of Homicide: Life on the Street, The Wire, Breaking Bad and House. His episodic work formed a parallel directing track alongside the 27 features.

His 2018 documentary The Ghost of Peter Sellars revisited his troubled production of the 1970s comedy Ghost in the Noonday Sun. The documentary focused on that troubled production, rather than simply retelling the comedy’s story.

What should viewers watch first?

For viewers meeting Medak for the first time, The Changeling offers the clearest entry point. It combines a supernatural thriller with George C. Scott in the lead and won eight Genie Awards, including best motion picture.

The Krays provides the second major starting point, pairing the British gangster drama with Medak’s directing prize. The Ruling Class adds Cannes competition and Peter O’Toole’s Oscar nomination; Romeo Is Bleeding brings Gary Oldman into the same filmography.

Medak’s four children are Christopher, Joshua, Karen and Cornelia, and he leaves five grandchildren. Future retrospectives should place his television episodes and broader feature catalogue beside the award-winning films. His 27 features leave room for a fuller account than his best-known titles alone can provide.