Rex Reed, 87, Film Critic Known for Controversy, Dies
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- Rex Reed died at his Manhattan home on Tuesday at age 87, confirmed by longtime friend William Kapfer.
- Rex Reed began his film criticism career in the 1960s, joining a new wave of reviewers like Pauline Kael during a period of major cinematic transformation.
- Rex Reed's reviews and profiles were published in The New York Times, GQ, Esquire, and Vogue, and his writings were collected in books such as "Do You Sleep in the Nude?".
- The New York Observer featured Reed's column for four decades, where he courted controversy with rumors (e.g., Jack Palance misreading Marisa Tomei's Oscar) and dismissive remarks (e.g., calling Marlee Matlin's win a "pity vote").
- Oldboy received a scathing review from Reed that included offensive remarks about Korean cuisine, sparking an online furor.
- Melissa McCarthy was called "tractor-sized" and a "hippo" by Reed, provoking backlash.
- Rex Reed also appeared on-screen in films like "Myra Breckinridge", "Superman", and "Irreconcilable Differences", and was a regular guest on The Dick Cavett Show and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
Why it matters: Reed’s death ends a 60‑year career that injected brash, candid commentary into mainstream media, leaving the New York Observer and its readers without his provocative take on Hollywood and cinema, while the cultural conversation loses a polarizing voice that often sparked debate and challenged mediocrity.
