'James Bond' film editor John Grover dies at 87
Renowned film editor John Grover, who worked on six James Bond films and Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey, has passed away at 87.
Legendary British film editor John Grover, a key figure behind the cinematic magic of several James Bond films and Stanley Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey, has passed away. He died at the age of 87 at his home in Buckinghamshire, England, following a brief illness, according to his son, Tim.
A prolific career in cinema
Grover was a titan in the editing room, leaving an indelible mark on the 007 franchise. His credits include serving as the editor for For Your Eyes Only (1981), The Living Daylights (1987), and Licence to Kill (1989). He also played a vital role in assembling the iconic films The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), Moonraker (1979), and Octopussy (1983).
Beyond the world of espionage, Grover’s portfolio featured diverse and memorable works, such as:
- The Wild Geese (1978)
- The Sea Wolves (1980)
- The Final Option (1982)
- Lifeforce (1985)
- Labyrinth (1986) — a film he personally described as his favorite.
His professional contributions were recognized by his peers when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the British Film Editors in April.
The Kubrick connection: 'A load of rubbish'
Grover’s career included stints as an assistant editor for some of cinema's greatest directors, including Robert Wise, David Lean, and the perfectionist Stanley Kubrick. His relationship with Kubrick was famously candid; Grover once described the director as "mad" due to his relentless pursuit of perfection.
Despite his involvement in the legendary 2001: A Space Odyssey, Grover was famously blunt about the film, once calling it "a load of rubbish" and "the most boring, long, stretched-out film." However, he acknowledged that the film was remarkably ahead of its time, noting that the futuristic visions depicted in the movie have since become reality.
The man behind the 'heavy breathing'
One of the most intriguing anecdotes from Grover's career involves the iconic sound of heavy breathing heard during the space sequences in 2001: A Space Odyssey. While some believed the sound was recorded from Kubrick himself, Grover revealed that he was actually the one performing the breathing for six months.
"All I did was breathing for six months," Grover once remarked, describing the grueling process of recording the sounds while wearing a helmet to satisfy Kubrick's exacting standards.
The technical complexity of the film was immense. For the Bond film Moonraker, Grover worked as an assembly editor on a production that utilized approximately 800,000 feet of film, with the final cut taking ten months to complete.
Born on October 24, 1938, in Barnet, Middlesex, Grover’s journey from a teenager in National Service to a master of film editing remains a testament to a lifetime dedicated to the art of storytelling through the lens.