Albert Pyun Lifeless: ‘Nemesis,’ ‘Cyborg’ Cult Filmmaker Was 69

Albert Pyun, a style filmmaker whose sweeping physique of labor consists of cult favorites corresponding to “Cyborg,” “The Sword and the Sorcerer,” “Nemesis” and the 1989 “Captain America,” died Saturday in Las Vegas, Nev. He was 69 years outdated.

Pyun had been identified with a number of sclerosis and dementia just a few years in the past. Previously months, his spouse and producer, Cynthia Curnan, had been sharing periodic updates on his situation. Extra not too long ago, she implored followers to share private messages with the director after his well being started to say no.

Curnan confirmed Pyun’s demise by way of Fb, writing “I sat with him for his final breath that seemed like he was releasing the burden of the world.” 

Largely working beneath low budgets for a direct-to-video market, Pyun developed an immersive type of dreamy lighting, post-apocalyptic dilapidation and surreal, balletic motion that discovered an enthusiastic fanbase amongst style movie audiences over time. Over a filmmaking profession spanning 4 many years, Pyun teamed with a veritable who’s who of motion icons, together with Jean-Claude Van Damme, Christopher Lambert and Burt Reynolds, in addition to different collaborators corresponding to Snoop Dogg, Charlie Sheen, Ice-T, Lance Henriksen, Ronny Cox, Kris Kristofferson, James Coburn, Rutger Hauer and Dennis Hopper.

Born Could 19, 1953 in Hawaii, Pyun was raised as a army youngster, residing on bases internationally earlier than his household settled again within the Rainbow State. After viewing one in all his brief movies, Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune invited Pyun to function an intern on the manufacturing of Akira Kurosawa’s 1975 characteristic “Derzu Uzula.” After Mifune exited the mission, Pyun as a substitute labored on the manufacturing of one of many actor’s TV sequence, receiving tutelage from Kurosawa’s common cinematographer Takao Saito.

After returning to Hawaii to movie commercials, Pyun got here to Los Angeles. He launched his movie profession in 1982 with the excessive fantasy epic “The Sword and the Sorcerer.” Engaged on a $4 million price range, the characteristic was an unlikely industrial success, grossing $40 million on the field workplace. 

Creating a detailed relationship with Cannon Photos, Pyun was valued for his potential to mount resourceful productions with fast turnarounds. Via the 1990’s, he directed greater than 20 characteristic movies, together with his four-part “Nemesis” sequence and the 1990 “Captain America,” which was the primary feature-length live-action adaptation of the Marvel Comics superhero.

After the flip of the millennium, Pyun started to self-fund his initiatives, producing movies corresponding to “Street to Hell,” “Bulletface” and “Invasion.” Late in life, the director continued growing and tinkering with ongoing artistic endeavors whereas sustaining medical therapy.

Based on his spouse, Pyun had been engaged on two unfinished options earlier than his demise, hoping to remodel the initiatives right into a six-part TV sequence. “To Albert, failure has by no means been an possibility,” she wrote.

Pyun is survived by his spouse, Cynthia Curnan.