This one hit me pretty hard, on-par with Lucas or Spielberg going - didn't hear about his diagnosis last year. One of the most unique talents film ever produced, a real testament to how far film can be pushed, never sold out the way people like Tim Burton did, and a true character in real life. Recently re-watched Blue Velvet after way too many years and it still held up so hauntingly, eerily well. His tale of being courted by GL to direct ROTJ is still one of the funniest things I've ever heard, up there with Eddie Murphy and Prince's hubcap.