Tony Scott dies

Today as I switched on my computer I was shocked by the news of Tony Scott's death in Los Angeles, where he reportedly jumped from a bridge. He and his fellow film director brother Ridley Scott have always figured in my mind as amongst the best in the business.

When I imagine which film makers I might one day seek out to dramatise one of my novels (even the ones as yet unwritten but sketched out inside my head), the Scott brothers are right there, along with Mike Leigh, David Lynch, Walter Hill and Richard Curtis.

Of the two brothers, Ridley made the films that I most admire (Alien, Legend, Bladerunner and Thelma an Louise), but there is no denying that Tony was an accomplished director too, with Top Gun and True Romance among his most well-known works.

Who knows what the story behind this tragedy is. I'm sure it will become clearer in the weeks to come. At the moment I feel shock and sadness that a great moviemaker is no longer with us. Farewell, Mr Scott.