Peter Morris

Peter Morris

Peter Morris (born at Blackpool, UK 1937; died at Hamilton, Ont 2 Feb 2011). Peter Morris was an important and influential pioneer of Canadian film studies. He received a BA from the University of Nottingham in 1958 and an MA in science from the University of British Columbia in 1961. He was the author of Embattled Shadows: A History of Canadian Cinema 1885-1939 (1978), the first detailed history of Canadian cinema, and The Film Companion (1984). He translated and edited Georges Sadoul's Dictionary of Films and Dictionary of Film Makers (1972) into English. He wrote many articles and monographs on Canadian and world films, and published his book David Cronenberg: A Delicate Balance in 1994.

Peter Morris taught film at Queen's University, Kingston (1976-88) and was professor emeritus in film studies in the department of film and video at York University. He was founding curator of the Canadian Film Archives in Ottawa (now incorporated into the National Archives of Canada), the first Canadian institution ever admitted into FIAF (the International Federation of Film Archives). He was a member of its executive committee from 1966-69 and again 1973-74; from 1967-68 he was FIAF's treasurer. He was founding president of the Film Studies Association of Canada, an editor of the Canadian Journal of Film Studies (1989-93) and a member of its advisory editorial board. He also served as coordinator of the fine arts cultural studies program at York University.