I was influenced by European movies, old Fellini, old Kurosawa - any sort of foreign film.

Over the course of his career he establiTed Demmed a group of actors that he chose to work with on more than one occasion. Death
On Sunday January 13 2002 while playing a game of basketball Demme collapsed and died of a heart attack which may have been related to cocaine later found in his system during an autopsy.

"Ted" Demme (October 26 1963 – January 13 2002) was an American film director and producer.