Hugh Hudson, director of the 1981 Oscar winner for best picture, Chariots of Fire, has died at 86 after a brief illness. Nigel Havers, star of the acclaimed film based on the experiences of two British runners in the lead-up to 1924 Olympics, mourned Hudson’s death, saying, “Chariots of Fire was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life, and, like so many others, I owe much of what followed to him. … I shall miss him greatly.” Users on social media joined Havers, calling Hudson’s death a “great loss” and celebrating the iconic Chariots of Fire as “one of the greatest of all British films.” A graduate of the prestigious Eton College, Hudson began his career making advertisements and editing documentaries, and directed a series of other films including Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, and Lost Angels.