I did not exactly know John Cocchi personally, but I recognized his picture instantly, from having a customer service relationship with him. He was a quiet, matter of fact sort, who always knew what he was about, how to go about finding it, and never gave anyone a bit of trouble.
Imagine my shock over what I learned, yesterday. First, that he had been missing since April 16. He was 74 years old. Two months later, on June 16, his dead body was found off the coast of Sandy Hook, in New Jersey. The biggest shock to me--he lived in Bay Ridge, which is where I am, only he lived further up, on Gelston Avenue, which, I think is in the Eighties, in the vicinity. of Century Twenty One.
John was a cineaste and film scholar. He wrote for an entertainment magazine (probably now defunct) in Mid-Manhattan. He was also the author of a film quiz book, and one on B-movie
Westerns!
According to a sibling, he suffered greatly from depression, ie; bi-polar disorder. Suicide, sadly, seems likely; I cannot imagine anyone who would want a cineaste dead. Now, if he had an undisclosed copy of, say, the lost version of Lon Chaney's "London After Midnight," that might give someone a motive. But they would have to know that he had it.
And a true cineaste would keep something like that to himself. Believe me, I know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a sad end for this film scholar and Bay Ridge resident. Film scholarship and Bay Ridge won't quite be the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And I shall miss John's visits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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