Val Kilmer has died
nytimes.com150 points by handfuloflight a day ago
150 points by handfuloflight a day ago
The article doesn't mention his starring role in "Real Genius", a comedy about life at Caltech. One of my favorite movies.
He managed to outshine Tom Cruise in "Top Gun". I've enjoyed his movies. Well done.
Also "Willow", one of mine, and IMO one of the best fantasy movies Hollywood ever produced.
And of course the iconic role in "Top Gun", and the silly but classic "Top Secret"
As the article notices, he really had a wide range. Probably my favorite actor of his generation.
Willow is one of the most ignored, underrated movies ever.
It did eventually did get a series, although I guess the series was let down and there are people who wish it had been ignored a little longer.
It's absolutely a classic though. It's a shame that the genre isn't as popular as it used to be.
The series was so bad that Disney took it down from their streaming service.
It did get on a bunch of "most watched" lists, and it wasn't grimdark like all fantasy needs to be nowadays.
I'd argue it's much easier to make an iconic movie (you shoot and statistically at some point you hit) than a good series based on it (you already have the expectations set high, you need to surprise so as not to bore but keep consistency with the overall mood etc. - a very demanding task).
Fun fact: Caltech wouldn't let the director film RG on campus, as they thought it showed Caltech in a poor light (quite wrong about that!).
But the director did hire Caltech students as extras, as the director put it, the costume director could not duplicate the look of them.
The student pranks and such in the movie actually happened, except the last one and the voice of god one.
"Was it a dream where you see yourself standing in sort of sun-god robes on a pyramid with a thousand naked women screaming and throwing little pickles at you?"
There are actors I developed an affinity towards. I don't know for sure whether it was their role or acting in that role. I don't think so. I just think I saw some of them when I started exploring cinema from the world, outside my country, and hence in the beginning that meant mostly from the USA. I think it is just early familiarity. Kilmer is one of them.
And - they never seem to age to me. Maybe it's the makeup or what not. I remember him from Heat and even in subsequent films somehow he stayed that old or young - like in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, or Salton Sea, there was this with Michael Douglas, and some more. don't remember Top Gun for Cruise, hell I don't remember any Tom Cruise film for Tom Cruise. If I noticed him in a film I'd just assume I'd like that film and that kinda seemed irrational but I did like the film. There was something about him. There are few more actors like him. It's sad. They never look older to me, they just die one day and that becomes more shocking. In a way it reminds me of my own mortality harder compared to maybe if I would have noticed them steadily growing and looking older. I will miss him.
Me too, because of "The Saint" movie - I was a bit fascinated for some time. Like an alternative 007.
Check out the TV show, then. Brit 60s fun with Roger Moore, before he was a Bond!
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055701/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8...
Same disease as Iceman. His scene in Maverick was transparent fan service to let us applaud the actor one more time. Manipulative as hell and not a dry eye on my couch. This news feels like a coda to his curtain call.
This is the thing about Top Gun and the mission impossible movies.
Tom Cruise still remembers that we go to the theater to be entertained. And he delivers on that above everything else.
And he knows how to give the fans what they want, all the way up to the gimmicky use of an F14 in Top Gun 2. Or seeing IceMan again.
So sad to hear this. I never get tired of watching Val Kilmer play Doc Holliday in Tombstone. It was such a detailed performance. Go watch it now if you haven't seen it!
Heat, Ronin and the Ocean's series are the trinity of heist movies. "For me the sun rises and sets with her, man."
For any Heat fans reading this comment, Michael Mann co-wrote a novel, Heat 2, that focuses on his character, and the entire time I was reading it I imagined it being Val the entire time. It's very good - a worthy follow-up.
To me what sets Heat apart from any other action movie is the realistic sound of gun fire.
One of a kind movie.
Man’s movies tend to have great firearms display and sound. It’s one of the things he is known for, and I think Heat took it to the next level.
There's no movie I've watched more than Real Genius. It's easy to group it in with other 80's comedies, but the writing, acting, production, and even scientific plausibility are top notch.
The things the students did are for real, too. And they nailed the students.
The professor, though, was not based on anyone I knew of.
He was fantastic in the Doors movie. RIP
> He was fantastic in the Doors movie. RIP
In fact in the movie Val Kilmer did vocals himself and real members of the Doors said that they could hardly distinguish his singing from real Jim Morrison.
He'll be highly missed, one great actor.
Loved him on "The Saint".
An actor I always liked but didn't think about often enough. Requiescat in pace.
Did his belief in “Christian Science” have anything to do with his relatively early demise?
Val Kilmer did Felon in 2008 I I believe. It's a very big departure from his other performances and an interesting film made after his hiatus. It's clear he still had a lot of talent later in his life.
You’ll always be our Huckleberry. RIP
I was going to say he was underrated as a comedic straight man but Top Secret has a higher rating on IMDB than Top Gun. Rock on Nick Rivers.
I'm his huckle bearer
Kilmer personified cool in Tombstone. He was a childhood hero
Val played his role in the 2008 film Felon very well. RIP.
So many Val Kilmer movies I have watched over and over that have brought joy, passing idle time, providing comfort after a tough day, helping to get through the flu while being miserable on the couch, helping my younger imagination run wild.
It’s interesting how one person can have such an impact on us. Many thanks to Val Kilmer for giving us wonderful movies.
Tombstone was a cultural icon in my fraternity house as we had a drinking game based around it. But Val will always be in my memory as the wild swordsman Mad Mardigan in Willow. RIP!
Every time Doc Holiday drinks you take a shot. Nothing less than 80-proof allowed. No other food or drinks allowed. You cannot vomit before the end of the credits. If you get through the whole movie you get to sign the house's Tombstone movie poster. With the director's cut I believe it was 21 shots total, with one or two of the scenes in the saloon what really push people over the edge because he drinks frequently in a short period of time.
I never even attempted it. We had one or two brothers who vomited during the credits.....FAIL! Ah good times.
"I got two guns...one for the both of ya."
Val Kilmer taught me flip a pen through my fingers while sitting in class. Thank you Val. May your memory be a blessing.
My favorite movie of his would be 2004 Spartan followed by 1996 The Island of Dr. Moreau.
Very good actor.
rip in peace, iceman.
65 doesn’t seem that old anymore. Sad to hear. Have read many anecdotes over the years of him being a generally cool guy and very generous with his time when dealing with fans.
I don't know everything about his past, but the man was involved in the industry from a young age and extremely active in the early years. Compared to most, if he had some big skeletons in his closet they didn't come out yet or they did and were really dumb and minor.
That doesn't happen much now. Usually we know they are a nazi supporter or something by the time they are 19.
Sadly not yet another in a long series of diversions in an attempt to avoid responsibility.
It seems my hypocrisy knows no bounds
He had any number of great lines but this one I really enjoyed.
Jerry, if you think that by threatening me you can get me to be your slave... Well, that's where you're right. But - and I am only saying this because I care - there are a lot of decaffeinated brands on the market today that are just as tasty as the real thing.
"This is funny."
Stupid paywall...