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Monday, September 21, 2009
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Current mood:  contemplative Category: Movies, TV, Celebrities
When Clint Eastwood announced "Gran Torino" would be his last film in front of the camera (focusing solely on directing and film production, in future), I was pleased that he bowed out so gracefully with such a wonderful 'signature' role (in many ways similar to John Wayne's farewell film, "The Shootist"), but I also felt sadness, as I grew up with his presence, on TV, first, then in film...and I realized that the kids, today, have no actors of the same stature who offer the caliber of films and performances. I mean, Duvall, Pacino, DeNiro, Nicholson, Freeman...these are legendary stars still very active, but where are this generation's film legends? And I began to think of other stars, no longer active, whose presence is sorely missed...
Gene Hackman, 79, who made his last onscreen appearance in 2004's "Welcome to Mooseport"...when asked if he now considered himself 'retired', he answered, "I guess you could call it retired. I haven't worked for four years now. And I don't miss the business. I miss the process of being on-set with actors when things get cooking. But there's so much crapola in order to get there. It's just too painful." When I think of all his amazing performances, from the "French Connection" films, to "Bonnie and Clyde", to the "Superman" appearances to "Hoosiers", "Mississippi Burning", "Unforgiven", and so much, much more, I can see the unfillable void he leaves...
Sean Connery, 79, whose last onscreen appearance was in 2003's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"...when asked, he replied, "Am I retired? Oh, yes." Besides being the definitive James Bond (even Daniel Craig doesn't hold a candle to him), Connery simply was a force of nature, from being the "Last of the Barbary Pirates" in "The Wind and the Lion", to his marvellously droll take as Dr. Henry Jones, Indy's father; he was the Immortal who taught "Highlander" the ropes, the Chicago cop who taught Elliot Ness the ropes in "The Untouchables", the legendary King who taught Lancelot the ropes, in "First Knight". Any wonder why he was Peter Jackson's first choice as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings"? (Connery turned the part down, not wanting to spend over a year in New Zealand...and not understanding the books, anyway!) My generation was so lucky to have him!
James Garner, 81, whose last onscreen appearance was in 2007's "First Night"...Garner never officially retired, suffering a severe stroke, last year, that he is still recovering from. While he could act, again (Kirk Douglas came back, after a stroke), I suspect that he will decide to enjoy his retirement. And what a legacy he's left, as Maverick and Rockford, to film classics like "The Americanization of Emily" and "The Great Escape", to just plain wonderful films like "Murphy's Romance". Garner was a friend, more than a star; a regular guy who I'd invite into my home, any time!
Sidney Poitier, 82, last seen on the big screen, in 1997's "The Jackal"...He has said, off-the-record, that he no longer plans to act or direct, and WHAT a loss that is! His importance to both the film industry and the black community cannot be overstated; perhaps he was often 'too perfect', but without his opening the door, there would be no Bill Cosby, or Morgan Freeman, or Will Smith, or Samuel L. Jackson, or any other brilliant black performers in film, today. He opened the door, back in the very segregated 1950s, and by the 1960s, in "A Patch of Blue", "Lillies of the Field", "To Sir, with Love", "In the Heat of the Night", "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", and many other films, he not only proved a 'man of color' could be accepted by all audiences, but that he could outact nearly anybody else in film...
Elizabeth Taylor, 77, whose last screen appearance was in 1994's "The Flintstones"...She is often referred to as "The Last Screen Legend", and I wholeheartedly agree! Think of her performances (in classics like "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "Giant", "Father of the Bride", "A Place in the Sun", "Cleopatra", just to name a few), think of her co-stars (Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, Montgomery Clift, James Dean, Paul Newman, Rock Hudson, Richard Burton, Robert Taylor, Mickey Rooney, so many more), and think of the impact she's made, as both an actress and activist...she was one of the first to take a stand against AIDS, saying, of sharing Rock Hudson's last day, "we laughed about making chocolate martinis. And oh, he was just skin and bones. And I thought I am going to do everything in my living power to get at this disease and kill it by its throat.” Always frail (despite her voluptuous screen image), she has survived a brain tumor, spinal surgery, hip replacements, bronchial pneumonia, alcohol addition problems, and many other ailments, and come back, fighting for what she believes in...a double Oscar winner, and, in my mind, one of the most amazing women who ever lived, I just don't think we'll ever see anyone like her, again...
Oh, what you kids will miss!
8:36 PM
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