I
really wish I didn’t have to write this.
However, although 2014 is still young, we’ve already lost some important
people in the world of visual entertainment.
I was initially not going to devote a whole post to this topic after
James Avery’s death, but when his passing was quickly followed by those of
Justin and Philip, I felt it would be terribly avoidant of me to not
say…..well, something, especially since two of these deaths were particularly
sudden and tragic.
This is
not going to be in any particular order.
There is no structure to this.
I’m not informed enough to offer a detailed analysis of the legacies of
these individuals, or to provide an overview of their work as a whole. Like with my tribute to Roger Ebert last
year, this post will just be my thoughts on each of these great men. My words on them won’t be terribly detailed,
but they will at least be honest. I pray
that each of them, in their own way, have found rest and peace. May God bless them and keep them
forever.
Philip Seymour
Hoffman (1967-2014)
The
role that will always define Hoffman, for me, was his powerful turn in Paul
Thomas Anderson’s The Master in 2013,
for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor (and for which, in my
opinion, should have won). I know he’s
remembered by so many others from The Big
Lebowski, and by others for Capote,
but since that was the first time I really saw him in a lead role, that is the
performance of his that will always be the most iconic for me. I had already started to get excited about
seeing his earlier works and awaiting his next projects when I heard of his
passing, and like the loss of any great talent, it’s heartbreaking that he will
no longer be around to create more works of great art for us. Thank you for the inspiration, good sir.
Justin Carmical, aka
JewWario (1971-2014)
Justin
was one of the producers for That Guy With The Glasses that I never really
followed on his own. My only exposure to
his style and humor were in his crossovers with others on the site, along with
his roles in the anniversary movies Kickassia,
Suburban Knights, and To Boldly Flee. The ones that will always stick out the most
to me, however, are his contributions to Suede’s series of reviews of the
Pokemon movies (a series which, sadly, may now no longer be continued). Seeing someone much older than me who could
still be so passionately enthusiastic about Pokemon was immensely uplifting for
me, and actually inspired my current efforts to revisit my childhood
obsession. Even if Suede and Linkara
decide to discontinue the series, those few reviews will remain some of my
favorite works on the site, and through those and many others, I know Justin
will continue to live on in the hearts of our community. Thank you, Justin, for contributing to that
world.
James Avery
(1945-2013)
Out of
the three deaths being lamented here, this one had the most personal meaning
for me. There was a several year period
during high school where NickatNite was, effectively, my entire weekend- I
would spend hours each night, sometimes until 2 or 3 in the morning, watching
the channel’s reruns of old sitcoms; The
Cosby Show, M.A.S.H., Three’s Company, Cheers, That 70’s Show,
and, of course, The Fresh Prince of
Bel-Air (along with many others).
And Fresh Prince, along with M.A.S.H. and The Cosby Show, still ranks among my favorite TV shows of all
time. Looking back, I realize that while
I was initially drawn to the show for Jeffrey’s wry snarkiness and the raw
energy that Will Smith and Alfonso Ribeiro brought to their roles, I was also
slowly able to appreciate the more serious and adult (but still hilarious)
emotional balance provided by Uncle Phil, who was perfect as both the stern
disciplinarian antagonist in some episodes, and as the loving pillar of
parental support in others. Uncle Phil-
his rages, his affections, his flaws, and his jokes- were a significant
presence in my life during those years, and like all my other favorite roles
and characters, will always be a part of me.
Thank you Mr. Avery. Thank you so,
so much for all the laughs, and all the memories.
Thank
you as well to those of you who read this.
These wonderful people, as flawed and as beautiful as any of us, are
gone. We can’t change that, however much
we wish we could. However, we do have
the power to make sure that they and their work will not die, that their
contributions to our world live on in our hearts and in the hearts of
others. So let’s keep spinning people. As we go on creating new art, let’s the time
every so often to re-appreciate the old.
Until
next time.
-Noah Franc
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