The Salton Sea (released this week) is supposedly his best work yet... so it's time time for a little retrospective on the career of Mr. Val Kimer.
Post what you think about his movies, because I haven't seen a lot of them.
Anyone seen his debut Top Secret! ?
Or Real Genius which Roger Ebert adored?
Top Gun was his big break, a film in which he was forced by contractual obligations to appear. He plays IceMan and was my favourite thing in it - which isn't saying much because I don't like the movie.
Next up came Willow , a huge hit in my youth which still entertains today. Has Warwick Davis ever starred in a bad movie? Kilmer is at his best here as the cocky hero played with his tongue lodged firmly in his cheek. He also managed to wed his very attractive co-star Ms. Whalley.
John Dahl directed his next effort Kill Me Again but I've missed seeing it again.
Then came Val Kilmer's most ambitious role. He took on Jim Morrison in The Doors and succeeded brilliantly. He looked perfect. He acted perfectly. And he even sang a little. This is the man's signature role. The role that suggested he could be more than the fun, commercial actor that we had seen before. The movie itself may not be perfect but there's no denying that Kilmer was the best thing in it.
Working with a quality director like Michael Apted, Kilmer was able to succeed again in the critically acclaimed Thunderheart . Unfortunately I haven't seen it. Anyone care to shed some light on this film.
Kilmer took on another dead rock star in True Romance . Kilmer's performance might not be the best supporting performance in the movie, that's shared between Mr. Hopper and Mr. Walken, but he's lots of fun.
Less said about The Real McCoy the better.
Thus onto his biggest commercial success to date and the setting for one of the movie's greatest conundrums... who is the best Batman? My vote is for Kilmer. He just looks more comfortable as Bruce Wayne. Anyone can play Batman. Its playing Bruce Wayne that makes or breaks the performance. Kilmer is good here, though obviously overshadowed by the maniacly brilliant Carrey. Batman Forever is my favourite Batman. Argue with me at your peril.
1993 was a good year for Val. His performance in Tombstone was the best thing in it. He played Doc Holliday and gave the movie a much needed source of energy.
And now the slide...
Next came Heat . A good movie, yes, but it also gave us a ridiculously awful Val Kilmer haircut, whose performance was almost as bad.
Wings of Courage is an IMAX movie that I haven't seen.
The Ghost and the Darkness may be the worst movie to win an Oscar ever. It won Sound Effects Editing. There's very little to recommend here.
The Island of Dr Moreau was even worse.
The Saint was further proof that the once great Kilmer had become a ham.
At First Sight should have been the final nail in the coffin. What was he thinking?
But the news is good. Word on the web tells me that the Salton Sea has got a great Val Kilmer performance. It's like having an old friend return. I can't wait to see it.
Post what you think about his movies, because I haven't seen a lot of them.
Anyone seen his debut Top Secret! ?
Or Real Genius which Roger Ebert adored?
Top Gun was his big break, a film in which he was forced by contractual obligations to appear. He plays IceMan and was my favourite thing in it - which isn't saying much because I don't like the movie.
Next up came Willow , a huge hit in my youth which still entertains today. Has Warwick Davis ever starred in a bad movie? Kilmer is at his best here as the cocky hero played with his tongue lodged firmly in his cheek. He also managed to wed his very attractive co-star Ms. Whalley.
John Dahl directed his next effort Kill Me Again but I've missed seeing it again.
Then came Val Kilmer's most ambitious role. He took on Jim Morrison in The Doors and succeeded brilliantly. He looked perfect. He acted perfectly. And he even sang a little. This is the man's signature role. The role that suggested he could be more than the fun, commercial actor that we had seen before. The movie itself may not be perfect but there's no denying that Kilmer was the best thing in it.
Working with a quality director like Michael Apted, Kilmer was able to succeed again in the critically acclaimed Thunderheart . Unfortunately I haven't seen it. Anyone care to shed some light on this film.
Kilmer took on another dead rock star in True Romance . Kilmer's performance might not be the best supporting performance in the movie, that's shared between Mr. Hopper and Mr. Walken, but he's lots of fun.
Less said about The Real McCoy the better.
Thus onto his biggest commercial success to date and the setting for one of the movie's greatest conundrums... who is the best Batman? My vote is for Kilmer. He just looks more comfortable as Bruce Wayne. Anyone can play Batman. Its playing Bruce Wayne that makes or breaks the performance. Kilmer is good here, though obviously overshadowed by the maniacly brilliant Carrey. Batman Forever is my favourite Batman. Argue with me at your peril.
1993 was a good year for Val. His performance in Tombstone was the best thing in it. He played Doc Holliday and gave the movie a much needed source of energy.
And now the slide...
Next came Heat . A good movie, yes, but it also gave us a ridiculously awful Val Kilmer haircut, whose performance was almost as bad.
Wings of Courage is an IMAX movie that I haven't seen.
The Ghost and the Darkness may be the worst movie to win an Oscar ever. It won Sound Effects Editing. There's very little to recommend here.
The Island of Dr Moreau was even worse.
The Saint was further proof that the once great Kilmer had become a ham.
At First Sight should have been the final nail in the coffin. What was he thinking?
But the news is good. Word on the web tells me that the Salton Sea has got a great Val Kilmer performance. It's like having an old friend return. I can't wait to see it.
__________________
I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.
I couldn't believe that she knew my name. Some of my best friends didn't know my name.