Sunday, February 02, 2014
Philip Seymour Hoffman - 46
Died in his apartment bathroom. Apparently drug overdose. A giant talent lost to the needle.
Don't ask me why, what I was thinking, but as the reality of Hoffman's loss sank in, I was drawn to this. In it I found comfort. It reminds me of the many deeply flawed but genuinely heroic men I knew as I grew up, many of them immediate relatives.
I always thought there was that vein of courage inside this man but I have also seen, first hand, how it can be such a powerful demon that they struggle, unsuccessfully to escape.
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18 comments:
This makes me very sad, and if it is true that he died of a drug overdose, very angry.
Another enormous talent chased down by his demons, Lorne.
A cryin' shame.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd3oqvnDKQk
Broke my heart when I heard of his death. Such a genuine, even formidable, talent. From the smug, vapid, prep school student in "Scent of A Woman", to the hearty, hail-fellow-well-met roadie/storm chaser named Dusty in "Twister", to his more than a little spooky CIA spook in "Charlie Wilson's War", Hoffman created character who were eminently believable as real, flesh and blood people. Finely nuanced, relatable, identifiable, beautifully fleshed out characters are the hallmark of a truly great actor, and he is going to sorely and very genuinely missed. It really is a body blow.
I actually cried. Haven't done that in a long while...
Such a brilliant actor gone far too young. I had no idea he had addiction issues. From what I heard/read, he had managed to keep his demons at bay for nearly a quarter century. So many excellent portrayals of characters that ran the gamut - from the closeted gay assistant in "Boogie Nights" to his great turn as Capote and his more recent work in "Moneyball" and "Charlie Wilson's War" - seeing his name in the credits was always a harbinger of something good to feast on.
Neil, I was gutted the very same way. I too cried.
I never saw a performance from PSH that I disliked. As an ex-$cientologist perhaps the role that resonates most with me is that of Lancaster Dodd in The Master. Spooky yet intriguing, just like Ron was. Hoffman was a master himself.
Those damned drugs, I'll never understand them. For that I am grateful.
Hoffman was a privileged idiot with every opportunity on the planet.H
e deserves what he reaped. Cry for the ones born into poverty and abuse. I sure won't miss him!!!! Cried!!!! Really????
Asstone, what do you know of Hoffman? Nothing. No one gives a fig about your dismissal of this fellow, least of all me. On what footing do you judge him? Sorry, pal, but I'm guessing you're just another mouthy jerkoff.
I was deeply saddened too,he worked hard at his craft and for the most part of his career did it drug and alcohol free, what a loss. I feel very badly for his kids and partner. This illustrates how incredibly hard addiction is to overcome.
astone does bring up a good point. Why do we mourn those that are "popular" or "known" but don't give a fuck about those that struggle every day?
Hoffman seemed wiser when he beat his demons eons again. Now that he succumbed when he had money, fame and respect seems rather pathetic,
He even had the luxury of checking himself into rehap...
Addiction is not curable. It's managed on a day-to-day basis and the addict walks the razor's edge for the rest of their life. No one chooses to be an addict and heaping abuse on them is simply ignorant.
Philip Seymour Hoffman was an extraordinarily talented person. I looked forward to anything that he acted in and now he's gone and I feel terrible that he couldn't find any other way to deal with his problems.
Why do we mourn those that are "popular" or "known" but don't give a fuck about those that struggle every day?
- On what basis can you say that? Some people have touched our lives, others are unknown to us. Yet the unknown are very likely to have been known to their own family and friends and their loss is probably felt intensely by them.
I like to think that I have empathy for those unknowns, the unfortunates. I advocate for them and help them financially, particularly through supporting the Salvation Army.
Ahhh. Now here, folks, with asstone, we have an example of every blogger's bane - the Requisite Asshole of Righteous Rectitude, that baleful creature who spews their bilious bleatings with all the charm of a dyspeptic weasel with a bad case of piles. To them all failures are moral ones, and they are just the scold to point them out. "What of the unfortunates?" they cry, knowing quite well that progressives of all stripes devote their energies, in whatever form. to aiding them by drawing attention to their suffering and all injustice, but all the while smugly feeling that only THEY are the ones truly helping by casting aspersions on others who don't match their own lofty morals.
PSH was a gifted artist, Asstone, who, like all gifted artists, threw light onto the odd, flawed, and remarkable creatures we humans are, and if there is no room in your in your rarefied, purified, doctrinaire revolution for art or simple human empathy, than you can have it, sir or madam; I'll have no part...
N.
I actually worked with the dick you call a genius. Here in Winnipeg and Selkirk. You are an idiot, no question. I think you are a Troll. Please go fawn on your plastic Idols you jerk. Pretentious Ass. Don't think I didn't notice the extra s. Pretentious dickheadkneel!! And as for you mos, I was upset when Montreal Simon lit into you. No longer. You are obviously just a scribbler who preys on the masses.
does it taste salty(not that there is anything wrong with that)???
PSH may have been a good actor, that is not the point. I have little sympathy for him as this was self-inflicted. I feel for his family.
Now would MOS and other have reacted the same way if this had happened to Justin Bieber?
Anon. No, probably not. I've never considered Bieber either talented or notable.
I do have real empathy for addicts and others who fall between the cracks. I've known a number of them and acted for several. If you understood their plight you might grasp how harsh your attitude is. It is from that understanding that we support initiatives such as Insite and your understanding parallels Harper's.
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