Our brief tribute to a fallen cinematic legend who has left us at the prime of his career.We are deeply saddened to report the tragic passing of Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died last Sunday, February 2nd. The iconic film star was found dead in his apartment after what is currently suspected to have been a drug overdose, but the nature and causes of his demise are far from what we should truly be discussing in the wake of this horrible event.
Instead, we remember Philip for his work, his immeasurable contribution to an industry which still has so much to learn from its players, their beliefs and their resulting approach to their performances. To this writer, the American thespian was best known for his portrayal of Plutarch Heavensbee in the Hunger Games franchise, yet in the hours that passed after the news of Philip's passing broke, it became wholly evident that he will be remembered for so many other roles, and will remain beloved by so many generations other than my own. From Capote to The Master, from Mission Impossible 3 to Moneyball, this was an actor whose scope for generic flexibility was truly remarkable, and as such, his influence upon the industry in its past, present and future states has been, is and will be profound to say the least.
Even in spite of my own reservations regarding the Academy Awards, that Philip earned the Best Actor award for his Capote turn and three Best Supporting Actor nominations for Charlie Wilson's War, Doubt and The Master in the past decade alone can still provide strong foundations towards a summary of his recognition and esteem amongst his industrial peers (however incomplete it must be, such is the nature of an obituary conducted only a short time after the man's passing). The great tragedy of this recognition, this actorial prestige, however, is its own incomplete status- although I mentioned earlier my intent to defer the ongoing analysis of the medical attributes of Philip's death from this tribute for discussion on another day, there must come a point at which we rightly acknowledge the specific time of his passing, his final age of just 46. If 'medicinal' and addictive substances were indeed to blame for this event, then its occurrence signals a continuation of an increasingly disturbing series of losses which have come about in this manner, such as Glee's Cory Monteith at just 31 last year, a manner of death which implies a great deal of ongoing issues within our society and perhaps within our cultural elevation of 'celebrities' (in particular the burden of expectations that this elevation brings about). To see a beloved thespian such as Philip die after a prolonged and exhaustive career would be difficult enough, yet to see him pass during the prime of an already illustrious career is a harrowing injustice, and one which I imagine is more prevalent in the under-publicised realms of society than any of us or the media would dare to willingly admit or explore further.
Rather than to delve deeper into such a line of thought, I'll return to those fundamental purposes of any singular obituary: not only to mourn, but to commemorate and celebrate a life which was laden with hallmark moments. One can only hope that the supposed nature of Philip's passing does not substantially incriminate his memory within his familial/inner circles, or that the widespread acclaim for his works and his beloved status within the industry can act as some form of consolation to them in that eventuality. My thoughts and prayers go out to those closest to Philip in this period of grief and celebration of the times which they spent in his company. As a final tribute to a lost great of cinema, I've included a video of but a segment of his performance in The Master in the hope that if it can still elicit such respect from me towards the intricacy and mastery of his portrayal, then it can do the same and (even briefly) recapture the spirit and passion he demonstrated in his work for the world over.
Rest In Peace, Philip.
No comments:
Post a Comment