It was a shock hearing of character actor Bill Paxton's death at age 61 on Saturday due to complications from surgery. He's one of those actors who may not be the lead in a film but certainly makes an impression on the viewer. And he struck me as the kind of guy I'd want to have a beer with.
While I had seen Bill in a music video (the quirky FISH HEADS) and a number of films, (STRIPES, STREETS OF FIRE, THE TERMINATOR) it wasn't until his performance as the wise cracking Private Hudson in ALIENS that I was able to put a name to the face. From that point till now it is a joy to see his name in the credits of a film I'm watching.
There are two films I'd like to note in his long career that don't get the attention they deserve. The first is Sam Raimi's A SIMPLE PLAN. It is one of the few films where Bill stars and he puts in a great performance as a man trying to desperately hold onto a lot of found cash. The supporting cast, Billy Bob Thornton, Bridget Fonda, Cary Cole and others also put in fine performances. The second film is one of two films that Bill directed, FRAILTY. Bill stars (one of the perks of directing) alongside Powers Boothe and Matthew McConaughey as a religious man who has visions. And not the nice kind of visions. It's a smartly done low budget character study with a couple of surprises along the way.
R.I.P.
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