[2025] Gone But Not Forgotten

Throwback post. We are so lucky to have had him in our world. RIP.
Mulholland Dr. (2001), David Lynch



I may have been able to get this film in a later round, but it's my favorite movie so I had to make sure I had it on my list. I won't go into detail because I think this is a movie one should see knowing as little about it as possible. The viewer should just buckle in and enjoy the ride. What I can tell you is that Naomi Watts puts on an absolute acting clinic. She shows an incredible range with plenty of nuance. And David Lynch is at his best, adeptly showing off his trademark style. He creates a very rich picture. Of what, I won't say. But it relies heavily on visual cues, so keep your eyes open.

P.S. The scene containing the screenshot I included is my favorite in all of cinema.
 
Here we go again...

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RIP John Sykes. Had the distinction of being in the final Thin Lizzy incarnation before the death of Phil Lynott and playing on their final studio album and also the distinction of being the guitarist in the version of Whitesnake that recorded their s/t 1987 record that spawned the 1987 recording of Here I Go Again (fans of the song may know the line "Like a drifter I was born to walk alone" replaced the less memorable "Like a hobo..." verse), Still of the Night, Give Me All Your Love, and Is This Love?. Sykes has co-writing credits on all 3 of the latter hits. Prior to the album's release, David Coverdale fired the entire band for a more MTV friendly band but it also spelled the end of their contributions to hard rock music as the follow up album only had two semi-hits and one of them was also a re-recording of an older Whitesnake song.

Sykes would then go on to form Blue Murder and then tour and perform as a solo act, but his run in Whitesnake really spawned the most memorable recordings of his career and some of the biggest hits of the time when bands like Whitesnake and Def Leppard ruled the charts. Aside from Tawny Kitaen his playing is really the most memorable thing about the band.

https://metalinjection.net/this-is-just-a-tribute/john-sykes-thin-lizzy-whitesnake-etc-dead-at-65

 
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And sadly we lost Bon Uecker as well. While he was actually the primary broadcaster for the Brewers he is perhaps better known as the Cleveland Indians announcer in Major League. He was also the dad on TV's Mr. Belvedere and appeared during WrestleMania III as special guest ring announcer.

RIP.


https://www.wisn.com/article/bob-uecker-iconic-milwaukee-brewers-broadcaster-dies-at-90/63443603

USA Today - 6 Best Uecker Majore League Quotes

I missed this a few days ago being more preoccupied by Lynch's passing, but Uecker's a legend.

Can't tell you how many times I've said "juuust a bit outside" whenever something, anything very clearly misses its mark.

Pretty cool how a back-up catcher and career .200 hitter wound up in Cooperstown as the Brewer's "Mr. Baseball" and one of the sport's greatest ambassadors thanks to a mix of charisma, a pure love of the game, and just always being the funniest guy in the room.
 
Can't tell you how many times I've said "juuust a bit outside" whenever something, anything very clearly misses its mark.
Absolutely. Such a great line. That whole sequence is amazing "Boy how can these guys lay off pitches that close?" lol.

I saw the movie when my dad came to pick me up on my last day of my miserable freshman year. I knew I was never going back to that place and it was probably one of the five happiest days in my life.
 
I know the name Michelle Trachtenberg but I don't think I watched anything she was in. Still gone far too young. RIP.

We also lost Miss Roberta Flack this week. Probably best known today for Killing Me Softly With His Song due to the Fugees but she had a string of pretty memorable duets with Donny Hathaway in the 70s including The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and The Closer I Get to You.

This thread hasn't been busy but this year is definitely off to a pretty rough start.
 
And now we've lost Gene Hackman.

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Hackman, 95, was found dead with his wife and dog in their Santa Fe home, no foul play is suspected at present.

I'll first remember him as Lex Luthor during the Chris Reeves Superman era, and then he had a great play in Unforgiven, but was in many earlier classics like French Connection I'd discover later. Of course Norman Dale in Hoosiers, Royal Tennenbaum and many other roles.

RIP
 
David Johansen, last surviving member of the New York Dolls, Dead at 75.

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Rose to fame with the New York Dolls, in the 80s had a hit with Hot Hot Hot as Buster Poindexter. Largely due to my love of Johnny Thunders (shown left with David, right) the Dolls have long been one of my favorites of their era. Mixing glam with the hard edged rock n roll that would become the foundation for early punk bands, songs like Personality Crisis and their cover of Bo Diddly’s Pills are staples of my songbook.

David's family announced a few weeks ago that he was hospitalized with a brain tumor while battling Stage IV cancer so this isn't unexpected but still this one hurts.



If you have Showtime or Paramount+ and are interested Martin Scorcese directed Personality Crisis: One Night Only where David performs as Buster in an intimate lounge setting largely doing the Dolls songbook. Considering the other subjects that Martin chose for these films (The Band, Dylan, The Rolling Stones), this is a pretty high honor.
 
For those who aren't sure... Richard Chamberlain and not John Cleese.

I will still probably most remember him for the Thorn Birds back in the peak 3 network TV mini-series era. All my friends' moms were into that.

RIP
 
I'm not much of a Doors fan but that movie inspired one Dazed and Confused like night of adventure for me and a group of friends. Rest well.
 
I spent so much time watching Top Secret! and Real Genius during my childhood that if you put one of them on right now, I could start reciting the lines and get 98% of the words right for the whole film.

RIP to one of my earliest muses

 
I spent so much time watching Top Secret! and Real Genius during my childhood that if you put one of them on right now, I could start reciting the lines and get 98% of the words right for the whole film.

RIP to one of my earliest muses

I've never watched that movie. I think I'll have to remedy that.
 
Clem Blurke, Drummer. Best known for his work with Blondie, Clem played amongst numerous legends from Iggy to Bob Dylan. I'll also remember he did a run of 40th anniversary LAMF dates with an all star cast featuring the last surviving Heartbreaker, Walter Lure (now also no longer with us).

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It is with profound sadness that we relay news of the passing of our beloved friend and bandmate Clem Burke following a private battle with cancer.
Clem was not just a drummer; he was the heartbeat of Blondie. His talent, energy, and passion for music were unmatched, and his contributions to our sound and success are immeasurable. Beyond his musicianship, Clem was a source of inspiration both on and off the stage. His vibrant spirit, infectious enthusiasm and rock solid work ethic touched everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.
Clem's influence extended far beyond Blondie. A self proclaimed "Rock & Roll survivalist”, he played and collaborated with numerous iconic artists, including Eurythmics, Ramones, Bob Dylan, Bob Geldof, Iggy Pop, Joan Jett, Chequered Past, The Fleshtones, The Romantics, Dramarama, The Adult Net, The Split Squad, The International Swingers, L.A.M.F., Empty Hearts, Slinky Vagabond, and even the Go-Go's. His influence and contributions have spanned decades and genres, leaving an indelible mark on every project he was a part of.
We extend our deepest condolences to Clem's family, friends, and fans around the world. His legacy will live on through the tremendous amount of music he created and the countless lives he touched. As we navigate this profound loss, we ask for privacy during this difficult time. Godspeed, Dr. Burke.
Debbie, Chris, and the entire Blondie family
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1G9b68gowT/

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/clem-burke-blondie-drummer-dead-obituary-1235311703/

Burke wasn't known as a songwriter and maybe there are better showcases for his skills, but I have fond memories of hanging out with a friend in her room listening to Parallel Lines and other records from her vinyl collection, and she loved to sing this tune, which is also one of my favorites.

F Cancer.
 
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To the man who was Ice Man, Batman, and Jim Morrison.

But you’ll always be my huckleberry Doc.


and Gay Perry.

Link: Val Kilmer - Passed on at 65

Man, this one stings. It's amazing that Val Kilmer played effing Batman and it somehow doesn't rate as one of his most iconic performances. The guy had range and he had an ability to make a role his own.

In hindsight, it's so easy to recognize now that Iceman was the hero of Top Gun, smug though he was. I kind of appreciate that the sequel acknowledges this and gives Iceman his due by showing the viewer how far up the ranks the character had climbed, while Maverick remained stuck, an artifact of the 80s.

Then there's Gay Perry, and that one's an all-timer for me. I'm not sure any other actor has made as much indignant sense speaking Shane Black's dialogue as Val Kilmer saying, "No, my question, I get to go first: Why in pluperfect hell would you pee on a corpse?" Has any other actor even uttered the word pluperfect on film before? And if anyone had, could they have sold it as well as Kilmer? Likely not.

As for Doc Holliday, well... what can you say about a performance like that? Tombstone is a movie stacked with great character actors and Kilmer outshines them all. He made that character feel alive, in all of his loquacious fatalism and narcissim. I wrote an entire persona poem based on that specific character and that specific performance, and it's one of the best things I ever wrote.

"Thanks for always bein' there, Doc."

RIP
 
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