Darkfriend

I was browsing at the good ol' video store for some rentals when I stumbled on a movie called "Hard cash" starring Christian Slater and Val Kilmer. This movie had an obvious "B movie straight to video look" but it made me wonder... Is Val Kilmer that desperate to make a couple of bucks?

I am not a huge fan of his but I remember enjoying his performances in "Tombstone", "Thunderheart", "The Ghost and the Darkness" and even his small role in "True Romance" (I like you Clarence, always have... Always will...).

Was he shunned from Hollywood because he was eccentric, difficult to work with or had drug problems? I dunno, guess I' ll have to wait for the E! True Hollywood story on him

Kinda reminds me of Mickey Rourke. Seeing him in "Year of the Dragon", "Angel Heart" and "Barfly" to name a few made me notice a good actor showing great talent. And then you see him in "Double Team" and "Get Carter" with a puffed up face (never mind the Enrique Iglesias video heh) and you just go awww jeezz...

Just sorry to see good talent go to waste (like Pauly Shore *cough* *cough*)

Jackskeleton

Uh.. B flicks really don't mean the actors are desperate for cash. More along the lines they want to push their acting by trying something new without risking to much. Look at how robbin williams has changed the way we see him by doing "B movies" in a sense.

Soultan sea (sp) was pretty good though.

conscience

Check out The Salton Sea.

He is also going to be "the porn legend" next year.

He is just making different choices. I commend him for that. Not going the way of a lot of Hollywood actors.

He was great in Joe the King as a supporting character.

Darkfriend

Will try out "The Salton Sea" thanks guys!!

badger1997

The Salton Sea was one of my favorite films this year. Unfortunately it played almost nowhere and got little publicity. It showed up in my local art house theater a few days after it came out on DVD. Rented it and loved it so much that I've been thinking about buying it lately.

I've always enjoyed his performances and Thunderheart, Real Genius and Tombstone are among my favorite films because of him. As for Hard Cash, all I can imagine is that sometimes a script looks interesting or an actor is attracted to a project for other reasons. Then by the time they get going and feel that the movie is going to suck, they are contractually obligated and have to go through with it.

lewzer76

The Salton Sea is definitely one of my favorite movies in the last year. It's worth checking out.

victant

Well, he did land that gig in that Nikon "cool pics" commercial....

edited the freudian slip of "mac commercial"

Drexl

Precisely-he's too busy trying to figure out this whole digital camera thing to act.

marty888

Generally, when you see a name performer in one of the B-movies that went straight to video, it is because when the producer saw the finished product, he decided NOT to invest thousands more in turning out prints for theaters, advertising, etc. Quite often the producer realizes that by selling video rights, cable rights, etc, he can at least recoup the cost of the film. It doesn't neccasarily mean that the film is a complete dog, just that it probably has very little commercial potential.

I do't think that Val Kilmer woke up one morning and said to himself, "Hey, let's do a straight-to-video today!"

Ghostface180

He's also starring in Mindhunters with Christian Slater and LL Cool J. Its a mystery/action film directed by Renny Harlin, and I've heard its being released next August. The script has been getting decent reviews.

http://www.corona.bc.ca/films/details/mindhunters.html
http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=14053
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0297284
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/357/357415p1.html

Geofferson

I've always liked Val Kilmer. Unfortunately, he has sort of fell off the map in recent years. Not sure why. Anyway, just the other day I watched the Salton Sea and was quite impressed. As long as he keeps on making quality movies, I'll still be a fan.

jiggawhat

He does some cool commercials for nikon.

BuddyRevell

He's probably still kicking himself in the ass for passing on playing Morpheus from The Matrix.

Or kicking himself in the ass for starring in Red Planet. Worst.....movie.......ever........besides Tomb Raider

Darkfriend

Yeah I get your point badger1997 and marty888, those things could've happened

UKingdom

Does anyone else thing his hair is exceedingly weird in those commercials? Odd observation, sorry.

Giantrobo

Doesn't he also have a reputation for being a pain in the ass to work with?

DonnachaOne

Yes. Apparently, it's a "if you're not with me, you're against me" attitude, and he gets uppitty and defensive over the smallest things.

Not that I mind. He's a cranky celeb, there are thousands. I should be so lucky.

Let us bask in John Frankenheimer's nugget of joy - "there are two things I will never do before I die; climb Mount Everest... and work with Val Kilmer again".

shanester

"Thunderheart" was a very good movie..I enjoyed him performance very believable as aN FBI agent who's part Cherokee Indian


I don't know about his new movie "Wonderland" playing the late John Holmes..The legendary tall and lanky porn star with the humungous "salami"..

I don't see the resemblance at all

lesterlong

I liked him as Jim Morrison. And Doc Holiday.

shrike

Another vote for The Salton Sea. Gave it a shot thru a NetFlix rental and was really surprised by how much I liked it. Kilmer was very good in it.

NitroJMS

Now THIS is a bad cover: