in memoriam
Ach ... this one hurts, folks ...
As I've mentioned many, many times on SciFiHistory.Net, I grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere; and the only real escape that a young man had was heading to the corner movie theater on a Friday night to take in a movie. Honestly, it didn't have to be a good one -- I sat through a great amount of schlock -- because anything -- and I do mean anything -- was just right to take away the boredom of those early days. Of course, this isn't meant as a sleight to any actor or actress in any way: those were different times, and studios and distributors could release whatever they had in their catalogues to small-town America where audiences would lap it up.
So I got the chance to see a great number of Chuck Norris' early pictures as they were intended: up on the silver screen in the flickering light. While my friends and I had reasonable arguments about whether or not he could act well enough to carry the drama, there was never any doubt regarding the man's machismo in pushing through the action. The guy could go toe-to-toe with anyone the studio showcased him against, and it was glorious to watch him 'go to work' in the pursuit of whatever justice looked like in those gloriously simply motion pictures. He was a regular John Wayne with his fists, and it was a presence that carried whatever script landed in his lap.
So I'd seen the news yesterday about the talent being rushed to a hospital in Hawaii with some undisclosed medical emergency; and like many I feared the worst. It'll never stop being a bit alarming when you learn your screen heroes are mortal after all: I don't think that's a lesson learned -- and relearned -- whether you're five or fifty-five. It always serves as a cautionary memo about enjoying the time that's given to you no matter where or when you are because -- like a switch -- the end reaches us all some day.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Chuck Norris.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
As I've mentioned many, many times on SciFiHistory.Net, I grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere; and the only real escape that a young man had was heading to the corner movie theater on a Friday night to take in a movie. Honestly, it didn't have to be a good one -- I sat through a great amount of schlock -- because anything -- and I do mean anything -- was just right to take away the boredom of those early days. Of course, this isn't meant as a sleight to any actor or actress in any way: those were different times, and studios and distributors could release whatever they had in their catalogues to small-town America where audiences would lap it up.
So I got the chance to see a great number of Chuck Norris' early pictures as they were intended: up on the silver screen in the flickering light. While my friends and I had reasonable arguments about whether or not he could act well enough to carry the drama, there was never any doubt regarding the man's machismo in pushing through the action. The guy could go toe-to-toe with anyone the studio showcased him against, and it was glorious to watch him 'go to work' in the pursuit of whatever justice looked like in those gloriously simply motion pictures. He was a regular John Wayne with his fists, and it was a presence that carried whatever script landed in his lap.
So I'd seen the news yesterday about the talent being rushed to a hospital in Hawaii with some undisclosed medical emergency; and like many I feared the worst. It'll never stop being a bit alarming when you learn your screen heroes are mortal after all: I don't think that's a lesson learned -- and relearned -- whether you're five or fifty-five. It always serves as a cautionary memo about enjoying the time that's given to you no matter where or when you are because -- like a switch -- the end reaches us all some day.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Chuck Norris.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
RSS Feed