in memoriam
For those of you who weren't there, the 1980's movie scene had a great number of 'sexy moms' finally getting a bit of screen time at the cineplexes. Mind you: they didn't have to parade about in sexy bikini's like Stacy's mom (of the famous tune) because these ladies just exuded a kind of loveliness that goes hand-in-hand with being a confident woman and trying to do their part in bringing the young'uns up with proper manners. Genre queen Dee Wallace properly 'ruled the roost' as the divorced mother who couldn't help but sometimes laugh at the things her kids said in Steven Spielberg's E.T. - The Extraterrestrial; and Lea Thompson brought an unexpected degree of the Oedipal Complexity to silver screens with both her young and old work in Robert Zemeckis' Back To The Future. I could go on, but methinks you get the point.
Somewhere kinda/sorta forgotten in the shuffle -- to a degree -- was Mary Beth Hurt's work in 1985's D.A.R.Y.L. As foster mom 'Joyce Richardson,' she found herself steward to a growing young man whose origins were the stuff of mystery. In spite of the challenges, Joyce blocked out all of the noise and embraced the kid for who he was, never letting a bit of a government conspiracy get in the way of dishing out nothing but love when young D.A.R.Y.L. needed it most.
The actress had some other respectable appearances in the worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy. A quick glance at her resume shows contributions to such other projects as My Boyfriend's Back (1993), The Family Man (2000), Red Dragon (2002), The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005), and Lady In The Water (2006). While that may not seem like a lot to some, those of us who appreciate talent who are willing to do what they do in the realms of the Fantastic always -- always -- love the contributions.
Alas, none of us lasts forever, and I saw yesterday a news post regarding the woman's passing. There are indications that she endured a decade's long struggle with Alzheimers, a heartbreaking development for her and family. If nothing else, I hope those who knew her best kind find some solace in knowing that she's finally at rest.
Our warmest prayers and extended to the family, friends, and fans of Mary Beth Hurt.
May she rest in peace ...
-- EZ
Somewhere kinda/sorta forgotten in the shuffle -- to a degree -- was Mary Beth Hurt's work in 1985's D.A.R.Y.L. As foster mom 'Joyce Richardson,' she found herself steward to a growing young man whose origins were the stuff of mystery. In spite of the challenges, Joyce blocked out all of the noise and embraced the kid for who he was, never letting a bit of a government conspiracy get in the way of dishing out nothing but love when young D.A.R.Y.L. needed it most.
The actress had some other respectable appearances in the worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy. A quick glance at her resume shows contributions to such other projects as My Boyfriend's Back (1993), The Family Man (2000), Red Dragon (2002), The Exorcism Of Emily Rose (2005), and Lady In The Water (2006). While that may not seem like a lot to some, those of us who appreciate talent who are willing to do what they do in the realms of the Fantastic always -- always -- love the contributions.
Alas, none of us lasts forever, and I saw yesterday a news post regarding the woman's passing. There are indications that she endured a decade's long struggle with Alzheimers, a heartbreaking development for her and family. If nothing else, I hope those who knew her best kind find some solace in knowing that she's finally at rest.
Our warmest prayers and extended to the family, friends, and fans of Mary Beth Hurt.
May she rest in peace ...
-- EZ
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