It’s been mere hours since the news of Alan Rickman’s death broke. In that brief period, the outpouring of love from both fans and friends has been staggering. One man, who qualifies as both, is writer/director Kevin Smith. Smith took to the internet this morning to talk about the man who touched so many lives, including his own. Get your tissues ready.
One of my favorite people who ever lived has died. The legendary #AlanRickman played Metatron, the Voice of God, in my...Posted by Kevin Smith on Thursday, January 14, 2016
The loss of Alan Rickman has hit all movie fans hard this morning. Rickman reportedly passed away after a battle with cancer. He left an amazing body of work on screen, especially considering he didn’t actually begin acting in movies until 1988’s Die Hard. Kevin’s Smith’s Facebook post is a beautiful summary of the actor’s career. His words are heartfelt and touching and serious, while at the same time the image attached, of Rickman as a genital-less angel in the movie Dogma, is hilarious.
Kevin Smith’s career had been slowly on the rise ever since his debut effort with Clerks. His fourth movie, Dogma, would become his largest effort to date and instead of containing his numerous close friends and independent film actors, because Ben Affleck was one of those once, it would include major names and a much larger budget. The first big star to sign on was Alan Rickman. He played Metatron, an angel who was the voice of God on earth, because the actual voice of God would crush your skull. It was one of the first major comic turns for the man who was generally known as a dramatic actor, preceding his better known role in Galaxy Quest by only a month.. It was truly a hilarious role. Here’s a terrific, NSFW sample.
There was really nothing Alan Rickman could not do on film. He was amazing as a villain, but could also be heroic. His role in the Harry Potter films allowed him to be both. He could do serious dramas but also could make you laugh. The idea that we won’t see him on screen anymore is still a shock. We will get to hear his voice one more time however. This summer's Alice Through the Looking Glass will include Rickman reprising his role as the Caterpillar.
There will be many more tributes to this great actor before the day is done, as he touched many lives. Like most fans we didn’t know except through his films. But we will miss him all the same.
