I was in high school in 1985. One of my buddies had gotten a job at a movie theater and promised to get us all into a show for free. I wasn’t going to pass up that opportunity so one night, we all piled into his K-car and hit up the AMC. My pal delivered and soon we were basking in gratis cinema. This is how I was introduced to Val Kilmer.
The news of his recent death took me back to a warm spring night in a partially empty theater, surrounded by my buddies. I don’t recall if we had planned on seeing this comedy about smart kids or if it was sloppy seconds because we couldn’t get into Friday the 13th, Part V: A New Beginning. I do remember thinking that the guy playing Chris Knight was hilarious.
Up to that point, most ’80’s movies portrayed smart guys as nerds. And while Real Genius had its share of dorky dudes, Chris Knight was super cool. Just like Bill Murray’s slacker heroes, Kilmer was the instigator of all the shenanigans. But Knight was so much more than an impish rogue. He was the smartest guy on campus. His pranks were clever, creative, and involved liquid nitrogen. He gave high IQs swagger.
While Murray’s merry cut-ups were lone wolf rule breakers dedicated to comic anarchy, Kilmer’s clown was a cheerleader. He was trying to get his nebbish roommate to lighten up while encouraging his fellow brainiacs to have a little fun. Even after realizing that he’d been manipulated by his duplicitous mentor, Knight’s ultimate revenge was innocently playful. Yes, he destroyed the guy’s dream house, but he did it with popcorn.
He dropped the hammer using a tasty snack popped by a space laser that he had reprogrammed at the last minute. Chris Knight was a lovable goof, but you never doubted that he rocked some monster intelligence. Real Genius was only Kilmer’s second movie, but he displayed the confidence of a major star. He owned that flick. I can’t think of anyone who could have played that role better, which pretty much describes Kilmer’s entire career.
For countless films over 40 years, each performance stands on its own. He never phoned it in. They weren’t all classics. Kilmer had his share of clunkers, especially later in life, but he was always unforgettable. From outlaws to lawmen, rock gods to superheroes, Kilmer put his stamp on every part. There was nothing generic about this guy.
His next step on the road to superstardom was Top Gun, playing Tom Cruise’s rival for high-flying glory and domination in slo-mo beach volleyball. As Iceman, Kilmer was the perfect counterpoint to Cruise’s cocky Maverick. He was edgy, cool, and calculating. This flick is a cultural touchstone for 80’s kids, but some scenes today come off as dated as our high-school yearbooks. It also reeks of testosterone, but Kilmer rises above the brochismo.
I’m definitely on Team Iceman. He was right. Maverick was dangerous. I’m also all about Madmartigan, Kilmer’s sarcastic swordsman in Willow. This George Lucas/Ron Howard fantasy epic was supposed to reign over the summer of 1988, but audiences greeted it with a resounding yawn. It has since emerged as a cult classic for a generation that grew up loving Kilmer’s wiseguy brigand. He’s like Han Solo meets Aragorn.
Kilmer’s next decade in Hollywood was a parade of legendary roles. He was Jim Morrison, Doc Holliday, Elvis and Batman! Rather than being intimidated by playing icons, Kilmer embraced it. He disappeared into each role. Catch these flicks one after the other and you forget you’re watching the same actor. His next choices were equally mesmerizing. Following his Batman debut, he joined the star-studded ensemble of Heat, Michael Mann’s LA crime saga.
Some may have wondered why he took a supporting part after headlining one of the biggest movies of that year. Kilmer was motivated by more than top billing and boffo box office. He had a character actor’s heart and a movie star’s looks. He signed up for the doomed The Island of Dr. Moreau remake just so he could work with Marlon Brando, one of his idols. Say what you want about his decisions, but Kilmer was never boring.
One of my all-time favorite Val Kilmer movies is Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. It’s an action comedy that reinvigorates the hard-boiled detective genre with its sly humor and clever characters. Kilmer breaks stereotypes as a tough guy gumshoe who also happens to be gay. He’s hired by a movie producer to teach a neophyte actor how to play a private eye. While researching the role, they accidentally get involved in a real murder mystery. Kilmer shares the screen with a pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr., and their rat-a-tat-tat rapport is irresistible. This flick flew under the radar when it came out in 2005, but it’s one of the best movies I’ve seen in the last 20 years.
Kilmer’s passing has motivated me to go back and re-examine his filmography. Unlike his peers, he is not easily identified by a single movie. Every performance was unique. We all have our favorites, but does he have a trademark role? What flick would you say is quintessential Kilmer? It’s time to pull out your old DVDs or find one of his flicks today on streaming and get reacquainted. He will entertain, enthrall, and surprise you. Please also check out Val on Amazon Prime. It’s a beautiful and heartbreaking documentary about his life, narrated by his son Jack.
While his wattage may have dimmed over the last few years, Kilmer would not be denied. He was omnipresent in films, even if they were more B-List, or even C-List, endeavors. He also wrote, directed, and starred in his passion project: a one-man show about Mark Twain. When throat cancer took his voice, Kilmer focused on painting with gallery shows in New York and Los Angeles. He was a consummate artist who never stopped creating.
That was the real genius of Val Kilmer. We will miss you, sir.
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Author: Jeff Stanford
Nerd Dad who loves his family, coffee and movies.
