| Fringe Blog – Writing on Film, Culture, and Things on the Fringe

RIP Pat Morita (1932 – 2005)

By jelewis8 ⋅ November 25, 2005 ⋅ 2 comments

Pat Morita died in Las Vegas of natural causes. He was 73.
I didn’t watch many of his films, but his Karate Kid is clearly his most memorable film, and the one I remember with great fondness. I will always remember him catching a fly with chopsticks, and thinking that was the greatest zen ability ever.

He’s Dead, Jim

By jelewis8 ⋅ July 20, 2005 ⋅ One comment

R.I.P. James Doohan (1920-2005)
He was Canadian, and he fought and was wounded on D-Day. He also was a master of dialects, which helped him get the role as Scotty on Star Trek.
Beam him up, Lord.
UPDATE: A critical conjunction has been altered to substantially better the form and tone of this post, as per Shooter5’s comment [...]

RIP Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

By jelewis8 ⋅ April 2, 2005 ⋅ 2 comments

Pope John Paul II has died after an extended bout with a host of health problems and old age.

RIP Yasser Arafat (1929 – 2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ November 11, 2004 ⋅ One comment

I only use requiescat in pace in the loosest of ways. I doubt he’s in peace. And I, for one, will not miss him.
Also, RIP Intifada II, which, with its progenitor lying in state, is also no more.
UPDATE: More on Arafat’s legacy, his death, and how he will be remembered.
UPDATE: The farce of Arafat’s life [...]

RIP Christopher Reeve (1952 – 2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ October 11, 2004 ⋅ One comment

Christopher Reeve died yesterday of heart failure. He was 52.
I didn’t particularly care for Reeve’s politics, but then again, I don’t most celebrities’. However, he was the Man of Steel, though not the first, and the Man of Steel always fought for the right things, including the American way. That’s a superhero I can get [...]

RIP Elmer Bernstein (1922 – 2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ August 19, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

Composer of such scores as The Magnificent Seven, True Grit, Ghostbusters, To Kill A Mockingbird, and The Man With the Golden Arm, Bernstein was a celebrated Hollywood icon who garnered 14 Academy Award nominations, one Oscar, and one Emmy.

RIP Michele Claybourn (1954 – 2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ August 17, 2004 ⋅ One comment

Josh Claybourn’s mother passed away on Saturday, August 14. You may send condolences to jclaybourn @ gmail.com.

RIP Jerry Goldsmith (1929-2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ July 22, 2004 ⋅ 3 comments

Reader Jessica Dambruch alerted me to the sad news of Jerry Goldsmith’s passing. I’ve been a fan since Tora! Tora! Tora!, though his most memorably score for me is The Ghost and the Darkness, which is a fine blend of Irish and African musical tributes intermixed with traditional movie score. L.A. Confidential was a [...]

RIP Marlon Brando (1924-2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ July 2, 2004 ⋅ 5 comments

UPDATE: Thanks to “a man on the hill” for pointing out the extra ‘i’ I had in the title. It has been corrected.
James Joyner reports that Marlon Brando had died at age 80. I haven’t seen much of his work, and what I have seen hasn’t impressed me, but he’s a fascinating and [...]

RIP Ray Charles (1930-2004)

By jelewis8 ⋅ June 10, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

The Genius has passed on. Pay respects to the man who made the visit to the music store a dance in the street.

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Rest In Peace