OT: RIP, Sir Ian Holm
Sad to hear that Sir Ian Holm passed away this morning at the age of 88. Probably best known these days for playing Bilbo in the Lord of the Rings films, and Ash in Alien. I've got a soft spot for him in Terry Gilliam's Time Bandits, where he plays a comedic take on Napoleon.
Fifth Element too!
He’s not dead. He’s just gone off to Valinor as an honored guest.
I am giving you both a virtual wedgie and a virtual swirlie right now...
I’m used to those by now :)
He was also in Lord of War, which was a severely underrated movie, and arguably one of the only movies with Nic Cage that is worth watching.
Having said that, he will always be Bilbo Baggins. And yipes I can't believe he was in his 60s when they filmed those movies. I am beginning to feel old.
I know, right? The 20th anniversary of Fellowship is NEXT YEAR.
To be fair, he was playing a character who was 111.
Or the first time I remember seeing him: Greystoke
I loved his character in The Aviator. He played a professor who studied meteorology. Howard Hughes hired him to find clouds so that he could get the proper backdrop in his movie "Hell's Angels". It was also quite hilarious when Ian's character was invited by Hughes to speak in front of the MPAA about cleavage in movies. lol
Excellent in Chariots of Fire too.
I remember him from "The Borrowers". 1990s British TV series adaptation of the book.
Dang. I'm a movie guy but never realized Ash was Bilbo. Mind blown.
It's like finding out Uncle Phil was the voice of Shredder in the Ninja Turtle cartoon.
No way. That's awesome. Makes him more intimidating.
Like when I heard Jean Claude van Damme was the predator opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, was in a few scenes and was never credited for it in the movie.
If I recall correctly, JCVD was the first choice to be in the Predator suit, but the director decided he wasn't big enough. They wound up hiring Kevin Peter Hall, an actor who stood 7'2," to take over. I think you're right that there are a few scenes left with van Damme, but the majority of the Predator suit work is Hall.
BITE YOUR TEETH INTO THE ASS OF LIFE!
I loved him in Lord of War. . .
GOOD STUFF!!!
Not expecting anything scary in those movies, that scared the shit out of me.
Time bandits was fantastic. I should have my kids watch it.
I think I heard this story from the director's commentary of the DVD- apparently, while filming the dinner scene where Napoleon is drunk and rattling off the heights of various historical figures (I'd post it but I can't find the clip on youtube), Terry Gilliam kept ruining takes because he couldn't stop laughing at Ian Holm's performance, and had to be asked to leave the set.