The Highway

[filkertom]

Sadness. Actor Patrick Swayze has passed away at the age of 57. He made a few really good and fun movies, such as Dirty Dancing, Ghost, and To Wong Foo: Thanks For Everything! Julie Newmar, and a few things like Road House (Crow T. Robot's favorite movie and one of the most painful viewing experiences I've ever had). He did his work with passion and honesty, and seems to have been a pretty nice guy. He will be missed.

And, I've noticed that, as the news spreads, one scene in particular is remembered more fondly than any other.

Comments

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

He lasted longer than they thought he would, and worked hard to the last. RIP, Patrick.

[johnridley.livejournal.com]

Let's have a Patrick Swayze Christmas this year!

Oh, I see you already linked to that.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

I would have never thought that he could pull off a movie in drag. Then again, I don't know that I would have thought it of any of those 3 guys, but I did enjoy that movie a lot.
You also did a fantastic job describing Road House. I loathed it, and it was not improved by my having to work at the theater while it played. Oy.
He was hugely entertaining, and seemed a really nice guy. Oh, and yes, he could move. *sigh*

[ladystarblade.livejournal.com]

A good man, decent actor, and despite the fear he allowed to peek through, he fought a hell of a battle to the end. Can't ask for more than that. And speaking from experience, I'm glad he's out of pain now. Peace and comfort to his loved ones.

[wick-deer.livejournal.com]

Personal favorite Swayze Role was as the surf guru/bank robber in Point Break.

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

He's a major character in one of my favorite guilty pleasure movies - Red Dawn. RIP sir.

[bentleywg.livejournal.com]

Tomorrow, I'm loaning my copy of Red Dawn to a young guy at work who has never even heard of it.

[griffen.livejournal.com]

RIP Patrick.

It chills me that he was in M*A*S*H once - played a young soldier who they diagnosed with leukemia in the episode "Blood Brothers" (which, incidentally, will be showing on Hallmark, on 9/23 at 7 p.m.) - and now he's passed from another form of cancer. Such a shame :(

My favorite movie with Patrick was To Wong Foo - he was completely convincing as Vida.

[capt-video.livejournal.com]

I have to show a little love for "Road House". I quite enjoy it. The Husband lives by Dalton's "Pain don't hurt" philosophy.

He was more talented that Hollywood gave him credit for (his dancing is the only thing that makes "Dirty Dancing" watchable in my opinion) and certainly seemed to be one of the good guys.

Peace and comfort to his family and friends.

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

I never saw Dirty Dancing until it came out on video, when it became an instant hit.

More to the point, I saw To Wong Foo one night at Disney's AMC Pleasure Island theater, with a couple whom I met in the late, beloved Comedy Warehouse. She wanted to see the film and I went with her and her husband. And enjoyed it thoroughly.

The lady in question had already lost one leg, went around in a wheelchair pushed by her husband, and was a kind soul. She made coathanger-and-green-trash-bag Christmas wreaths for the gay dancers at Pleasure Island, whose families mostly disowned them and hated them. These folks who had nothing for Christmas were given a little touch of the home life they undoubtedly missed.

I believe she died a few months after the movie date. Now I know a lot of you folks are agnostics, atheists and the like, and I don't mind, but I like to think that she's there in Heaven welcoming him with both legs, and embarrassing him by asking to do the Dirty Dancing moves with her.

[realinterrobang.livejournal.com]

I'm currently watching To Wong Foo to celebrate his life. (Am I the only person in the world who didn't like Dirty Dancing?)

[guruwench.livejournal.com]

I'm probably the only person alive who's never seen Dirty Dancing, but I enjoyed Ghost and loved To Wong Foo very much.

I'm glad he's no longer in pain. RIP, Mr. Swayze.

[zenturbo.livejournal.com]

Make that one of two people who have never seen Dirty Dancing. :)

[fredhuggins.livejournal.com]

Three.

How long will this go on? YOU decide!

[zellion.livejournal.com]

Four, but ditto on Ghost and To Wong Foo - the latter is easily one of my favorite movies.

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Crap, I saw his picture on rawstory but thought he said something political not that he died. I didn't know he was sick and kept thinking that he was too young. I'll find a copy of Road House in his honor and to find out what Crow liked so much.

Thanks for the info Tom.

I have to wonder, in 20 years which movie stars will we be morning the passing of? Will we be remembering today's movies with the same fondness? Makes you think, don't it?

[cscottd.livejournal.com]

He was also really good as the creepy motivational guy in Donnie Darko...

[zellion.livejournal.com]

Ooh, yeah I must have blocked the creepy pedophile role out of my mind.

[saganth.livejournal.com]

I am sorry to hear of his passing. He seemed like a good man, not many like him. Ghost was a bit sappy at times but it also had some truly astounding moments, and good humor. Road House is, I must confess, a very guilty pleasure of mine - I know it's such a cliche but it's FUN, and whenever I find it on TV I can't help but watch it. Dirty Dancing just leaves me cold tho. Haven't see Wong Foo...

RIP.

[sazettel.livejournal.com]

There's a movie he did I think I'm the only person who ever saw.

It was called CITY OF JOY. Swayze plays an arrogant young American doctor who finds himself marooned in the slums of Calcutta and working in the clinic there where he meets a rickshaw driver who came to the city to try to piece together a life for his family.

On the face of it, this could have been either a "What These People Need is a Honky" or a "Magic Ethnic," movie. But it wasn't. It was about Swayze's character watching someone who had REAL problems pull it out and make things better for himself and learning his lesson thereby. And there are monsoon scenes that are fantastic, and in the end the driver saves his family not because of Swayze but because he screws up his courage to go to court against a mob boss.

I wish I could remember the name of the actor who played the father. He was also the Indian foreman in The Ghost and the Darkness, and he was fabulous.

[skemono.livejournal.com]

IMDb to the rescue!

The actor's name is Om Puri.

[sarekofvulcan.livejournal.com]

Is that the one where the Indian mobster hypnotizes the chicken?