Working in retail makes one take notice on repeating trends of patrons. For instance, Elizabeth's lackluster sequel was released in theaters some months ago creating a sudden barrage of requests for the original film. The requests were so insistent that more copies of the film were ordered and slapped with a two night rental sticker to make sure all parties interested would get their chance to see the picture before it's sequel eventually left the theaters and, yes eventually arrive onto our shelves.
Sometimes though, the trends with what's renting is a little more interesting then people just wanting to rent up the prequels to the summers wave of blockbusters. One trend i have taken notice of recently is the curious way movie rentals go up for films featuring actors who are recently deceased.
The most obvious examples of this being Heath Ledger and Roy Scheider though, it goes without saying, the latter does not rent nearly as much as Heath.
I was working at the store when a man ran in to tell the staff that Heath Ledger had passed. It was a bit of a shock, more than anything his death just seems like a rip off. He was one of the better actors out there, maybe most of his work doesn't show that but he was a talented son of a bitch.
Later on that night having many many people inform us staff that yes, indeed Heath had passed, a man walked in bearing a list of films he had jotted down earlier. That list was comprised of Heath Ledgers filmography and this man was going to rent whatever was in. So, he rented the whole lot from 10 Things I Hate About You to Brokeback Mountain he was a happy camper but i, the trustful video store employee, was left a little out of sorts by that. I didn't see the point of sitting through a career worth of films, regardless of quality, featuring an actor who had passed away that same day. The requests for Heath's films kept coming, in the days that followed - they were mostly for Brokeback Mountain.
So there's probably a number of reasons for this. One could be that the name is thrown about, we see it everywhere in our media, people are writing articles, we see him all over our tv sets and all of our friends are talking about it. So there's this conscious or unconscious desire to go out and consume more Ledger.
Another reason could be the most human one and that's people just fucking miss the guy. They miss him and they wanna see him acting again.
And even another reason which is the most likely, is the want people have to not be out of the loop. You can't talk Heath's great acting abilities with your peers if you haven't seen A Knight's Tale... duh. You need to be in the know, you need to be able to say how great an actor he was and "i know because i've seen em all baby". Just like how all the Daniel Day-Lewis films are renting out now because everyone is talking about how amazing (which he really fucking is) he is in There Will Be Blood. Or maybe Day-Lewis films are renting out because he dedicated his golden globe to Heath Ledger? ahh, maybe
All i'm really trying to say is that it's a weird thing to see from the other side of the counter. Maybe i shouldn't be one to judge or take note of these things. I have in my possession at the moment Gangs of New York so there ya go. When Roy died Jaws, of course, was the first to go. Following the question many times that night "Oh Jaws isn't in? What else do you have with him in it?" Is it a fascination with death that drives this behavior or just a fascination with ourselves to be able to sling the shit quicker? Just weird and morbid to me, kinda makes you feel like we should make up alittle dark room in the back with all of Heath's and Roy's films with pictures of them and candles you can light and roses you could leave as you pick up your copy of The Patriot and Seaquest. Yeah, miss you already guys. 
1 comment:
Dropkick has raised a good point here – why the passing of an actor would give cause for a surge of interest in their output. There’s probably a sociology thesis in this one but if I could offer up one possibility it might be that the act of watching the recently deceased (particularly on film) gives the illusion of a kind of immortality. I’m going out on a limb here but having captured the person on film – walking, talking and acting very much alive might speak to some deeper need the viewer has to believe in life not ending with death. There are obviously weeping dead princess types ready to unleash and imprint their fake emotions and flowers on the latest dead celebrity too, but I think there’s something else going on. Dead celebrities have always made for good press – as their fame creates the illusion of familiarity with us plebes and somehow this familiarity manifests itself in a slightly macabre public mourning ritual. Pure nonsense?….perhaps but it’s become so ubiquitous at The Film Buff that you have to consider that people might be consciously or unconsciously searching for some answers by revisiting and pretending for a few minutes that Heath hasn’t really cacked after all. It’s a little like a zombie movie come to think of it Joe. I’m thinking we should put a section together of those actors/directors/etc. recently settled into an extended dirt nap and call it our Zombie Section. Too soon?
Brings a whole new meaning to the term “dead stock” to be sure.
S
Post a Comment