After living years of seeing actors, directors, writers and other filmmakers being praised for their work and treated like celebrities, I wanted to take the time to begin writing spotlights focusing on the careers of these talented individuals, but what drives me to doing this is the fact that these are normal, regular, hard-working human beings and to help fans understand that it’s okay to respect them, but to remember that they’re doing what they love and are losing the normal aspects of their life for their love of film.
In honor of the recent release of Looper, the upcoming release of A Good Day to Die Hard and the fact that I grew up respecting his work and dedication to filmmaking, this first spotlight is shined on Bruce Willis. These spotlights will help provide fans see the human side of the actors as well as give them more respect for the work that said filmmaker has done.
Golden Globe winner Bruce Willis first came into the spotlight with his role as David Addison, Jr. in the television series, Moonlighting, where he performed the role with great comedic timing and skill, launching what would be a great and vivid career. He would soon go on to star as New York cop, John McClane, an everyday man who audiences related to, doing the right thing under great circumstances.
He would reprise the role of McClane in four sequels, with the latest to hit next month, further acquainting us with John McClane and giving us more thrills and excitement, taking the story to Russia and reintroducing the character’s son, John McClane, Jr. (portrayed by Jai Courtney).
One of Willis’ most underrated films was unfortunately less appreciated upon its release. Hudson Hawk became a favorite of mine during my younger years, inspiring comedy and a lighter tone to the serious problems of life. Willis starred with Danny Aiello in the film and brought audiences a taste of adventure, comedy and musical performance within a film that had a unique feel and plot.
The roles that I most look up to that Willis has performed, are the ones with heart and a moral message within them, even when he has been cast in roles of an action hero. The Last Boy Scout showed that redemption is something that is worth fighting for, while his Sci-Fi classics, The Fifth Element and Armageddon, taught audiences, while bringing them laughs and entertainment, the things on our planet that are worth fighting for.
With so many heartfelt roles, I’ll mention one other, Disney’s The Kid, which taught audiences to never let go of the innocence that we all once had during our childhood. It showed that a kid that becomes lost along the way, can grow up to regain that past joy of hope and play and return to said form of innocence.
Willis has had a career of roles most fronted with action, but as this story of mine shows, this actor and many others in the industry, have always had a good message within their films, despite that message not always being what audiences go to see. A career that has flourished and entertained, the messages within it are what makes me a fan of this talented actor and has helped him become the first of my series, The Filmmaker Spotlight.
A Kale Slade Article
