Charlton Heston, who won the 1959 best actor Oscar as the chariot-racing "Ben-Hur" and portrayed Moses, Michelangelo, El Cid and other heroic figures in movie epics of the '50s and '60s, has died. He was 84.
The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.
www.latimes.com/news/print...98820.story
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000032/
The actor died Saturday night at his home in Beverly Hills with his wife Lydia at his side, family spokesman Bill Powers said.
www.latimes.com/news/print...98820.story
www.imdb.com/name/nm0000032/
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SF Bay Area
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 9:48 AMThanks for the notice curmudgeon.
Yesterday, I was returning from the neighborhood ghetto laundromat; a really swell hour and a half of my life surrounded by Jerry Springer’s kids. Folks bickering and hollering profanity back and forth; kids screaming and spilling pop all over the place (of course the mom couldn’t be bothered to clean up her child’s mess). And - as if a nice climax to my laundry visit – I thought two of the “ladies” were going to go at it big time over the meaning of some Spanish word.
Lately I’ve been feeling like I’m surrounded by barbarians – or maybe they are blood sucking mutants … This image came to mind as I clicked the garage door opener and pulled quickly into my garage; just as quickly closing the garage door behind me – locking out the world gone mad.
And believe it or not I was reminded precisely of Heston doing the same thing in The Omega Man.
I had no idea he had passed away yesterday.
Some of my favorite Charlton Heston films:
The Omega Man
Soylent Green
Planet of the Apes (68’) – The man could crank up the testosterone; powerful presence as the alpha male mission commander – dominating – even as he became the last real man on earth – then falling into despair, “It's a mad house! A mad house!!” – but, still defiant - “Take your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!” Heston made this crazy concoction of a movie work – a classic.
Will Penny (perhaps his favorite – I may have to watch this one again)
And - The Naked Jungle (not really; just like the title)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What a cheap shot Michael Moore took with this kind old gentleman.
Moore is a fat selfish pig.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I’ve always thought of Charlton Heston as a real class act, political and civil rights activist (recipient of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award) - married to the same woman since 1944.
Omega sometimes defined as “the last of any series; the end.”
dictionary.reference.com/browse/omega
I think Mr. Heston was a true Omega Man.
Will -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 3:50 PMI'll remember Heston as a mediocre B-movie star who did a lot of harm advocating an extremist perspective on gun control, regardless of the cost - a cost that he would never have to bear himself. I'm sure he had his good qualities. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 3:58 PMWhile his politics were conservative, he was never a B actor. He is one the great icons of the industry. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 5:16 PMDefinitely a B actor. A B+ maybe, but a B actor nonetheless.
That said Omega Man, Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes are a few of my favorite movies.
For all his right wing/libertarian hokum, Chuck was progressive when it came to civil rights issue though it might be a bit twisted. If we read Planet of the Apes as being about civil rights, the moral is well if we treat people bad what's to stop them from treating us bad should they come into power.
Also, in Omega Man he sleeps with a black woman! I haven't done a survey of films prior to that, but it's a break through in my book (even if it's because she's the only woman on earth).
I found Michael Moore's attack on Heston to be very uncomfortable mostly because Heston just seems so out of it. But I don't necessarily disagree with Moore's point, which is to make people accountable for what they say. It's the only thing the left has because the left likes to expose and speak truth to power. The right just shoots people.
Even my mom says that Heston sure liked to ham it up but that doesn't mean that we don't enjoy his movies or his presence. I just wish that when the righties say that actors shouldn't talk politics that they would mean that for Chuck and Ronald too. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 6:33 PMI almost want to scream...
"FROM MY COLD DEAD HANDS!"
What ever will the NRA do! oh MY.
Will they bury him with a gun... somehow I'm shocked that the media aren't placing any emphasis on his STRONG infactuation with guns... that he was clearly a bigot and had no handle on the reality of Columbine and the impact of our current gun laws on society period. I feel nothing. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 6:47 PMI suppose it would be asking too much to wait a day or two after the funeral before folks start doing a tap dance over his body? -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 7:16 PMI take no pleasure in his passing, nor can I celebrate his life. The legacy of his activism casts a much longer shadow than his career in cinema. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 8:06 PMDoes this mean we can now pull the gun from his cold, dead hands?
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 8:36 PM<<I suppose it would be asking too much to wait a day or two after the funeral before folks start doing a tap dance over his body?>>
Apparently it is too much to ask, very sad to see such disrespect. Quite frankly i am saddened the loss, as an actor, human being, and NRA Activist. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 9:29 PM>>Does this mean we can now pull the gun from his cold, dead hands?
hahah!
I don't dance on his grave... I hope no one does... but there are loads of people who would. Because of his complete disregard for their reality.
The loss of human being is something to be mourned to some degree...any degree...
Some people might echo how i express my feeling about his passing... no glee... no sadness... the pasing of another old man who served his lot in life. In MY judgement he did nothing ... even down to playing moses ...we only mourn him or see him as a great actor because he played an anglo Moses is Cecil b film. Thats it. He saved no one. He furthered a cause that took life from Millions of people. That shouldn't be celebrated but everyone has their purpose in life.... and their run... he got 84 years of it. Sadly he spent that bulk after 40 ignoring that Guns DO kill people. -
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This is the maximum depth. Additional responses will not be threaded.
Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 9:38 PM<<He saved no one. He furthered a cause that took life from Millions of people. That shouldn't be celebrated but everyone has their purpose in life.... and their run... he got 84 years of it. Sadly he spent that bulk after 40 ignoring that Guns DO kill people.>>
If the test of a good life is saving someone most of the world will fall short. As for guns, guns dont kill people, people kill people, with clubs, rocks, knives, guns and a variety of other tools and methods. If there were no guns people would still be killed because it is human nature.
You would do well to remember A well armed society is a polite society. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 9:58 PMHeston is responsible for Drilling in that line "Guns don't kill people... People kill people"
It's a hell of a lot easier to kill people with a gun.. (and it takes a lot less thought). How many people go hunting the united states... Guns are of no use... the availability of guns in my teenage years which SAW and FELT Columbine, was far more fruitful than that of Pot and Acid. Because Heston was in an Iconic film...as Moses, people think of him highly. This film is played every holiday.. religious people admire it... and his face to a certain generation IS Moses. You can't tell me that NRA didn't find this as a blesisng, That THIS iconic figure wouldn't drive home a bigger point to the most religious mid American masses who owned guns and clung to them. He treated Columbine like an afterthought.
As far as People killing people... we all have it in us to Kill... arguably... it's a defense mechanism seen in nature that we have but a homicidal person has challenge killing someone heatedly over an argument on drugs...or even the play offs without a gun then someone with a gun and an impulsive aim. MOST murders occur without thought. Lets be truthful. He helped KILL tons of measures to ensure tougher gun laws and SAID that most gun shootings occured in the inner city by uneducated minorities. Those uneducated minorites wouldn't have access to those guns if he didnt spend all of his time cutting bills down. period.. how many people have died because of his lobby power and the NRA who KILLED political intervention to at least push the availability of guns into the military and law enforcement arenas... that would cut down the annual deaths we have...majorly.
You can't deny that...even with a black market. it's easier for me to get a gun than some fucking acid. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 10:01 PM<<You can't deny that...even with a black market. it's easier for me to get a gun than some fucking acid. >.
Uh yeah I can deny that and buying a gun legally at least in CA is a major pain in the ass these days, we need less gun control measures and more enforcement to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. But if every law abiding citizen in the US knew how to use a gun and had one there would be far less crime and far fewer live criminals, both of which are good things in anyones book. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 10:15 PMBut you can't rely on "Law abiding citizens" If we are going to be honest about humanity. And Guns really have no use... In our modern capitalistic society. Unless you are Amish you don't NEED a gun... you only a NEED agun if you are in fear of someone else having gun.. that simple logic should let you know... WOW.. toooo many guns.... and availability is wide spread. Guns no longer take forever to load and our society is now not generally in "civil war"... know what i mean... so.... education on guns .... and I'm being lib here... should be deduced to military and law enforcement. We all know this.. I've been living in Louisiana and these people have so many gun stores it's insane.... and New Orleans has tons or murders.... and we think it's about education. We'll i don't see money pooring in for education because there must be a reason for such. Criminal behaviour has not been scientifically understood to the point one can and has introduced any programs ... in my eye sight to reduce such and the gap between the rich and the poor under bush is widening... so...whats your logical solution.
I'm done. sorry...back to movie review... sorry dudes. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 10:20 PM<<you only a NEED agun if you are in fear of someone else having gun.. that simple logic should let you know>>
Exactly!!! and i am very afraid of criminals with guns and criminals do have them, when every criminal is disarmed and in prison then I will consider not having guns except for the 2nd reason why we have guns, in case the government turns into a tyranny. So like Charlton you can pry my guns out of my cold dead hands -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 10:29 PM>>Exactly!!! and i am very afraid of criminals with guns and criminals do have them, when every criminal is disarmed and in prison then I will consider not having guns except for the 2nd reason why we have guns, in case the government turns into a tyranny. So like Charlton you can pry my guns out of my cold dead hands<<<
EXACTLY!! So we need to stiffen are gun laws to Law enforcement and Military and even prohibit construction! Don't we.
We will never get to that point until we start to work on the population of guns and production of new ones and where they are being distributed to. I Don't hate Heston... He is a man...a Human.. i just wished his legacy would not be ultimately tied to the NRA. And I hate to admit that his death will eventually lead to a break up in the NRA who HAD a tap from Hollywood into D.C. They probably still will have one. Sorry to hear this man has passed... don't respect him... but sorry ....and the government turning into tyranny is pure mid american fear. The Government will if we a republican monarchy.
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Tue, April 8, 2008 - 5:39 PMIt's much more difficult for me to buy acid than a gun.
that's for sure.
in CA.
and i even know people who take acid.
but a gun? 1 mile from my house, walk in, buy gun.
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 8:14 PMI have no problem separating the man's politics from his work. He made numerous films that I enjoyed immensely, and he remains memorable a part of my past. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 6, 2008 - 9:30 PM<< He made numerous films that I enjoyed immensely >>
Ditto
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Mon, April 7, 2008 - 7:14 AM<<< I have no problem separating the man's politics from his work. He made numerous films that I enjoyed immensely, and he remains memorable a part of my past.>>>
Word. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Mon, April 7, 2008 - 11:16 AM<<< I have no problem separating the man's politics from his work. He made numerous films that I enjoyed immensely, and he remains memorable a part of my past.>>>
Agreed. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Tue, April 8, 2008 - 7:22 PMFair enough. He made 0 films that I enjoyed immensely, so I guess that's another difference we have. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Tue, April 8, 2008 - 7:36 PMI liked him and thought Omega Man, Planet of the Apes & Soylent Green are my favorites he was in too.
AND, I think everyone should own a gun. I'm in the process of finding the best one for me now actually. I can't wait to go to the range with my friend. I need to find out if silencers are illegal or not though. Cuz I would like to have one. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sat, April 12, 2008 - 6:49 PMwhat a bunch of pansys up in here, stop discussing gun control and respect this man in his passing or leave.
I for one will miss him, he was one in a million.
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 13, 2008 - 7:05 PMYou peeps haven't been watching that closely.
A lot of his politics are in his work. (Omega Man, Planet of the Apes) -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 13, 2008 - 9:30 PMHaven't seen Omega Man ... I'll give it a shot. -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Sun, April 13, 2008 - 10:04 PMThere are things I liked about him and things I do not. Same with Cage, Travolta, Cruise, Mel Gibson. Just to name a few. I like his old movies. But he may as well have died 20 years ago as far as I'm concerned. We all die. Who gives a fuck? -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Mon, April 14, 2008 - 6:21 PMTAKE YOUR STINKING WORDS BACK YOU DAMN DIRTY APE!
just kidding! -
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Re: Charlton Heston dead at 84
Tue, April 15, 2008 - 10:05 AMThe end of that first Planet of the Apes movie blew me away the first time I saw it. It was one of the most memorable complete mindfucks I experienced from a movie growing up.
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