Remembering the Wonderful and Immensely Talented Prolific British Actor Alan Rickman
The news of Alan Rickman's passing at age 69 signals the loss of an exceptional talent.
Beginning his prolific career in theatre as a director and actor for the stage, he gained his first feature film role at age 41 as the sinister Hans Gruber in beloved action movie Die Hard.
Since that time he appeared in a huge variety of films, becoming renowned for portraying villains with his unique drawling voice and impeccable scowl. Despite this association, he also balanced his work, acting in a range of genres from romance to comedy.
Rickman admirably won the respect of the devoted Harry Potter community with his note-perfect portrayal of fan favourite Professor Snape in the film series. He brought to the role a seriousness rarely found in actors taking place in family franchises, and was the only person to be entrusted by J.K. Rowling with the secret of Severus Snape's true backstory before the books were finished.
It was this careful consideration for every role that truly made him an exceptional screen presence. On the blockbuster film Die Hard, Rickman stood against his director when the script suggested that his character should violently assault a woman. At the time he argued that his character wouldn't use physical violence, and that it promoted the stereotype of an eternal female victim- an educated argument that led to a script change.
His work as a film director on two features was also impressive; his most recent work was the period drama A Little Chaos starring Kate Winslet, a witty and stylish film that deserves to be seen. Rickman himself appears as the extravagant King Louis XIV of France, embodying a complexity even in his brief scenes.
I was lucky enough to get a chance to briefly interview Rickman for the premiere of A Little Chaos whilst working as a reporter at London Film Festival in 2014. I'd been intensely nervous before the interview as someone who had grown up a Harry Potter fan and become a keen follower of his other work.
When I was suddenly faced with the man himself, it took a conscious effort to conceal a rare incidence of being genuinely star-struck. It turned out that I had nothing to worry about. As I asked my questions, Alan Rickman listened intently and always held one of those distinctive pauses in speech before answering. His carefully considered responses were filled with the dry wit and charm that I'd hoped for.
I know they say never meet your heroes, but in that case I was very glad that I did.
Written by Jen Scouler
The Fan Carpet are deeply saddened by his passing, our thoughts are with his family at this tragic time, to celebrate Alan Rickman, we have compiled our favourite roles of the man that gave us so much over the course of his career. Thank you Alan Rickman, rest easy...
Die Hard (1988)
Alan Rickman's villianous Hans Gruber is a fan favourite in the action classic (and debatable Christmas movie) Die Hard. Gruber is more than a match for Bruce Willis' John McClane, with a rather fantastic German accent and a civilised stance on evil plans.
Rickman plays him as cold yet brutal, his actions impossible to predict under such an impassable demeanour.
Also he has the rather brilliant line- 'I'm going to count to three…. There will not be a four.'
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Alan Rickman portrayed the villainous Sheriff George of Nottingham opposite Kevin Costner in the titular role. He described the original script as 'terrible', and admitted to rewriting particularly dodgy sections with friends in Pizza Hut one night.
Nevertheless, his turn as the outrageous sheriff in the film got him a Bafta, his performance outdoing some less-than-perfect guidelines.
Sense and Sensibility (1995)
The adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel greatly benefits from Alan Rickman's wonderful performance as Colonel Brandon. Brandon is not an easy character to portray- he lacks some depth in the books, party because his emotions are suppressed and unseen. Rickman used this quality to his advantage, physically embodying the heartache and frustrations of the character in a suitably understated fashion. He shared the screen with Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet and Emma Thompson, the latter of whom also wrote the film.
Thompson kept a diary of their time filming, and some of the best anecdotes of the little book involve Rickman. A personal favourite is this excerpt-
“This was the day a very sodden Greg [Wise] bounded up to Alan and asked, with all his usual ebullience, how he was. Long pause as Alan surveyed him through half closed eyes from beneath a huge golfing umbrella. Then- 'I'm dry.'”
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Alan Rickman displayed his skills in outright comedy when he played Alexander Dane in Galaxy Quest alongside Tim Allen’s Jason Nesmith. His character is a part of a cast of defunct television series, who reunite at a convention of dedicated fans.
The film has since reached cult status, and is popular with Star Trek fans as a fun but gentle parody. Rickman's performance is easily one of his funniest, as he plays a caricature of a Shakespearean actor- a role that must have been a great laugh for someone with his extensive background in theatre.
Harry Potter Series (2001 - 2011)
Alan Rickman brought tragic hero Professor Severus Snape to life in the adaptation of the books that defined a generation. Whilst other actors who have taken on beloved character roles from Harry Potter have divided opinion, Rickman's portrayal of the difficult character was universally praised throughout the films.
Sweeping through corridors and brutally taunting Harry in the early films, his development is as strong as in the novels, keeping the final reveal of Snape's past hidden right until the end. Rickman's Snape gives little away apart from the occasional visual indication, keeping us constantly guessing about his motivations.
Love Actually (2001)
Alan Rickman played Emma Thompson's wandering husband Harry in the ensemble romantic comedy Love Actually. Set during Christmas, Rickman's scenes are often funny as he sort of avoids temptation in the office and gives relationship advice to his hopeless employees. Although their relationship is in trouble in this film, real-life friends Thompson and Rickman are comfortable together on-screen in a way that makes their characters' lengthy marriage believable.
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)
Voicing the miserable robot Marvin in the film adaptation of Douglas Adam's classic science fiction novel, Rickman delivers his lines in a hilariously deadpan tone.
A particularly great line happens when showing Martin Freeman's hapless space explorer around a spaceship, as Marvin complains 'Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to take you to the bridge. Call that job satisfaction, 'cause I don't.'
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Continuing his considerable talent for portraying characters of a more sinister disposition, Rickman plays the dastardly Judge Turpin in Tim Burton's gothic adaptation of the classic Stephen Sondheim musical. The character is constantly bubbling with a rage of unclear origins, turning on the charm before relinquishing it with fury. Rickman also showed off his deep singing voice in the film, performing strong duets with co-stars Timothy Spall and Johnny Depp.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
In another voice-acting role, Rickman lent his voice to the Blue Caterpillar in Tim Burton’s adaptation of this literary classic. One of his brief scenes involve the Caterpillar lazily questioning Alice's identity, although he's generally more concerned about his hookah pipe!
A Little Chaos (2015)
Directing as well as starring, Rickman plays a grand French king in this period drama. His drawling voice is perfect for the role, but a highlight in the film involves a moment when the character relaxes his kingly demeanour in a thoughtful conversation with co-star Kate Winslet. Rickman carefully portrays the weariness of a man who has finally taken off the mask that consumes his life. There's also a surprising scene as the cast show off some impressive dance skills.
Beloved globally, Alan Rickman has two films set for post-humous release this year. First he returns to cinemas with Eye in the Sky as Lieutenant General Frank Benson alongside Dame Helen Mirren on April 8 and then he reprises his role of the Blue Caterpillar in Alice Through the Looking Glass in James Bobin’s Fantasy Adventure on May 27th.
R.I.P. ALAN RICKMAN • FEBRUARY 21 1946 - JANUARY 14 2016 • GONE BUT NEVER FORGOTTEN
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