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Val Kilmer is Gay
In "Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang"

by Tim Nasson, Wild About Movies publisher
(10/16/05)

Val Kilmer, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Los Angeles – It’s safe to say that Val Kilmer’s star peaked in the early 90s. In a span of five years, Kilmer portrayed Jim Morrison in “The Doors,” Elvis Presley in “True Romance,” Doc Holliday in “Tombstone,” Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, in “Batman Forever,” and one of the leads in “Heat,” one of Michael Mann’s best films.

Perhaps there was something in the water at his high school. Not only were the early 90s good for Kilmer, (to date, Julliard’s youngest student ever accepted to the drama department), they were good for his fellow high school alumni, Kevin Spacey and Mare Winningham.

However, Kilmer’s most popular role, Iceman, in “Top Gun,” – at least with kids of the “Top Gun” generation – was in a movie released twenty years ago.Val Kilmer

The past ten years have not been very kind to Kilmer, as an actor. If one thought “Batman Forever” would be the movie Kilmer was paid most handsomely for, one would be incorrect. Kilmer’s highest salary to date, $9 million, was for the movie “At First Sight,” which was released in 1999, and one of that year’s lowest grossing movies. For “Batman Forever,” Kilmer received only $7 million.

Kilmer’s rapid decline, as Hollywood heartthrob, admired actor, and box office attraction, began with the 1996 film, “The Island of Dr. Moreau.” That film was rife with problems, most, according to the late director John Frankenheimer, due to the on-set tantrums of the film’s co-star, Val Kilmer.

“The Island of Dr. Moreau,” opened to dreadful reviews, citing both the horrific directing and abominable acting, and performed as should be expected at the box office - poorly.

The next Kilmer bomb was “The Ghost and the Darkness,” which was followed by a mediocre, not dismal film, “The Saint,” (also the movie I first interviewed Kilmer for.)

After that it was mostly nothing but trouble; “At First Sight,” “Joe the King,” “Red Planet,” “The Salton Sea,” “Masked & Anonymous,” “Wonderland,” “The Missing,” “Blind Horizon,” “Spartan,” “Stateside,” “Mindhunters” and “Alexander.”Kiss Kiss Bang Bang poster

All is not lost, though.

Kilmer’s ten year downward spiral may be about to change, at least with the critics, if not the mass audiences, for his latest film, the film nourish, black comedy, “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang.” (Opening in select cities October 21st.)

I spoke with Kilmer recently, while on the west coast. He was in a cheerful mood, quite silly, at times, seemingly glad to be back in the good graces of Hollywood and his critics.

In “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang,” forty-five year old Val Kilmer plays Gay Perry. A private eye. A gay private eye.

“It was just too good of a movie for me to pass on,” answers Kilmer, when I ask how and why he chose this movie, as his ‘come back’ film. It’s not like “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang” is a big budget, “Batman” like film. It had a budget of less than $15 million and is directed by a first timer, Shane Black.

“It was the screenplay, the genius of the screenplay, the way not only the film was written but how the role I was asked to play was written, that grabbed me. Gay Perry? Gay Paris. Should I go on? I could,” says Kilmer, who is obviously in a silly mood.


Kiss Kiss Bang Bang posterAs for preparing for the role of a gay Private Eye, “I went out and bought a bunch of Liza Minnelli records. What do you think I did?” he asks, rhetorically. “The role of Gay was written kind of anti-stereotypical gay. So I play him kind of straight. Not queeny. But, there were plenty of queeny moments going on off camera between me and Robert [Downey Jr.,], if you catch my drift,” laughs Kilmer, who obviously had a lot of fun making “Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang.”

“As a matter of fact, Robert had all the work, and I had all the fun making this movie. All I had to do, more or less, was tell Robert to ‘shut up.’ His character is the one being chased for two hours.”

“Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang” tells the story of a petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor, who is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a gay detective (Val Kilmer) who's been training him for his upcoming role.

“I learned a lot from Marlon Brando,” says Kilmer, in a serious tone. “He always said, ‘The first rule of filmmaking is to not bore the audience.’ If I have accomplished that with my role in this movie,” says Kilmer, “I will have done my job.”

 

 

 

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"2008 Movies" & "2009 Movies" & "2010 Movies"
TODAY: Movie Poster & Website Premieres
Step Up 3 in 3D
By Tim Nasson
Publisher, Wild About Movies

Step Up 3 D


Wild About Movies provides you with the most comprehensive movie posters, movie trailers, movie synopses, Behind The Scenes of movies, and celebrity interviews, and current, updated movie release date information - than any other movie website. At WAM you are able to peruse the movie trailers, movie posters and movie synopses of more than 500 movies not yet in theaters (and thousands of movies formerly in movie theaters and currently on DVD, including all "2009 DVDS" and "2009 BluRays"). The latest additions to the Wild About Movies database: The (delayed) Rob Marshall movie "Nine," The movie "Kick Ass" and two Paul Bettany movies "Creation" and "Legion." The - now - non Avatar entitled movie "The Last Airbender" and Dwayne Johnson in and as "The Tooth Fairy." Aging actors Mel Gibson in "Edge Of Darkness" and Sylvester Stallone in front of and behind the camera in "The Expendables" and "Rambo 5." Also "Lovely Still" - featuring Martin Landau & Ellen Burstyn. Matt Damon in the Paul Greengrass movie "Green Zone." Jake Gyllenhaal as "Prince of Persia" and Rose McGowan as "Red Sonja 2010." And Seth Rogen is "The Green Hornet." "Witchblade 2010," as well as sequels: "Nanny McPhee 2" and "Narnia 3" and everything from Daniel Radcliffe (naked at WAM and fully clothed) in "Harry Potter 7: Part 1," to the Disney 3D films "Cars 2" and "Toy Story 3." Michael Douglas in "Wall Street 2." And the requisites, "Cloverfield 2" and "Iron Man 2." Need more movies? The big screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" - finally - with a release date in November 2009. Also, Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio's two year delayed next collaboration, "Shutter Island." In addition, the big screen comedy "Leap Year" and the non comedy "The Escapist," and Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones" and "The Hobbit Movies." And Kenneth Branagh's "Thor." Also "The Smurfs Movie" and the big screen version of Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" and Ben Stiller's "Chicago 7." And a slew of animated and non animated Walt Disney and non Disney movies, many in 3D: including "The Smurfs" and "Fraggle Rock: The Movie" and "The King of the Elves" and "Rapunzel," "The Bear and the Bow;" "Newt," "The Princess And The Frog." And also "How To Train Your Dragon." How about Heath Ledger's final movie, "Dr. Parnassus." The four Jonas Brothers in the big screen adaptation of "Walter The Farting Dog" and Also: Zac Efron naked but not in "Me And Orson Welles." Also, Chace Crawford in "Footloose 2010." Benicio Del Toro as "The Wolfman." And James ("Titanic") Cameron's "Avatar;" and Robert Downey Jr. as "Sherlock Holmes." In addition, the sequel to "Twilight," and "New Moon," "Eclipse" and all starring Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. And, "Captain America." Also, check out all of the "2008 Movies" that were released in movie theaters. We also bring you "2010 Oscars" pre-coverage - and the movie trailers and movie posters of all "2009 Movies" & "2010 Movies" in theaters, including today's IN THE SPOTLIGHT - "Step Up 3"... (continue)




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