DAVID CARRADINE (1937-2009)
Well…the stories flying around about Mr. Carridine’s end are lurid, to say the least…though the surreal, film-like end somehow suits this fascinating & complex man. He might even have approved of the circumstances. Could it be murder? Sexual pleasure gone horribly wrong? It’s almost as if a plot in one of Carradine’s movies came to life…possibly out of vengeance.
Not convinced? Go and watch (if you dare) Crank-High Voltage…Carradine’s most recent on-screen role. Considering what just happened, the vile & odious role he played in that film is enough to make anyone believe in predestination!
Still…however you look at it, David Carradine’s death is grossly unfortunate. He was part of a legendary/infamous acting dynasty, and he achieved iconic status thanks to the 1970s Kung Fu TV series (though I preferred the rather underrated 90s revival, Kung Fu-The Legend Continues). He initiated an entirely new career renaissance with his astonishing portrayal of Bill in Tarrantino’s Kill Bill films…which took the focus away from his (shall we say) unique personal life. He had an amazing talent for communicating emotions (especially malevolence) in quiet, evocative, and occasionally disturbing ways, and his presence will be sorely missed from our screens…in spite of the fact that his drinking/womanizing/overdosing on eastern mysticism will find a stranger corner of the pop culture-nostalgia ether. BUT…he IS part of the pop culture now, across two generations, for better and for worse. I challenge any young grasshopper out there to deny the impact…
…though it’s not enough of an impact to persuade me to buy any of the Kung Fu seasons. OK…perhaps enough to buy season one of Kung Fu-The Legend Continues, when it’s finally released on DVD. ;-)
