Rutger Hauer RIP

[GoogaMooga]

News just broke that Dutch actor Rutger Hauer died July 19, aged 75. He was a protégé of Paul Verhoeven, and after a few domestic roles he went to Hollywood and became an international star as versatile as Klaus Kinski, whom I have always likened him to. Much like his fellow countryman Sylvia Kristel, he was fluent in several languages and had no trouble finding work. By the time of his second Hollywood feature, the dystopian SF movie "Blade Runner", he really made his mark, and his role of Roy Batty in that Philip K Dick adaptation became his main claim to fame. Other roles of note were in the films, "The Hitcher", which was another cult favorite, and "The Legend of the Holy Drinker", an art house hit by Ermanno Olmi. To me this trio of films is all that matters, these are the ones he should be remembered for. Picture him on the rooftop, sitting in the rain, clutching that white dove, was it a reference to the iconic album cover of Santana's Greatest Hits? Not likely, but we couldn't help but make that association back then, in '82. RIP Rutger Hauer

[never/ever]

I know him as Floris, Soldier of Orange, the dilettant in Turks Fruit, Keetje Tippel and Spetters, the enigmatic action hero but also as a keen environmentalist, recluse and oftentimes ruthlessly honest commentator.
One of the great Dutch artists.
RIP.

[GoogaMooga]

I know him as Floris, Soldier of Orange, the dilettant in Turks Fruit, Keetje Tippel and Spetters, the enigmatic action hero but also as a keen environmentalist, recluse and oftentimes ruthlessly honest commentator.
One of the great Dutch artists.
RIP.

I really ought to see those films. When I singled out only three films, I meant from his Hollywood/international productions.

[never/ever]

As most other people would, no problem.
But Hauer was a visual part of my Dutch upbringing in the 70s and even though Blade Runner cemented his legacy in a most definite way, there was definitely a lot more to his skill.