Ouch. Renowned actor Val Kilmer passed away on April 1st, 2025.
Well known from films such as "Top Gun"(1986), "The Doors" (1991), "Tombstone" (1993), and "Heat" (1995), among many others, Val Kilmer played a significant role in the industry, and in the hearts of the audience. He will be sorely missed. R. I. P.
Val Edward Kilmer (December 31, 1959 - April 1, 2025)
From 1968 to 2019 he played in countless movies, from Hollywood blockbusters to B-movies to TV productions and shorts. His work includes parts in legendary films like "Turkish Delight" (1973), "Blade Runner" (1982), "The Hitcher" (1986), "Fatherland" (1994), "Batman Begins" (2005), "Hobo with a Shotgun" (2011), and many, many more.
He always seemed to have a love for niche productions, B-movies, horror and action flicks - one of the few actors who worked in huge productions, but never lost interest in the obscure and off side of cinema.
Captain Henry Rhodes, played by Joseph Pilato in George A. Romero's zombie classic "Day Of The Dead" (1985), is one the most iconic figures in all of horror cinema. Pilato as Rhodes is to horror cinema what Sean Connery is to undercover agent films, Sylvester Stallone to boxing films, or Juergen Prochnow to naval war movies: the definitive incarnation of the character he's supposed to be, where the actor becomes synonymous with his role, the one that sets the standard in its class.
Never before or after has the army-general-gone-mad been portrayed more boldly, Joseph Pilato made it look as if the man was physically burning on the inside. Pilato plays Rhodes, a character driven by fear and despair, full of hatred and impatience, with such grotesque intensity, you're shocked, and break into laughter at the same time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWbg8A3rDg
This is not your average gun crazy soldier - this man has serious issues. He feels the ground slipping away beneath his feet, his own redundancy imminent, unable to adjust and cooperate. In the end, when it all falls apart, all that's left for him is to sacrifice himself for his narrow minded cause: "Choke on them!"
Joseph Pilato's screen time in "Day Of The Dead" is one of the (many) outstanding features of the film, a perfect match for George A. Romero's comic strip inspired style of direction.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BKJHtobSvE
Joseph Pilato passed away on March 24th 2019 at age 70. R.I.P.
