River Phoenix Would Have Been 47 Years Old Today... He Was a Magnificent Actor.
This young man died nearly 24 years ago...
The whole Sunset Strip in the era of my birth was almost a cesspool for drugs and prostitution. Nowadays it is more or less a safe haven, and there is an air here I've felt nowhere else.
Johnny Depp owned the night club 'The Viper Room' at the time, and a lot of celebrities were partying with River at the time of his passing.
A 'speedball', a popular combination of heroin and cocaine and other ungodly substances mixed in one. A source of misery and death that took many talented people from this world. John Belushi, Janice Joplin, River Phoenix...all before my era, all gone too soon.
Many say that if River lived on to act, there may be no Leo DiCaprio, there may have been an absence of a lot of leading men we know today.
River had that gritty, and angsty appeal that made you hate him and love him all in one. He rarely smirked or smiled, and his roles always displayed that of a person on the edge, a young man who wanted more from life.
He was the perfect 80s actor: from the longing friend who wanted more in 'My Own Private Idaho', to a young Indiana Jones in 'The Last Crusade', this kid was willing to put it all on the line for his roles.
It is human nature to think more of people when they are gone, human nature is most cruel in that element.
We lost a future legend, and a man lost in his own head more than 2 decades ago. I was 4 years old when he passed, but I learned to appreciate what he gave the world.
Happy birthday River, the world misses you.
Too bad he didn't get the help he needed to get off the drugs. He definitely had acting potential. Everyone around him, friends and family were enablers - He was making money and fame and they rode the coat tails of it not caring for the young star at all only what he could do for them. Most of his friends had problems with addiction and were too messed up to help him. I view his brother - who should have helped him that way. No Intervention for River.
I often wonder if he had gone to rehab would he have lived to go on another day. Too young; he passed, he missed out on so much in life.
Well said my friend.
Very nice post, it feels good to remember him and the time, the 80s. I agree, he went too soon. Happy Birthday River!
:)