Bruce Willis

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aox
Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:02 pm
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Re: Passages

#1 Post by aox » Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:59 pm

Apologies, as I wasn't sure where this should go. It's been rumored for a few years, but now is confirmed.

Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Aphasia And Is Retiring From Acting

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hearthesilence
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2005 4:22 am
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Bruce Willis

#2 Post by hearthesilence » Wed Mar 30, 2022 2:39 pm

Poor guy. There is treatment that may be effective depending on the severity, so hopefully it'll get better.

I just realize I hadn't seen him in anything since Moonrise Kingdom, though he was in Edward Norton's film from several years back. He seems to have done a ridiculous number of direct-to-video projects (though that's Wikipedia's description - I guess those are streaming-only projects?).

He's one of the very, very few big budget tentpole stars I can think of who always accepted parts in offbeat indie films, raising their profile in the process, so he's always had my respect for that. I've probably enjoyed him most as a supporting or ensemble cast member: Moonrise Kingdom, Pulp Fiction, Nobody's Fool, The Player, Fast Food Nation...

beamish14
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Re: Passages

#3 Post by beamish14 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:16 pm

aox wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:59 pm
Apologies, as I wasn't sure where this should go. It's been rumored for a few years, but now is confirmed.

Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Aphasia And Is Retiring From Acting

I remember that he sued the makers/studio behind Tears of the Sun (2003) after apparently incurring a Traumatic Brain Injury on the set, and I wonder if that was the contributing factor behind this. Very sad. I have wondered if his increasingly small roles were a result of not being able to memorize lines or sustain his focus for long periods of time, but he finally starred in a Broadway show not too long ago

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domino harvey
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Re: Passages

#4 Post by domino harvey » Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:19 pm

I think he had trouble getting insured for large parts in big budget films, whereas smaller productions could afford him in almost cameo-sized roles, so that could turn out to be the real reason why that’s almost exclusively what he made in the last half decade

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knives
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm

Re: Passages

#5 Post by knives » Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:26 pm

I always heard it as an effect of his personality, where did you hear about insurance?

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colinr0380
Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 4:30 pm
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Re: Passages

#6 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:48 pm

It does seem a little early to be talking about this in the Passages thread. Maybe a more dedicated Bruce Willis one? Red Letter Media recently did two episodes looking at these "straight-to-Redbox" films, the second epsiode modifying somewhat their jokes about the quality of the films by mentioning at the start all of the speculation around Bruce Willis' health potentially being the reasons behind a lot of the green screened-looking cameos and visible earpieces on display. A couple of those films actually look interesting to me (Gasoline Alley and Breach), but it doesn't sound like going into them as a "Bruce Willis film" would be the best thing to do even in those.

(It has also been an issue that seems to have been there a long time before it really ramped up in the last year or two, as I remember being a bit surprised by just how few scenes there were with Willis in The Cold Light of Day film from 2012, where it felt like there wasn't enough there to even warrant a cameo "and with" status, let alone rather misleadingly being billed as co-star with Henry Cavill!)

It also unfortunately means that Willis getting his own category to himself at the Razzies this year is a bit awkward (and may have forced this announcement about his health issues). Or at least in the current climate may earn someone a slap for their insensitivity!
Last edited by colinr0380 on Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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knives
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Re: Passages

#7 Post by knives » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:02 pm

Maybe we can split off at least your post to an old man action trash thread as that’s something that has recently peaked my interest. I recently read an interview, I think with Hollywood Reporter, with Nic Cage where he goes over his career in particular his “to get out of debt and keep his dead alive” films.

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colinr0380
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Re: Passages

#8 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:17 pm

Though the thing that separates Nicolas Cage is that at least he's doing some great and daring films in amongst the deluge of 'geezer teaser' films (as Red Letter Media puts it). While Color Out Of Space is out of contention now for other reasons, I'd argue Joe, Mandy and Pig are amongst his best work, and at least he's working with interesting directors like Sion Sono and Paul Schrader even if the results of those collaborations might not entirely work.
Last edited by colinr0380 on Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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knives
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Re: Passages

#9 Post by knives » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:20 pm

I agree, but part of his argument was that although no one will mistake The Humanity Bureau for Pig his argument in the piece was that he found value in the roles of even the weakest films.

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colinr0380
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Re: Passages

#10 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:30 pm

Cage did make that theatrical version of the Left Behind story at least watchable, which was perhaps the lowest ebb of that 'taking every role' period. I'd like to hope that maybe he is coming out of that early to mid 2010s period now, although at least even in that period there was still Joe.

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domino harvey
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Re: Bruce Willis

#11 Post by domino harvey » Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:44 pm

The Razzies, when presented with this news after creating an entire category to mock Willis only a few months ago, decides to double down

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soundchaser
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Re: Bruce Willis

#12 Post by soundchaser » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:02 pm

The Razzies are one of the worst things to have come out of “film culture,” so this isn’t surprising.

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knives
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Re: Passages

#13 Post by knives » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:04 pm

colinr0380 wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:30 pm
Cage did make that theatrical version of the Left Behind story at least watchable, which was perhaps the lowest ebb of that 'taking every role' period. I'd like to hope that maybe he is coming out of that early to mid 2010s period now, although at least even in that period there was still Joe.
My understanding from the interview he is. He’s paid off all his debts and can be a bit choosier now and while Disney burnt him so big budget stuff is unlikely, but stuff like Pig will probably pop up more often.

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PfR73
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Re: Bruce Willis

#14 Post by PfR73 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:24 pm

Isn't he playing Dracula in a big budget movie?

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colinr0380
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Re: Bruce Willis

#15 Post by colinr0380 » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:39 pm

By the way according to imdb there are eight more Bruce Willis films currently in post-production.

I have my fingers crossed for Paradise City which is at least directed by someone I have heard of, Chuck Russell, in which Willis stars with John Travolta and Stephen Dorff. And White Elephant looks to have an interesting cast at least with Olga Kurylenko, Michael Rooker and John Malkovich.

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Mr Sausage
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Re: Passages

#16 Post by Mr Sausage » Wed Mar 30, 2022 5:48 pm

beamish14 wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 3:16 pm
aox wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 12:59 pm
Apologies, as I wasn't sure where this should go. It's been rumored for a few years, but now is confirmed.

Bruce Willis Diagnosed With Aphasia And Is Retiring From Acting

I remember that he sued the makers/studio behind Tears of the Sun (2003) after apparently incurring a Traumatic Brain Injury on the set, and I wonder if that was the contributing factor behind this. Very sad. I have wondered if his increasingly small roles were a result of not being able to memorize lines or sustain his focus for long periods of time, but he finally starred in a Broadway show not too long ago
I remember there being some controversy over him wearing an ear-piece during performances. He explained it as more of a confidence thing, but I'm guessing it had more to do with this recent news.

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captveg
Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 7:28 pm

Re: Bruce Willis

#17 Post by captveg » Wed Mar 30, 2022 6:07 pm

I also read somewhere recently (cannot remember where, so grain of salt and all that) that Willis also suffered some significant hearing loss due to all the gunfire/explosions on the set of Die Hard, so that may have also contributed to using the earpiece as he aged.

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Kracker
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Re: Bruce Willis

#18 Post by Kracker » Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:08 am

It's true. RLM highlighted gunfire scenes in Die Hard that have been noted as having directly affected his hearing. I believe he had to wear the earpiece on that Broadway show as well.

I can't help but suspect that his retirement announcement was prompted by these recent speculations of his declining abilities as the reason for doing all these redbox movies. Once publicly known, his asking salary would possibly be affected. RLM even pointing out how these cheap production companies could be seen as taking advantage of Bruce.

flyonthewall2983
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Re: Bruce Willis

#19 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:25 am

I kind of hoped he would return to television at some point if he ever got tired of doing the straight-to stuff. And not necessarily even prestige cable, when Mark Harmon left NCIS I thought he could have been a real eye-opening choice to fill the void.

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Drucker
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Re: Bruce Willis

#20 Post by Drucker » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:28 am

LA Times piece today.
Last fall, Burns was offered the chance to direct another Willis film, “Wrong Place,” but he was worried about the actor’s health.

Burns said he called one of Willis’ associates and asked him: “How’s Bruce?” Burns said he was told that Willis was “a whole different person ... way better than last year.” “I took him at his word,” Burns said.

But when they started filming the movie last October, “I didn’t think he was better; I thought he was worse,” Burns said. “After we finished, I said: ‘I’m done. I’m not going to do any other Bruce Willis movies.’ I am relieved that he is taking time off.”

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hearthesilence
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Re: Bruce Willis

#21 Post by hearthesilence » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:36 am

That's a very, very sad piece. It kind of reminds me of a friend whose mother had to stop driving due to age-related issues. It was really dangerous for her to be on the road, and it even got to the point where she couldn't get affordable insurance based on what had happened while she was behind the wheel. It was frustrating because for most of us, it was a cut and dried case, but after a while you could really see why it was so hard for her to let go of something she did regularly.

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knives
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm

Re: Bruce Willis

#22 Post by knives » Thu Mar 31, 2022 12:43 pm

Likewise, my mother who is younger than Willis has been showing signs of mental decline for a while now and it’s an utterly defeating experience especially when they refuse to accept that that decline may be occurring which is nonetheless understandable because people really take pride in their intelligence.

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domino harvey
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Re: Bruce Willis

#23 Post by domino harvey » Thu Mar 31, 2022 1:41 pm

Drucker wrote:
Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:28 am
LA Times piece today.
This is not a good look for everyone involved. No idea if Willis' crew of handlers are enablers, exploiters, or just following Willis' wishes, but the part about how he kept firing the gun at the wrong time is... bad

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knives
Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm

Re: Bruce Willis

#24 Post by knives » Thu Mar 31, 2022 3:36 pm

Eads especially comes across poorly to the point I was making Brian Wilson comparisons.

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Swift
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Re: Bruce Willis

#25 Post by Swift » Thu Mar 31, 2022 3:49 pm

domino harvey wrote:
Wed Mar 30, 2022 4:44 pm
The Razzies, when presented with this news after creating an entire category to mock Willis only a few months ago, decides to double down
They've now decided to cancel

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