Just for the purposes of clarification, we don’t do obituaries for just anybody here at ScreenGeek. The writers record the passing of somebody from the entertainment industry for one of two reasons. In some cases, we get tasked by our Editor because he wants the person’s career to be highlighted to the masses. In others, one of our number feels quite passionately about the sadly departed subject, and takes it upon themselves to mark the event in the most meaningful way they can.
So, when I awoke this morning to the news that John Hurt had died at the age of 77, following a short battle with cancer, I was sufficiently moved to want to commit something to paper (well, keyboard, whatever the modern equivalent is…) in way of a meager tribute to him. And I’m going to do that by remembering ten of his performances that mean something to me.
It’s something we’ve done here at ScreenGeek before. The last one I wrote was after the tragic and untimely death of Anton Yelchin. And, to clarify, the ten choices aren’t necessarily going to be the ones that you, or others might be thinking. Sure, Hurt was notable for his performances in truly great movies such as ‘The Elephant Man’, ‘Midnight Express’ or ‘Tinker Tailor…’, but he was also making sci-fi and fantasy movies way back before they ever became popular.
Hurt was born in the Derbyshire town of Chesterfield, in 1940. He was the son of a Vicar, and was bitten by the acting bug at a young age, going straight out of education and into theatre work. At the age of 22 he started to crop up in various TV shows, before scoring a string of lead roles in the mid 1970’s. He was as comfortable playing both Princes and Paupers, and carved a career out of playing a combination of protective father-figures; and rage-filled antagonists. Hurt had been frank when he discussed in interviews having been sexually abused at school by one of his teachers, and it was seemingly into these memories that he reached to produce such evocative and memorable performances.
Hurt became one of the most hard-working and memorable British actors of all time, with his rasping tones in voiceovers such as ‘Watership Down’ becoming as famous as his weathered features and trademark scruffy appearance. He racked up and impressive 204 acting credits, sitting in the same category as acting legends such as Peter O’Toole or Christopher Lee, turning up in a whole host of diverse movie roles and TV projects. He was still acting right up until his death, and can currently been seen in the JFK biopic ‘Jackie’, which is still showing in cinemas, and expected to do well during this year’s awards season.
So, what are the film roles that make John Hurt such a heartfelt loss to the world of nerds and geekery? Well, lets find out:
10. Alien (1979)
People romantically like to think of ‘Star Wars’ as the film that kickstarted the sci-fi boom of the 1980’s that has continued to grow up until the modern day, but they forget that there was another little space-based movie released the same year. One where the aliens weren’t so cute and cuddly.
Whatever other awards and accolades that John Hurt won during his career, he will always be remembered as the first ever onscreen victim of a chest-burster. It’s a visceral scene, one that still shocks even now, forty years on. Hurt would later go on to lampoon the role in ‘Spaceballs’, and his performance/demise was one of the key factors that led to the Alien franchise becoming such an enduring success.
9. Harry Potter (2001)
One of Hurt’s longest-running and most enduring characters is that of Garrick Ollivander in the Harry Potter franchise, a role that bought him to the attention of a legion of younger film fans. Whilst his initial appearance in the series seemed to hint at the character’s involvement being a small one, he would go on to reappear at key points in the series, playing an integral role in proceedings.
Ollivander is first introduced as the chap who sells wands to wizards, and Hurt executed the performance with an equal measure of quirk and heart. But it’s when he is later kidnapped and tortured by Voldemort that the depth and strength of The performance is bought to the fore. Hurt acts as a vital source of knowledge and information, explaining the backstory of the villains, and proving essential in helping Harry to defeat Voldemort and his forces.
8. Hellboy (2004)
Hurt rolled out of the Potter movies straight into another franchise, and another deeply touching expositional character when he ended up playing Trevor ‘Broom’ Bruttenholm in the Hellboy movies. When we first meet the fatherly Trevor, it’s quite clear he’s it long for this world, and Hurt ensures all of his screen-time is suitably infused with love and respect for his adopted demonic son.
It’s a testament to his acting abilities that you fully believe he has a fatherly relationship with the cigar-chomping Ron Perlman, and his death is tear-inducingly tragic. Hurt would re-appear for a key segment in the sequel, and also reprised the role for a number of animated instalments, his gravelly overtones breathing life back into the deceased and beloved character.
7. V for Vendetta (2005)
Films don’t come much more Cult than ‘V for Vendetta’, and it’s a movie where Hurt gives yet another massively memorable performance. He plays the big villain, Adam Sutter. High Chancellor of the UK, and essentially a thinly-veiled version of Adolf Hitler, he’s the one constant in an ever-changing landscape of political intrigues and assassinations.
It would have been an easy role to slip into pantomime, but Hurt remains far from becoming a two-dimensional villain. Embracing the source material, his former Conservative MP is a ruthless and unhinged oppressor, which is all the more interesting as Hurt had previously played the victim of just such a character when he starred in the much lauded ‘1984’.
6. Outlander (2008)
This intriguing little Jim Caviezel vehicle turned out to be a rather enjoyable little mix of sci-if and fantasy that saw a pair of aliens crash land in the middle of Viking territory, and carry on their fight to the death. It also sees Hurt reunited with fellow ‘Hellboy’ actor Ron Perlman, as the two play opposing chieftains caught up in the conflict.
Whilst the script was never going to win any awards, both Hurt and Perlman throw themselves into their roles, and (spoiler) it’s yet another deeply emotional and memorable onscreen death for Hurt. Add to this his work on the TV series ‘Merlin’ and it’s a crying shame we never got to see him cast in ‘Game Of Thrones’.
5. Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull (2008)
2008 saw a return to franchise work for Hurt, who was cast as the comedic foil in the much-maligned fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series. With Denholm Elliot long since departed; Hurt was bought on board to play another eccentric professor from Jones’s past.
If you can look past the nuclear fridges and Cate Blanchet’s hokey Russian accent, there’s a half-decent film in here somewhere. Sadly, Hurt is reduced to the role of simpleton for the majority of proceedings, one which he seems to quite enjoy portraying, before regaining his trademark composure at the end of the movie.
4. The Gruffalo (2009)
Hurt’s inclusion in this animated kid’s favourite is notable in that it’s a return to the format that he originally made his name in, but also that he’s again playing the role of a villain. His eccentric Owl represents a third of the trilogy of hungry forest creatures who James Cordon’s mouse must negotiate in order to survive.
The voice and the visual styling of the character just work so well together, and you can tell that Hurt is enjoying his performance. As Owl twitches and tics his way through the woods, constantly pausing to try and let his brain catch up with his claws, he manages to be both menacing, but also quite malign at the same time.
3. Immortals (2011)
With age no longer on his side, Hurt had begun to opt for more appropriate roles by the time this fantasy epic came calling for him. Directed by Tarsem Singh, the overly-colourful film sees a demented Mickey Rourke (is there any other kind?) taking on future Superman, Henry Cavill for control of a God-slaying bow and arrow.
Sat right st the centre of this conflict, anchoring the narrative together, is Hurt, playing an unnamed old man. Yet again playing a benign father-figure, he spends his days training Cavill up to fight evil, until his untimely demise. And would you know it, he’s actually Zeus in disguise! What are the chances?
2. Snowpiercer (2013)
It remains one of cinemas most irritating and unresolved disputes; as ‘Snowpiercer’ has yet to find a full global release, three years in from its completion. The film boasts a stellar cast of international talent; with Chris Evans on hero duties; Ed Harris as the big bad villain, and Hurt playing an elusive figure from the past that ties them both together.
When Hurt’s character Gilliam is introduced; he’s a heroic figure, one who managed to unite his people into an uneasy alliance with their oppressors, and stop them from slaughtering themselves. But following on from YET ANOTHER heartbreaking onscreen death, it’s revealed there’s a lot more to Gilliam than the legends point to; and he’s far more responsible for the tragic situation everybody finds themselves in than you would ever have thought.
1. Doctor Who (2013)
It’s ironic that one of the most iconic roles that John Hurt would ever be remembered for cane so late on in his career. As the revived show celebrated its 50th Anniversary, and Matt Smith’s reign as The Doctor came to an end, the BBC pulled out all the stops to ensure proceedings went off with an appropriately sized ‘BANG’. Having spent years referencing the Dalek/Gallifrey war that nearly destroyed the universe, the show decided to highlight exactly what had got the Doctor excommunicated from his people.
Initially looking like they would be bringing Paul McGann’s ‘Eighth Doctor’ back for the anniversary special, the BBC then immediately threw in a curveball, introducing an entirely new incarnation of the character, Hurt’s ‘War Doctor’. The fans finally got to see the angry and aggressive side to The Doctor; as years of watching his people cause death and destruction push him to steal a super-weapon to destroy both sides. From his emotion-laden opening lines, to his final flight in his Tardis, John Hurt forever immortalized himself in the franchise; and our hearts.
What was your favorite John Hurt role? Be sure to tell us in the comment section below.