I bow to you, sir. Having been born in the year of our lord, 1946 you rank amongst the greatest our age has to offer; David Gilmour (obviously of Pink Floyd fame), former President Bill Clinton, and last (but not least) my own father. Yes, you are of the baby-boom generation and you (as well as your forebears) represent the turning point of our present time. Born of "the greatest generation" you came to your own in the birth/growth of television, as well as Western Democracy.
I would be an illiterate fool if I did not acknowledge that I first came to recognize your talents while I was a 14-year-old (who was not allowed to watch rated "R" movies) watching "Die Hard" at the house of a friend who was laid up in a cast and pins holding his 8th grade bones together. A student of Catholic Schools, I was quite unaware of the dangers that lie just beyond Jesus' grasp (on the BIG SCREEN). You, somehow, were able to ring true as Hans Gruber, international terrorist. As much as I wanted the ALL-AMERICAN John McClain to kick your ever-lovin' ass, I wanted you to have your say and get away with whatever you had planned for Nakatomi Plaza. You had a mastery of the Engish language (unlike our current leader), and you had style.
JESUS CHRIST! It is 20 years later as I type this. I respected you in the January Man, could appreciate the sardonic humor in "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" and no one, but NO ONE could pull off the role as Severus Snape in the"Harry Potter" series as you, but my ultimate purpose in this post is to comment on your portrayal as "Lord Turpin" in Tim Burton's current production of Steven Sondheim's, Sweeney Todd. You are/were an inredeemable son-of-a-bitch-ass-hole who not only created a terrible tragedy laid upon him, but received it in spades! I have nothing good to say about the "honorable" judge who (out of sheer greed) created the beast of Sweeney Todd out of the humble Benjamin Barker, save that you portrayed him.
As much as I hated the character, I loved that YOU portrayed him. A generation ago you WERE the supreme foil to the all-American hero. I didn't know it at the time, but the U.S. is NOT always right (the fucking shrub has proved that).
I am no more than a fan of the American cinema, but I thank you for all of your efforts.
CJE
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