by Stephen Vagg
Val Kilmer’s passing, while not exactly surprising – he had been battling cancer since 2015 – was still sad, and has prompted much mourning, especially amongst Gen X who were reared on efforts such as Top Secret, Real Genius, The Doors and Heat.
By way of tribute, we have prepared this list of ten connections between Kilmer and the land down under. This country wasn’t always good luck for the big fella, as shall be shown…
The Island of Doctor Moreau (1996) / Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley (2014)
Many of us put on a Kilmer movie when we heard he died – our one was Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley, the superb documentary about the making of The Island of Doctor Moreau in Queensland. In both movies, Kilmer, as he so often was throughout his career, served as the second lead rather than the main attraction. The star of Lost Soul is Richard Stanley, the eccentric/neurodiverse writer-director whose passion for HG Wells’ story and solid script got him a green light from New Line plus a healthy budget and the services of Marlon Brando and Kilmer. Chaos famously ensued, resulting in Stanley being fired and many other adventures – see the doco for the full story. Incidentally, the eventual movie of Moreau has its pleasures, not the least of which includes the performances of Kilmer, Brando and Fairuza Balk. There are, however, mortal flaws, such as killing off Kilmer’s and Brando’s characters far too early, and the miscast David Thewlis in the lead. Both films would make a great double bill, incidentally, and people who worked on the set of Moreau still tell tales of Kilmer’s behaviour.
Red Planet (2000)
One of several expensive flops that helped kill Kilmer’s status as a movie star. It was shot in Sydney and, like Moreau, we have heard countless stories of Kilmer’s antics during the shoot. Some made the press, like Kilmer’s fights with Tom Sizemore. Others remained more underground, such as those involving a never-released documentary Kilmer was making in his spare time with some film crew who were never paid. In fairness, if ever completed, this movie might be more entertaining than Red Planet, which no one seems to remember now.
The Saint (1997)
This project was in development forever before Robert Evans managed to secure the rights and got financing at Paramount. Aussie Phil Noyce, hot off making two hit Tom Clancy adaptations, directed Kilmer in the title role. The result was a classic case of ‘90s Hollywood bloat – rewritten, re-edited, overdone – although there are some good things about it, notably some stylish Noyce direction.
The Real McCoy (1993)
Kilmer had one of the all-time great hot streaks in the early ‘90s – The Doors, Thunderheart, Tombstone, True Romance, Heat… The Real McCoy is the most anonymous of these although it’s kind of cool that once upon a time, Kim Basinger played the lead in a high concept heist movie. It was directed by Aussie Russell Mulcahy. NB. Kilmer was also directed in The Ghost in the Darkness by Stephen Hopkins who is kind of an Aussie.
Batman Forever (1995)
In the mid 1990s, Kilmer was probably better described as a promising, highly regarded handsome leading man rather than a genuine box office star… after all, his only hit had been Top Gun. That changed with Batman Forever, where he took over the title role from Michael Keaton and was launched on to the “A” list for what turned out to be a much shorter time than anyone expected. It makes this list because his love interest was Australia’s own Nicole Kidman. It’s sometimes forgotten what a brilliant Bruce Wayne Kilmer was – smart, enigmatic, handsome.
The Missing (2003)
Kilmer made a cameo in this little-remembered Ron Howard Western, starring Australia’s own Cate Blanchett. The film did not make much of a splash, to put it kindly, but Kilmer adored working with Blanchett; they reunited in Terrence Malick’s Song to Song.
Spartan (2004)
Probably the second-best known of Kilmer’s 2000s credits after Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Spartan was a thriller from a pre-Trump-but-in-hindsight-the-signs-were-there David Mamet, with a supporting turn from Australia’s own Kick Gurry as a mercenary. This and Bang Bang were so entertaining (especially the latter) that looking back, we’re really surprised Kilmer could not make more of a comeback in the 2000s. Was he too chubby? Had he burned too many bridges? Another ‘90s movie star who hit a cold streak and got jowly? Alec Baldwin came back in a big way via 30 Rock, but for whatever reason, Kilmer could never come close to his old glory.
Comanche Moon (2008)
Larry McMurtry’s novel Lonesome Dove and its mini series adaptations are iconic – less so its sequel and two prequels and their mini-series adaptations. Comanche Moon was the second in the series chronologically. It benefited from being directed by Australia’s Simon Wincer (who did Lonesome Dove) and via a joyous performance by Kilmer, who stole all the reviews, in admittedly the flashiest role, as eccentric Texas Ranger Inish Scull. His wife was played by another Aussie, Rachel Griffiths.
Collateral (2004)
No, Kilmer’s not in this Tom Cruise thriller, written by Australian Stuart Beattie, but he was going to be, playing the cop on the case – then he pulled out to do Alexander for Oliver Stone and Mark Ruffalo stepped in (we think this was due to scheduling rather than ego). We’d have to wait until Top Gun Maverick for our Cruise-Kilmer reunion. NB. Collateral was of course directed by Michael Mann, who used Kilmer so well in Heat, and apparently Kilmer was considered to play the part of Jeffrey Wigand in another Mann film, The Insider, but the role went to Australia’s Russell Crowe.
Australian shorts and Top Gun (1986)
This link is tenuous but fun. Kilmer says in his memoir that he turned up at the audition for the role of Iceman wearing “oversize gonky Australian shorts in nausea green.” He got the part and history was made. What happened to the shorts?
