Image Credit: Everett CollectionAs Charlie Sheen’s spectacular meltdown demolishes previous records for stars-gone-wild, there have already been many casualties: his CBS television show, his professional reputation, and his relationships with certain friends and family, to say nothing of the widespread concerns for his own health and well-being. But with every bizarre utterance and disoriented interview, Sheen is also wounding the long-term legacy of some very solid, borderline classic films. Try watching Wall Street now, after O.D.-ing on a 72 hour media binge of Tiger Blood Charlie. The movie hasn’t changed, technically, but our perceptions sure have. Ditto for Platoon, the Oscar-winning Vietnam movie that temporarily lifted Sheen onto the A-List in 1986. Heck, even Lucas is tainted (though that high school football comedy was already slightly skewed to me, thanks to costars Corey Haim and Winona Ryder).
The sad truth is that bad or outlandish personal behavior not only handicaps an actor’s ability to play different characters in the future, it can also warp our affections for what was once thought to be decent work. Take Mel Gibson and What Women Want, for instance. That romantic-comedy doesn’t have the same madcap zing after hearing his hateful phone messages, does it? The Buddy Holly Story was a sweet rock ‘n’ roll movie of its time, but now, it’s simply a museum relic to recall who Gary Busey used to be. And don’t get me started on how Nordberg’s Bronco chase ruined The Naked Gun for me.
There is one thread of Wall Street that still feels true — Bud Fox’s complicated relationship with his union-leading pop, played by Martin Sheen. In the end, Fox sees the error of his ways and pays the price for his wrongs, but only after the stress caused by his transgressions puts his father in the hospital. I can’t watch their blow-up scene in the elevator or their conciliation scene in the hospital and not feel something… hopeful. But then just like that, I have the image of this drilled back into my brain.
Have you had a favorite movie ruined by the shenanigans of one of its stars?
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We’ll always have Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
I’ve been totally thinking that Sheen has just rifting on his character from that movie for the last 25 years. I’m always going to love Platoon. I think of Charlie Sheen as Oliver Stone in that movie, not the actor.
I really hate to see this he is such a wonderful person I have followed him for years I just watched LUCAS and thought how can such a great person let DRUGS take a hold on them all we can do is hope and pray someone gets to him before it is to late.
People have there jokes and smartass remarkes but if it was someone in there family it would be different. I hope and pray his father or brother can get threw to him soon.
@ Joanna:
there s/b their
remarkes s/b remarks
threw s/b through
And Joanna, on your first post, use some commas please.
You know, if you’re unable to differentiate between actors and the roles they play (and therefore view their movies differently based on their real-life actions), then maybe you’re in the wrong career. And quite honestly, in all the “classics” Sheen was generally insignificant (in both Platoon and Wall Street the movie was carried by supporting actors, and Sheen pretty much need to squint).
I actually just watched Wall Street for the first time this weeken on netflix to see what he was like before he was bat sh!t crazy. I don’t think my opinion of his performance would be any different had I seen this prior to his latest winning streak, though the reconciliation scene was more poignant, and I also got a good extra laugh when he was telling GG that he was a “Winner”. Yup. Its either “winner” or “winning”… It was in the scene where he orders the steak tartar.
Totally! I can’t stand to watch anything now with Tom Cruise or Mel Gibson in it. Tom Cruise is no big loss, but I really liked Mel Gibson. I just feel bad for his father. Martin Sheen is a class act.
is this for real, Jeff? Time for a career change.
quit testing sheen for illegal drugs. manics have been known to take antidepressants to increase their mania.
I disagree with this assessment–if the actor gives a good performance then you forget it’s him in the part and not a character and I think that’s true for Platoon and Lucas and Wall Street–Charlie Sheen in those roles is so far removed from Charlie Sheen today (something you can’t say about Two and a Half Men) that once the movie starts going sure I’ll think about if for a second but it won’t dominate my pleasure of watching a good movie. In those movies, Charlie was someone I could stand watching.
I have not been able to watch a Mel Gibson movie in years. I was a HUGE fan. But “Sugart*ts” did me in. I also cannot watch “Seinfeld” any more. There are some performers where talent trumps their faults (hello Jude Law), but they are few and far between.
To me it is case by case. Isolated incidents don’t bother too much. But if the bad behavior repeats itself then it becomes harder to WANT to watch them in anything. Much less give them money in any way. So if I get a free ticket I might watch them, but if I am supposed to pay to watch them – no thanks.
Dumbest article I ever read!! Both are classics and always will be. Lucas too for that matter
Whenever I see Tom Cruise in a movie I’m distracted by a mental image of him jumping on Oprah’s couch while shouting his love for Katie. That image segues into one of him self-righteously lecturing Matt L. about evils of psychiatric therapy.
Definitely agree that Gibson and Cruise’s movies have been tarnished a bit by their crazy behavior. I know it SHOULDN’T affect my enjoyment, but it does.
man Jeff Labrecque is pretentious. If you have these actors change the way you watch a film then you need to step down from invisble high horse