"Oh Captain, My Captain:" A few words on the death of Robin Williams

On August 11, 2014, Robin Williams was found unconscious in his home, and was later pronounced dead from asphyxiation, thought - but at this time, not confirmed - by suicide. Right off the bat, this sounds like one of those barrages of death hoaxes we hear on Twitter or Facebook, perpetuated by thousands of hopelessly ignorant people that, after a basic Google search, confirm that said person is alive and well and that the rumor was just that - a rumor. But Williams, sadly, is no more, and at sixty-three, leaves behind a wife, three children, and a collection of incredible films, many of which my generation grew up watching and adoring.

The fascinating thing about watching the outpouring of remorse, grief, and sadness over Williams' death on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites is seeing how many were personally affected by the films Williams did. I've read over a dozen posts, on Facebook and Reddit, about how Mrs. Doubtfire helped someone overcome divorce. I've read several posts, even a post from my friend, about how him reciting famous poetry in Dead Poets Society made people reconsider suicide and recall that there are many people who love them in the world. And then I've read a series of posts from random people on Twitter stating what their favorite Robin Williams films are.

You can read virtually anyone's status at this time and hear them say how shocked they are at the fact that Williams potentially committed suicide and was found dead in his home. At this moment in time, I can't believe I just wrote such words, as when I found out he was dead - from a text from my best friend while talking to my grandmother - my knees almost buckled from the gravity of the situation. I'm not here to reiterate how such a soul could commit suicide; I'm here to tell you how you can celebrate and commemorate such a life and how one can perceive the life of Williams in a concise and, hopefully, unobtrusive way.

First and foremost, my father is always the first to question and criticize the fact I get so worked up, upset, and affected by the deaths of celebrities. Just today, as we sat outside in the backyard, as I was texting numerous people, trying to come to terms with the death of a comedic force, my father says to me, "he didn't give a fuck about you, he didn't know you, so why do you give a shit? He's dead. End of story. I felt bad for five seconds." All of those statements and accusations are true, but it just so happens I give a shit. While Williams didn't know me personally, I knew him, and I watched several of his films and deeply appreciated his work; I'd be almost sociopathic if I didn't feel something after devoting my time to his films.

Furthermore, I'm here to recommend my top three favorite Robin Williams films you may have not seen. The first is probably the most obvious - the one most people have seen - and that's Good Will Hunting. The first time I saw this film, I loved it. The second time I saw it, in my sociology class, where we dissected the film in a unique way, I was in awe and loved it even more. I loved it so much that I upped my rating to four stars and wrote an entire blog on it, writing from a more sociological perspective and examining it through a lens I previously hadn't given any remote thought to. This is an incredible film, from the ideas and themes it brings forth, to the wonderful chemistry erected by Matt Damon and Williams himself, in an emotionally potent film that is equal parts well-written and contemplative.

The second film is a stranger one, directed by Police Academy's Bobcat Goldthwait called World's Greatest Dad. The film is one of the first films I reviewed, and is one of the many early reviews of mine that is poorly written and abysmally structured. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic film that hits the same kind of emotional heights as Good Will Hunting, but in a more relatable way for many. While it is billed as a comedy, even after two viewings, I struggle to find what exactly was funny about the story. I was so moved I bawled and so riveted I loaned my DVD out to half a dozen people. The film shows a masterful performance by Williams and still is far too unseen; not to mention, Goldthwait himself is such an underrated, under-appreciated force in cinema that it only compliments him to see the film as well.

Finally, there's One Hour Photo, which, I remember, was one of the films my film studies teacher and I talked extensively about. I saw the film when it came out, making me about six-years-old at the time. I remember really enjoying the unique and visceral cinematography inside a grocery store's photo-counter, as it concerned a photo developer who wound up developing a strange obsession with a local, middle class family that frequented the counter to get photos developed. On the outside, Robin Williams' character seemed to be a genial soul, as he would always greet the family with a smile and would happily fulfill any request they had. However, on the inside, he was a deeply troubled, mentally unstable man, who fixated himself on this family and developed a consuming obsession that ate away at his humanity. It's somber and terrifying and, like World's Greatest Dad, criminally underrated.

There you have it; potentially three new films added to your watchlist to commemorate a larger than life comedian. These next few weeks, or so, I'll look to watch some of the Williams films I've missed and even dive into his comedy specials, which I've put off for far too long. Right now, I'm like everyone else; taking in the sadness bestowed upon me in such an abrupt manner, recognizing that people like Williams, comedians, who wanted to be laughed with and at, are laughing on the outside but often crying and feeling hopeless on the inside, as sad as that sounds. My friend Gabe says it best, with his conflicting feelings towards Williams' death, saying, "It's those who make others laugh the most that often laugh the least." With the death of Williams, I almost feel the same way as I did when I learned of Carlin's death, which is that my world and my surroundings are a bit less funny and contemplative.

My review of Good Will Hunting, http://stevethemovieman.proboards.com/thread/2191/good-hunting?page=1#scrollTo=20393
My sociological analysis of Good Will Hunting, http://stevepulaski.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-smart-boy-in-stupid-world.html
My review of One Hour Photo, http://stevethemovieman.proboards.com/thread/2132/hour-photo