I am from NYC, and adored Sam. I loved him in The Horse Whisperer. He just seemed like a very nice man who did his profession proud; and entertained us all in the process. In Peace Mr Neil.
Event Horizon was the movie we whispered about with friends at sleepovers in high school. It gets a lot of flack, but remains a deserved cult classic. Sam Neill was awesome in it.
Dead Calm was the first movie I remember seeing him in, and I think it still holds up. A cerebral, un-brawny hero who’s not classically handsome but gets the job done.
Thank you for this wonderful remembrance. This was the first movie I drove my friends to see in the theatre after getting my driver’s license. The scene where they first see the dinosaurs remains one of my favorites ever.
Thx for this Sonny. Neill was just so very good in everything. Really one of the best of this era, and still doing wonderful work. For a guy that oozes likeability, he was incredible effective in Peaky Blinders playing a real c-word. I got to visit his farm and vineyard this past February, and he came out to wave hello. He asked if we were having a nice visit and I said "we're eating some of your plums" to which he said "well, good! That's that they are there for!" Very sad to lose this goodness, his lightness. The world is a bit courser... a little black spot on the sun today. *sigh*
Sam Neill was an old-school leading man, handsome, talented and complicated (or seeming). I loved Reilly early on, and Dead Calm. He elevated every movie he was in. And that's aside from who he was as a person. We have lost someone special. Thanks for this tribute.
I imagine that Hunt for Red October was the first Sam Neill movie that I saw, but I will always remember thinking that Kristin Scott Thomas's Annie had to be crazy to even think about picking the aging Robert Redford character over lovely Sam Neill.
I thank the person who mentioned Sam's Instagram pandemic posts. His relationships with his animals, especially the pig, brought joy in a bad time. The videos were wryly funny and uniquely charming- just like him.
My favorite role Sam Neill played was also the first one I saw him perform, as Sidney Reilly in "Reilly, Ace of Spies," an espionage epic based on history, set in the early 20th century. Loved him in everything he was in since.
I've had a crush on him for decades. Even when he was the bad guy, like in Enigma, Doctor Zhivago or (the horrible) Memoirs of an Invisible Man, I'd be thinking why would say, Daryl Hannah, want the other guy???? Loved Dead Calm (at the beginning, in the uniform, damn!), A Cry in the Dark, In Cold Blood (TV miniseries), Country Life (Australian Uncle Vanya), oh hell, anything! If Sam was in it, I would watch it!
Man, I love "Event Horizon", warts and all. The first two acts are incredible. Neill is a big part of why, though honestly everyone turns in fantastic performances in that film. I'm also old enough that when I found out "Jurassic Park 2" wasn't going to have him in it, I initially didn't bother to watch it.
I'm also very partial to his cameo in "Thor - Ragnarok". I know the Lesser Hemsworth and Matt Damon are the big draws in that scene, but Neill is hilarious as Some Asgardian Guy Playing Odin.
IMO Carpenter's truly last great film was They Live, but In the Mouth of Madness was unquestionably the best film he made after that point. ITMOM I think suffers a bit in the last act, which is what keeps it from being among Carpenter's best, but it's still a damned good movie, especially in everything leading up to when they actually meet Sutter Kane. IMO the only other legitimately good movie Carpenter made after They Live was Vampires, but this too is flawed, and is not as good as ITMOM.
Search for a video of Sam Neill answering the question, Do I have a dream? from the "10,000 Dreams" interviews. It's such a lovely answer. He might have given his own eulogy. He was clearly a man who with a peaceful outlook on life in his later years.
I am from NYC, and adored Sam. I loved him in The Horse Whisperer. He just seemed like a very nice man who did his profession proud; and entertained us all in the process. In Peace Mr Neil.
Sherry Eid
Event Horizon was the movie we whispered about with friends at sleepovers in high school. It gets a lot of flack, but remains a deserved cult classic. Sam Neill was awesome in it.
Dead Calm was the first movie I remember seeing him in, and I think it still holds up. A cerebral, un-brawny hero who’s not classically handsome but gets the job done.
Thank you for this wonderful remembrance. This was the first movie I drove my friends to see in the theatre after getting my driver’s license. The scene where they first see the dinosaurs remains one of my favorites ever.
He was ubiquitous in the 90s, and maybe that’s why the 90s had a bit more wonder. An optimistic but critical eye to the future.
Thx for this Sonny. Neill was just so very good in everything. Really one of the best of this era, and still doing wonderful work. For a guy that oozes likeability, he was incredible effective in Peaky Blinders playing a real c-word. I got to visit his farm and vineyard this past February, and he came out to wave hello. He asked if we were having a nice visit and I said "we're eating some of your plums" to which he said "well, good! That's that they are there for!" Very sad to lose this goodness, his lightness. The world is a bit courser... a little black spot on the sun today. *sigh*
I think the first thing I remember seeing him in was Riley Ace of Spies. Loved him ever since.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaxOAhjIIXw
Sam Neill was an old-school leading man, handsome, talented and complicated (or seeming). I loved Reilly early on, and Dead Calm. He elevated every movie he was in. And that's aside from who he was as a person. We have lost someone special. Thanks for this tribute.
I imagine that Hunt for Red October was the first Sam Neill movie that I saw, but I will always remember thinking that Kristin Scott Thomas's Annie had to be crazy to even think about picking the aging Robert Redford character over lovely Sam Neill.
I thank the person who mentioned Sam's Instagram pandemic posts. His relationships with his animals, especially the pig, brought joy in a bad time. The videos were wryly funny and uniquely charming- just like him.
My favorite role Sam Neill played was also the first one I saw him perform, as Sidney Reilly in "Reilly, Ace of Spies," an espionage epic based on history, set in the early 20th century. Loved him in everything he was in since.
I've had a crush on him for decades. Even when he was the bad guy, like in Enigma, Doctor Zhivago or (the horrible) Memoirs of an Invisible Man, I'd be thinking why would say, Daryl Hannah, want the other guy???? Loved Dead Calm (at the beginning, in the uniform, damn!), A Cry in the Dark, In Cold Blood (TV miniseries), Country Life (Australian Uncle Vanya), oh hell, anything! If Sam was in it, I would watch it!
Man, I love "Event Horizon", warts and all. The first two acts are incredible. Neill is a big part of why, though honestly everyone turns in fantastic performances in that film. I'm also old enough that when I found out "Jurassic Park 2" wasn't going to have him in it, I initially didn't bother to watch it.
I'm also very partial to his cameo in "Thor - Ragnarok". I know the Lesser Hemsworth and Matt Damon are the big draws in that scene, but Neill is hilarious as Some Asgardian Guy Playing Odin.
Reilly:Ace of Spies, on PBS in the early 1980’s. Perfection.
Didn’t anyone else see “Sirens” or “Restoration”? My two SN faves. Maybe you think these roles are too small, but I thought they were gems.
IMO Carpenter's truly last great film was They Live, but In the Mouth of Madness was unquestionably the best film he made after that point. ITMOM I think suffers a bit in the last act, which is what keeps it from being among Carpenter's best, but it's still a damned good movie, especially in everything leading up to when they actually meet Sutter Kane. IMO the only other legitimately good movie Carpenter made after They Live was Vampires, but this too is flawed, and is not as good as ITMOM.
Search for a video of Sam Neill answering the question, Do I have a dream? from the "10,000 Dreams" interviews. It's such a lovely answer. He might have given his own eulogy. He was clearly a man who with a peaceful outlook on life in his later years.