Philip Seymour Hoffman, RIP

[9thdoctor]

Wow, what a shock. And found with a needle in his arm, no less.

This guy was so good.

[Francisco Ferrer]

This is a terrible loss. Hoffman was an extraordinary talent. Only a handful of performers in each generation reach such a level: the ability to play almost any role, and consistent excellence each time he went before the camera.

[BaalChatzaf]

God damned dope! Hoffman was a fine actor. What a waste!!!

Ba'al Chatzaf

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

Here's a pretty perceptive article about Hoffman:

PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN'S FINAL SECRET
By Tom Junod
February 2, 2014
Esquire

From the article:

He often played creeps, but he rarely played them creepily. His metier was human loneliness — the terrible uncinematic kind that has very little to do with high-noon heroism and everything to do with everyday empathy — and the necessary curse of human self-knowledge. He held up a mirror to those who could barely stand to look at themselves and invited us not only to take a peek but to see someone we recognized. He played frauds who knew they were frauds, schemers who knew they were schemers, closeted men who could only groan with frustrated love, heavy breathers dignified by impeccable manners, and angels who could withstand the worst that life could hand out because they seemed to know the worst was just the beginning.

The author tries to make a connection between the roles Hoffman played and the kind of person he was. So dying of an overdose was in character.

It's an intriguing thought.

Michael

[George H. Smith]

I would be interested in seeing a chemical analysis of the heroin that Hoffman was using. I wouldn't be surprised if it was adulterated. Of course, he may have injected too much (or he may have mixed it with other drugs), but high quality heroin isn't fatal if used sensibly. This is a serious problem with most street drugs; consumers typically don't know exactly what they are getting. Legalize the stuff and that would largely eliminate this very serious problem.

Ghs

[Jules Troy]

I recall years ago in the news a batch of 90% china white hitting the streets. The trail of bodies could be followed from Prince Rupert all the way down to Vancouver. Needles still in their arms dead before they new what hit them in the early 1990s.

[Selene]

I recall years ago in the news a batch of 90% china white hitting the streets. The trail of bodies could be followed from Prince Rupert all the way down to Vancouver. Needles still in their arms dead before they new what hit them in the early 1990s.

Happened heavily in Manhattan in the late '60's and early '70's.

It is cyclical. What is fascinating is the way they track down the mid level dealers today.