ROTTEN TOMATOES: Charlton Heston: 1924-2008 Comments

Charlton Heston: 1924-2008

by Jeff Giles | April 07, 2008

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Summary

Charlton Heston has passed away at the age of 84. Back to Article

(1-36 of 36 posts) | Reply

Some guy you dont know writes:
on Apr 07 2008 05:07 AM

In his honor, I'm going to buy a gun.

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BUCK69 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 05:49 AM

Take your stinking paws off me, you damned, dirty ape!

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 07:20 AM

A man who truly lived his life to his own standards. To hell with what anyone else might think of him. His life stands as a "how to" lesson for anyone wishing to be true to themselves. His interviews and books also make great reading. He has one of the sharpest senses of humor I've ever seen. One of Hollwoods true icons. He will be missed.

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minderbinder writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:12 AM

He'll always be "Cheston" to me...

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jukeboxhero6660 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:27 AM

I may have disagreed with him in past couple years but he has made some good movies and i have enjoyed watching them, and for that he shall be missed. as other have said he lived his life how he wanted and you must respect the man for that, and i always shall. rest in peace

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LordVapor writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:45 AM

Godspeed good sir....Godspeed.

Loved his "oscar worth performance" in wayne's world 2.

Ben_Hur I think by far was his greatest movie.

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:53 AM

Brings new meaning to "from my cold, dead hands".

Still, I love the guy's work. Hopefully he's found some peace.

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Relapse writes:
on Apr 07 2008 10:10 AM

NRA jokes are distaseful at this point arendr.

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dahluzz writes:
on Apr 07 2008 10:18 AM

he is survived by his 2300-piece gun collection and a country of rootin, tootin, gat-poppin' ultra-nationalists whose only justification for owning as many firearms as they do is "Because it's my right to."

That is gonna be one hell of a salute at the funeral. can you rent out anti-aircraft guns for an afternoon?

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dahluzz writes:
on Apr 07 2008 10:20 AM

In reply to this comment (#1674651)
unfortunately, it was his choice to allow his dedication to the nra to supercede his legacy as an actor.

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 10:50 AM

In reply to this comment (#1674651)
Calm down. It's no more distasteful than the way he handled the situation when he made that quote. I'm no "anti-gun" nut, but anyone should know better than to march into a city recovering from that kind of a massacre and saying what he said.

He was one of my favorite actors growing up, but it seemed a bit like the guy I idolized died years ago.

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thereign writes:
on Apr 07 2008 11:00 AM

I actually agree with Arendr and Dahluzz; loved Heston's films, but his inappropriate and insensitive behavior towards the people recovering from Columbine diminished him a bit in my eyes.

I wish him peace...but for all we know, he could be in "the other place" right now going "I WAS WRONG ABOUT GUNS! I WAS WRONG ABOUT GUNS!! I WAS WRONG ABOUT GUNNNSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!"

{whew! Gonna spend some time in Purgatory for that one...!}

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 11:41 AM

What exactly did he say that was offensive? I might of missed that. The speeches I remember were not advocation of someone's right to kill his fellow man, but mostly the right of hunters to carry rifles. Now, before I get labeled an "ultra-nationalist" or "gun nut" I actually think handguns, full automatic weapons and assault rifles should be banned, but growing up in Iowa I also understand what a lot of people don't that hunting serves a very important environmental purpose i.e. culling the populations of certain animals so others don't have to die of starvation amongst others. Also, remember this was a man who saw his country face the very real threat of invasion and saw American lives lost on our own soil. I can completely understand a certain affection for the Right to Bear Arms in that context and am very thankful to people like Mr. Heston that we don't haven't had to face that possibility in most of our lifetimes.

Whatever the man said a couple of things have to be taken into account before we judge the man an ultra-nationalist. Firstly, just because you disagree with the man doesn't give you the right to label him an "ultra-nationalist" or "gun nut" anymore than someone else should be calling someone who defends say freedom of speech, or of the press. Also, I believe when Columbine happened he was already struggling with early on set of Alzheimers. Now I'm not one to forgive people for things they say when they're drunk, but things Alzheimers patients say has to be taken with a grain of salt and is probably not a reflection of them as human beings. Lastly it's pretty sad to judge someone's entire life based on one comment or even one stand they made, especially when said person fought in WWII, marched in the civil rights movement, was chairman of the Screen Actors Guild AND the AFI, and was one of the most iconic film stars of this or any age. I certainly hope if any of you accomplish so much no one else will judge you solely upon comments you made at the end of your life even if those comments aren't effected by a crippling disease.

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 11:54 AM

It's not necessarily what he said. It's that he marched into a town that was grieving and basically spat in their faces. Look, I don't think we should take the right to bear arms away, but I do think it should be regulated. So what if he had early onset Alzheimers? Does that mean we should feel sorry for him despite his poor decisions? Why can't I pity someone's condition and still criticize his lack of tact? I'm fairly certain he knew the consequences in this case.

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Merlin235 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 12:26 PM

Huh, Heston would probably be happy that a bunch of anti-gun people would comment on his death like this. Before you rip me to shreds for supporting the man (not everything he stood for), you should realize the odd irony: Heston supported the 2nd Amendment, the right of his fellow citizens to bear arms. Some anti-gun people are taking the 'opportunity' of his death to make untimely and seriously insensitive political comments on a movie site. Which actions, Heston's or his detractors, says more about the people who hold those positions?

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MarkMortimer writes:
on Apr 07 2008 12:32 PM

Good riddance to an ignorant, arrogant arse-hole.

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 12:37 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675231)
I never said I was anti-gun. I find guns fascinating like a lot of people do. I've shot them in my time. But I don't see the problem in recognizing Heston's flaws as well as his achievements upon his death. Should an obituary only cover the bright spots of a person's life? I admire Heston for the films he made and the political courage he made by aligning himself with the civil rights movement in his heyday. But the man held up a rifle right after the Columbine incident and said, "from my cold, dead hands." Those were his words. Now the man is dead and all I said was it brought new meaning to his statement. How is that insensitive?

Our culture really needs to re-evaluate what it finds offensive.

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The Great One writes:
on Apr 07 2008 01:39 PM

his oscar worthy peformance occurred in Bowling for Columbine...now thats classic

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 01:58 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675271)
I don't think he or I were specifically addressing our comments toward you Arendr. I was addressing mine to a couple of people who've commented so far. Was Heston actually in Columbine when he made those statements? I wasn't aware of that, In fact I thought he made that statement before the massacre even took place. I thought you were referring to the comments given during the interview in Bowling for Columbine which was a pretty low point even for Mr. Moorer.

I do think there's a bit of irony in your statement about him being insensitive to the people of Columbine(Which if true was) and not getting how some people would consider it insensitive to focus on the flaws of someone immediately after their deaths. I also don't think you fully understand what Alzheimers can do to someone and if you'd ever been around someone going thru it you might have a better understanding of what I'm talking about.

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:01 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675271)
I'm going to google search some of your points and get back with you. If you could explain in further detail what you were specifically referencing I'd appreciate it.

"I'll probably never get a positive review in TIME or make another movie with Warner Bros., but I don't think I'll be getting a speeding ticket any time soon either."- Charlton Heston making reference to his vocal opposition of Time Warner releasing an album by Ice T which allegedly advocated the killing of policemen.

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675376)
Actually, I do know. My friend's grandmother had Alzheimer's and disappeared trying to go back to her old home one day, never to be seen again.

I understand the point you guys are making. It was never really my attempt to mock Heston's death or his Alzheimer's. I just wanted to point out that the great man that once stood there seemed to disappear into something sort of ugly. Whether that can be blamed on dementia or not, none of us really know for sure.

Here is an article about the quote: http://everything2.com/e2node/From%20my%20cold%20dead%20hands

It explains that he made the statement prior to Columbine, but made it again shortly after the massacre.

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:17 PM

"Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself. I am large, I contain multitudes." - Walt Whitman

What I find really shocking about a lot of the articles I've read about Mr. Hestons death is the stark contrast they portray him in. Something which a lot of liberals accuse, rightfully so by the way, Fox News and other right wing organizations of doing. For example I just read an article this morning where in one breath they praise his steadfastness and passion on behalf of the civil rights movement and in the next condem those same qualities using terms like "Trigger-happy nut" and demagogue. This is a hugely noticeable flaw on both sides of the political spectrum. What is fantastic when we agree with it becomes something to be deridden when we don't. I admire the man for his dedication and passion in everything he did. Regardless of whether I necessarily agree with it or not and think that in Mr. Hestons case any of us should consider our lives blessed to have lived a similar life and IMO anyways a few poorly chosen words or a single sneak attack interview by a documentarien of questionable integrity will never outweigh the contributions the man made to film and society on the whole.

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ajmk123 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:17 PM

SO how was he an ignorant, arrogant *******? Come on loser defend your point. Wait you must a Micheal Moore fan, ****ing ***.

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Merlin235 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:23 PM

My only point was what you write here says a lot about you. Good and bad. We all have good and bad parts to us, we all say things here we wish we could take back. So when you come to a movie site, and write on a forum about the death of an actor, I just don't see the good in commenting on how your political views differ from his. I don't think it makes you WRONG, unless you're one of those people saying truly mean things about him. But one person condemns Heston for making what they think were insensitive comments about Columbine, and then proceeds to say "good riddance" or something of the like. Where is their sensitivity for Heston's family? It's just ironic is all. My main point is I'm not saying anything about you or anyone else here. Your own comments, like mine, speak to who you are more than anything I can say.

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:33 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675271)
After doing a bit of research I think you'll find Heston actually made the "Cold Dead Hands.." comment at a NRA convention not at Columbine. The confusion may have come from Mr. Moore's clip splicing in Bowling for Columbine and according to MSNBC the visit to Columbine was not actually a "Pro-gun" event, but a political rally for the Republican Party. Can't find enough to confirm decisively from multiple sources what's true or not, but I gotta go to bed an be up for work tomorrow. Something to think about. awaiting your response. Enjoying the intelligent debate without having to resort to name calling. I think Heston would have enjoyed that.

%u201CPeople say to me %u2018You had a political change of heart, didn%u2019t you?%u2019%u201D he wrote in %u201CIn the Arena.%u201D %u201CNo, I don%u2019t think I did. I think the Democratic Party had a change of heart. To my mind, the Democrats I voted for and worked for couldn%u2019t be nominated by their party today, including Jack Kennedy.%u201D

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arendr writes:
on Apr 07 2008 02:50 PM

I never intended to start a political argument. I'm not even saying my political views differ from his.

But I was in high school when Columbine happened, and I remember threats on my school. I remember that very clearly, just as I remember his attitude in the short time afterwards. I recall that I even drafted a letter at the time to write to him about my disappointment in him, thought I don't think I ever sent it.

It's funny how us regulars here can argue so often. I enjoy most of our arguments though (although there are a couple individuals, who shall remain nameless, that like to stir **** up). Please don't ever think I'm trying to be insensitive.

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Merlin235 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 03:19 PM

arendr - it's nice to know that the message boards here are so diverse, it truly makes it more interesting. However, would I be mistaken to believe we all agree on one thing: Uwe Boll's movies are really, really terrible.

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BoogieSopranosClub815 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 06:18 PM

Rest in Peace Motherf***er, you will NOT be missed

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Merlin235 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 07:12 PM

BoogieSopranos -
Your comment betrays the fact that you're either 12 years old, or mean spirited. Or, perhaps, both. Grow up young man, in the arena of ideas, we use words strung together in sentences to get our points across. The value of insults wears out in Jr. High.

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ajmk123 writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:40 PM

It is clear that boogie is a ****ing liberal, and probably gay, and probably Micheal Moores fluffer.

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Lost*Highway* writes:
on Apr 07 2008 08:51 PM

In reply to this comment (#1675893)
And your response to him makes it clear what you are.

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Bigbrother writes:
on Apr 07 2008 10:24 PM

Easy guys, no need to start a fist fight over the proverbial coffin. Sad that even a death can't motivate some people to polite conversation.

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rle4lunch writes:
on Apr 07 2008 11:36 PM

Micheal 'Greasy Spoon hanging from mouth' Moore is just as bad for using Columbine to sell movie tickets. His alarmist journalistic a$$ shouldn't be able to make another film in my eyes. His talent at taking a long news clip or video and editing it to twist people's words to fit his agenda is both clever and crafty, and he will go to hell for it. As for Charlton, I commend him for his comments, even if they were insensitive. Those two gunned retards at Columbine have no one to blame for their actions other than their parents. Not the school system, not their micro/macro environment, not the computer, not movies, nothing but their parents.

Guns don't kill people folks. Leave Mr. Heston alone, especially now.

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ajmk123 writes:
on Apr 08 2008 11:12 AM

Yes lost highway my response shows that i am better than him in everysingle way.

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IAmWinner writes:
on Apr 11 2008 11:36 AM

Charlton Heston, truly is The Greatest Show on Earth!

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dr2349 writes:
on Apr 13 2008 05:31 PM

Actually, in response to some of the initial posts, I commend Heston's activism in promoting the second amendment. It truly scares me how much people are herded like sheep these days and never think for themselves. As a college student I nearly throw up on a day-to-day basis when some of my professors spew their ridiculous opinions at the class and the majority simply agree because no one seems to think for themselves. The fact that anyone would consider the removal of the second amendment sends a chill down my spine, because it harks of the most rampant ignorance. The constitution was set in place to restrain the government and protect the people. The first step of a tyrannical government is to ban the use of firearms. The second amendment is most empowering in that, when all else fails, we can as one overthrow a government that must be removed.
As far as Heston and acting goes, that clip in Wayne's World is boss :)

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