Alan Rickman

I love movies, and anyone that knows me is aware of this fact. I am more likely to be able to tell you an actor's name and six movies they've been in than the price of gas. I don't really follow sports, and I don't pay as much attention to politics as I should. I can't even explain why I love movies so much. All I know is that there is a sort of magic in them. Today, we lost someone amazing, someone who made the films he touched better. Instead of reviewing some random item that caught my eye, today, I want to tell you how Alan Rickman made me feel.

To me, Alan Rickman was Hans Gruber, and he made me feel intimidated. I was seven when Die Hard came out, but I'm sure I saw it by the time I was 8 or 9. I may not have realized it then, but Die Hard is an amazing movie. While Bruce Willis is incredibly fun to watch and gets a smorgasbord of classic lines, villains often make the story. Alan Rickman took a character that could have been a throwaway bad guy and gave him class. He made being evil look effortless and didn't come across as crazy. He had a great plan. The scene where he fakes an American accent while chatting with John McClane is one that I will always appreciate.

To me, Alan Rickman was also the Sheriff of Nottingham, and he made me feel like being the bad guy wasn't so bad. Admittedly, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is an oft criticized movie, but it is still a lot of fun. The cast boasts some great actors, with Morgan Freeman being particularly entertaining. However, there was something magnetic about Rickman's sheriff. He got all the great lines in this movie, and he taught me that a dull spoon will hurt more, you twit.

To me, Alan Rickman was also Metatron, and he made me feel like maybe there was another side to a story we've heard so many times. I imagine most of the people I know nowadays have never seen Dogma. Heck, they probably haven't even heard of it. Fortunately, I have seen it, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The film does have the potential to offend, but if you ever get the chance to watch it, Alan Rickman as Metatron is one of the highlights. He does a good job of stealing the show and brings class to a film that has a rubber poop monster.** It's like his being there makes it okay to enjoy the movie.

Finally, to me, Alan Rickman was also Severus Snape,and he made me feel. Before the first movie launched, I had read the novels that had been released at that point. I never really felt much for Snape. He seemed like a flat character that would eventually prove to be a good person. Rickman made Snape seem worthy of my time before the books really got around to making me care about him. I read a lot, and when a book has been made into a movie, I sometimes see the actors in my head when reading that same book. However, it doesn't always happen that way. Rickman will always be Snape for me. He took that character and infused something extra into him. His scenes with Lily after her death are just heartbreaking, and I attribute that to Rickman's craft, his training. He took what some still view as a silly children's movie and elevated it, like everything else he did.

I didn't know Alan Rickman, and I have no idea what he was really like. I only know the story he told through his work. By no means are the cited works his finest or only roles, but they are the ones that stand out to me when thinking about him. I just wanted to take a moment and recognize this man that brought some great characters to life. I know there are tons of articles about his life and works, but this one is mine. Thank you. Thank you so much.***


*I don't need my Robin Hood to have an English accent.

**Seriously, I'm not making that up.

***I can't really convey how I am feeling. I know it's silly, but I am truly sad that he is gone. I know it's crazy, but I hope you take the time to seek out some of his films that you may not have seen. He was a master and worth your time.