That's That, Mattress Man: Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman

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It’s with a heavy heart to report that the irreplaceable Philip Seymour Hoffman passed away today of an apparent drug overdose. Like you, I’m in shock, denial, and am, the worst, devastated. Hollywood has lost another titan — one of the greatest the industry will ever have. 

I had a special moment with him that I’d like to share with you, dear reader:

Back in 2010, Rusty Gordon (of Gordon and the Whale) and I talked a lot about people we’d love to interview and whether or not we could keep our composure around them if that opportunity came to fruition. I would always pick Philip Seymour Hoffman — he’s been my Hollywood Superhero ever since I first saw him shake up the screen in the so-fun-to-love movie, Twister. Magnolia, Hard Eight, Punch-Drunk Love, The Master, Boogie Nights, The Savages, Happiness, and Almost Famous are a handful of my favorite films, and partly because of Hoffman’s roles in them. My friends and colleagues know I’ve adored this man for quite some time. 

I got to interview Hoffman at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival on January 25th, and below is that interview — this is one of the greatest and most treasured moments of my life. If you pay close attention, you can see in the beginning how nervous I am — I had to move my hands around a lot to keep my terrified-as-hell mind occupied. The best part of this — which you unfortunately can’t see — is that in the beginning, Hoffman heckled me for being nervous. He was very cool, calm, and relaxed. What a guy.  

See you on the other side, amigo. You will be dearly missed. R.I.P. (Return If Possible). 

UPDATE: Thanks to my pal Anthony Meadows who helped shoot the interview, here’s the uncut version where you can see the beginning I mentioned. This is treasure.

Philip Seymour Hoffman Sundance 2010 Interview from Anthony Meadows.

That'll Do, Whale: My thoughts on closing down Gordon and the Whale

​If you read Gordon and the Whale, then you already know that next month will be our last month as a functioning daily website. I announced the news at 10 a.m.
Monday.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t cry — a lot — and listen to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” — on repeat. Luckily I had enough tissue to dry said tears and ice cream to not-quite-fill the emotional void when I clicked “Publish.”

For days following the announcement my Twitter, email, and Facebook were flooded with the most heartwarming and encouraging messages I’ll probably ever receive in my life. Turns out, our readers truly believed in the voices behind GATW and how we endeavored to shape the way people think about movies. They had faith in our honesty and passion in discussing all things film. It’s very touching to know that all the blood, sweat and tears spent on GATW has paid off.

Read the full article on Dallas Observer’s The Mixmaster.