I went on a movie junket for a film called Thunderheart, costarring Val Kilmer.

When we did the interviews Val did his over on what passed for facetime in those days. He was in Sedona, Arizona.

The junket boys had always found him pretentious and he did fit the bill that day. I don’t remember details but he did wax poetic about the harmonic convergence that led him to Sedona. In fairness, he spoke earnestly about the Native American basis for the movie where he played a fairly bland (for him) cop.

Years later I found his autobiography to be somewhat painful, with him telling stories about how difficult he was as he took on different roles with a complete lack of self awareness. I wrote an Amazon review ripping the book and it was my most reviewed review ever until they took it down, probably for being so rough.

When he died my first thoughts weren’t about any of that.

His work in movies like Top Gun and Tombstone were some of the best ever in the film world. He may have been difficult but he could get results.

I can see right now his nostrils flaring as he tried to be nice to Maverick about Goose dying.

His attention to detail was amazing and it got results.