This month we were all shocked and saddened by the very tragic news of the death of actor Robin Williams on August 11th 2014. When the news story broke and details about his suicide emerged it caused considerable media interest.
The mental health charity Mind issued a short statement in the face of all the media interest as the story broke on Monday night. As further details emerged from the coroner’s office on Tuesday, several news outlets then went on to splash detailed accounts of Williams’s death across their Wednesday editions. This came despite Mind twice contacting news desks on Tuesday with guidelines on reporting suicide. In response to this, Mind was then prompted to issue a further statement on the dangers of reporting irresponsibly around suicide.
The suicide of Robin Williams really highlighted the work that Mind and other mental health charities do and in the first week of the story breaking, Mind and Time to change were featured over 170 times. Sue Baker from Time to Change and Mind’s Paul Farmer were interviewed on both radio and television channels. Many national newspapers and magazines re-run features on depression and suicide while some people chose to write articles on their own personal blogs, such as Alistair Campbell, Denise Welch and the editor of Rock magazine Kerrang.
Since then several organisations, including Odeon cinemas have chosen to honour Williams’ life with special screenings of his best loved films, the proceeds of which will go to Mind.
Robin Williams 1951 - 2014
Robin Williams was shy child who hid behind his incredible ability to do impersonations. He studied at the Juilliard school in New York alongside Christopher Reeve and his first appearance on prime time television was as the loveable alien Mork in Mork and Mindy. Unknown to many, the character Mork actually started life in another television hit comedy Happy Days.
Robin went onto make his film debut in 1977 in the comedy ‘Can I do it till I need glasses’ and in 1984 he starred in Moscow on the Hudson for which he won a Golden Globe Award.
Good Morning Vietnam (1987) will be one of his most loved films where he played the cheeky military DJ, improvising most of his speeches and lines.
1989 saw Robin Williams nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of English teacher John Keating in Dead Poets Society. “There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for. “
Steven Spielberg’s 1992 big budget remake of Peter Pan ‘ Hook’ saw Robin Williams star alongside Dustin Hoffman. Reviews for the film were not too positive but this for Williams was the first of many family blockbusters. The Disney film Aladdin was released in the same year and the part of the Genie was specifically written with Williams in mind.
Mrs Doubtfire remains a favourite amongst fans and was a huge box office hit in 1993. Williams plays an actor, who after a bitter divorce, disguises himself as a Scottish nanny to spend time with his children held in custody by his former wife.
In the following years we saw more of Williams family blockbuster films: Jumanji in1995 and Flubber in 1997
In 1998 Williams picked up his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Good Will Hunting, a film about a janitor who has a extraordinary ability in Mathematics and a psychologist who tries to help him with his gift and the rest of his life.
In the 2002 psychological thriller One Hour Photo we saw another side to his acting abilities and this chilling performance by Williams as an employee of a photo laboratory stalking an American family gained the film very high reviews.
Despite his well documented battle with drug addiction and alcohol Williams continued to work until his death in 2014. Recently he played Roosevelt in the Night at the Museum films alongside actor Ben Stiller. The latest third offering in the franchise, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, is one of four unreleased films that Robin Williams leaves behind that are slated to hit cinemas in the next 12 months.
Inkwell’s Secret Cinema: a tribute to Robin Williams
On August 29th
Doors open at 6pm for Foodcycle (three course meal for a suggested donation of £5)
It is advisable to arrive on time to ensure you get a place as this evening is now very popular.
Film starts at 7.30pm
The clue to this months Secret Cinema film………
We hope you will join us for an evening of film dedicated to and celebrating the life and work of actor Robin Williams.
