London Film and Comic Con is a big event, filling the entirety of London’s Olympia event venue and attracting big names and new products from the world of movies, comics and technology. One big name is Rutger Hauer, whose credits include Flesh+Blood, Blind Fury, Blade Runner, Escape from Sobibor, Nighthawks, Wedlock, Sin City, and Batman Begins.
Addressing an audience in the main panel room, Rutger Hauer proved to be entertaining and forthright. The panel consisted of questions from the host and then the opportunity for the audience to direct questions to the 72 year-old Dutch actor (including Digital Journal.)
The panel began with a question about how Rutger got into acting. The actor said this was because of his parents, who both acted. Hauer had a “lucky break”, as he put it, and drifted into the world of Dutch cinema. From this, an international movie career developed from the late 1970s.
When asked about whether he preferred making smaller, independent movies or Hollywood movies, Rutger first discussed whether “such a thing as Hollywood really exists” and he likened it to “a bunch of buildings and PR people.” After his dig at ‘Tinsel Town’ (which brought a round of applause from the audience), Rutger said he preferred independent movies in general because he had more freedom to “play around and develop the character.” He also said he preferred it when “I can give the director some advice.”
Asked by Digital Journal about the most difficult movie he had been involved in, the veteran actor picked ‘Nighthawks’, a movie Hauer made with Sylvester Stallone during the early 1980s (playing a menacing terrorist named Wulfgar.) This gave the Dutch actor insight into the ruthlessness of the Hollywood system where, getting on well with the director, the director was fired ten days into shooting. Picking up with the new director, Hauer said that keen movie goers would be able to spot how his characterisation altered through the “seams that held the movie together.”
Much of the panel focused on the iconic movie Blade Runner. Rutger said that working with Ridley Scott had been a joy because Scott frequently asked about character development. Several questions were asked about Rutger’s role as the android Batty, particularly the end speech, the “tears in rain” monologue, which has become one of the most quotable slices of movie dialogue:
I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears…in…rain. Time to die.
Rutger explained how the script had originally “read vey flat” and how he and Scott fleshed out the ending, adding more emotion to the dialogue, to give it a more naturalistic flair, in keeping with an android that had been in search of his humanity and a chance to extend his life.
Rutger mentioned that the three words “tears…in…rain” and been his idea.
Asked about the ‘Blade Runner’ sequel in development, Rutger did not hold back. “Totally wrong”, he said. “You don’t take something precious and play with it. Why try to copy, recreate, perfection?” This again proved popular with the couple of hundred people in attendance.
In discussing other roles, Rutger Hauer said he particularly enjoyed making the low-budget movie ‘Hobo with a Shotgun’, which he had made with a first time director. Initially, Hauer said his agent tried to dissuade him but after a 60-minute Skype session with director Jason Eisener and agreement on the freedom to shape the character, Hauer was on board and an unlikely Grindhouse-style hit was born.
Of other performances, Hauer said he had also enjoyed making various surreal commercials for Guinness. Again the actor said this was due to the artistic freedom. He also confirmed the rumour circulating at the time – he doesn’t actually like Guinness.
Towards the end of the panel, Rutger spoke of his charity work, which is focused on the Rutger Hauer Starfish Association, an AIDS awareness organization aimed at providing support to pregnant women who have HIV. Surprisingly, Rutger said the charity had been difficult to get off the ground and that “there had been plenty of opposition from some quarters.” Today it is a significant contributor to global AIDS awareness and support.
The actor proved popular with the audience and convention goers in general. A look at Twitter shows many positive comments. Cethan Leahy (@CethanLeahy), for example, messaged: “Just saw Rutger Hauer in the distance. A glorious fellow…” Whereas the head of Harrison Ford FansUK (@HarrisonFFansUK) simply said: “legend…”
The panel ended with Rutger turning down the opportunity to give his famous monologue from ‘Blade Runner’ (he did not wish to ruin what had been captured in celluloid), and with that the distinguished actor exited to a three minute standing ovation.
