The imprint that Tom Cruise has left in modern cinema over the years. Movies like the franchise Mission: Impossiblethe two films of Top Gun, Rain Man, Magnolia y Minority Report -to name just a few- testify to the impact it had and is having on the big screen. Among the artists who inspired Cruise to become the actor he managed to be is Kirk Douglaswho as he remembers Far Out Magazine“he also flew a plane and drove a race car in some of his movies, a precursor to Cruise’s penchant for using heavy machinery in his own.”
An admiration that began as a child
When Cruise was asked to have a few words to honor his colleague’s memory at the 19th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute To Kirk Douglas in 1991, the actor expressed his love for him, calling him one of the “outstanding” heroes of modern cinema. “It is truly an honor and a privilege to be here tonight to pay tribute to a man for whom I have great respect and admiration,” said the 60-year-old producer.
Then he added: “Kirk’s screen presence and dominance make him one of the standout heroes of modern cinema.. I know everyone in this room and those watching from home appreciate what you gave and continue to give to this industry.” “I was only seven years old when I first saw you in what could be one of your best performances,” Cruise continued. Referring to Spartacus by Stanley Kubrick. “Even then, the passion and intensity you brought to the role held me spellbound. The search for freedom and the fight against tyranny and fanaticism is a central message not only of this film but of your life”, closed the four-time Oscar nominee.
