Remembering Robin Williams

On August 11, 2014, actor and comedian Robin Williams committed suicide in his California home, ending what we now believe to be a decades-long battle with depression. While Williams could not help himself, he did help numerous others with his infectious humor and optimism. Christopher Reeve, the late actor of Superman fame, claimed that it was Robin Williams, who burst into the hospital claiming to be a Russian proctologist, that made him laugh for the first time since his horseback riding accident, which left him paralyzed. Koko the gorilla, known for her extensive sign language vocabulary, smiled for the first time in six months while spending the day with Williams. Koko’s mate, Michael, had passed away, leaving her heartbroken and unable to smile.  

I’m writing this tribute not to commemorate the life of Robin Williams, as there are many such tributes all over the Internet, written by those better-known and more eloquent than me. I’m writing this tribute to acknowledge the effect he had on my life, how his movies were there at every step along the way. I’m not famous, and my words don’t matter in the grand scheme of things, but I hope to convey the experience of every fan whose life was touched by Robin Williams. By making movies loved all over the world in a career spanning several decades, Robin Williams showed the world what humor, passion, and charisma could do.

Flubber  

I was one of those kids with a VHS tape collection. As a five year old with a very short attention span, it was rare that I watched a movie over and over. Flubber was one of those movies. It wasn’t a quality film, merely a laugh-out-loud live action Disney flick, and the tape disappeared after a while. Still, Flubber earned a place in my heart as the first Robin Williams movie I had ever seen.

Aladdin  

Easily my favorite Disney love story, next to Lady and the Tramp. (I’m old-fashioned, what can I say?) What made this tale of a Persian street urchin falling in love with a sultan’s daughter so memorable was the cast of supporting characters. Abu the chattering monkey, Iago the sinister parrot, and Genie the, well, Genie. It was this last character that stood out from all the others, bouncing off the walls with his boundless energy and shape shifting characters. Genie was indicative of Williams himself, an embodiment of the manic comedy and improvisation that he was known for. He apparently spent eighteen hours in the studio creating characters and dialogue for Genie, which the editors painstakingly pared down. Voice actors today can’t match the intensity Williams poured into the role. As a kid I loved Aladdin because the princess was brown-skinned and black-haired, like me. As an adult I love Aladdin because of Genie.

Dead Poets Society

When I was thirteen, my 7th grade English teacher had us watch this movie in class, and several of my classmates fell asleep. I found myself enthralled by each student at the Welton school – from the budding thespian Neil to shy, awkward Todd to swaggering ladies’ man Charlie. What ties these personalities together is John Keating, an unconventional English teacher played by Robin Williams. Despite utilizing mere hints of his comedic genius, Williams proved that dramatic acting posed no challenge. The messages of Dead Poets Society have followed me throughout my life. At thirteen I first heard the oft-quoted mantra, Carpe Diem, and remembered it during my college career. Suck the marrow out of life, Keating would say, and I sucked the marrow out of mine by changing my major from Biology to English, my true passion. Anyone who makes Carpe Diem, translated as ‘seize the day,’ part of their personal mission system has Dead Poets Society to thank, and by extension Robin Williams.

Good Will Hunting

I must’ve been sixteen or so when I saw the movie that launched Matt Damon’s acting career and gave Williams his Oscar-winning role. Damon plays the titular character, Will Hunting, a mathematical genius born and raised in South Boston. Williams plays Sean Hannigan, Will’s therapist. Their interactions range from tragic to hilarious to bitter, and both individuals grow as a result. Williams ad-libs some of the most memorable lines in the movie, and restrains his comedy to snappy one-liners and biting remarks. I was sixteen and a hopeless romantic (still am) and the bench scene, shown here, in which Sean tells Will that there’s so much in life he has yet to experience, brings tears to my eyes time and time again. I’ve made this movie a must-watch for friends and boyfriends, and have yet to see someone shrug it off. Williams earned that Oscar gold.

There are many Robin Williams films I have yet to see. My father claims Good Morning, Vietnam is a classic. My boyfriend says Awakenings is a must. And films like The Fisher King and Moscow on the Hudson are highly acclaimed by critics everywhere. If I don’t owe it to my loved ones to watch these films, I owe it to Robin Williams. RIP.