Rest in Peace Shelley Duvall.

Shelley Duvall has passed on, this entry is dedicated to her, one of my favorite actress of all time.

In my opinion, cinema can be one of the most beautiful and most tragic art forms. A lot of the tragedy comes from the industry behind it. Hollywood, for example, has put many people through hell and back. Some people, however, don’t get the help they need to recover and are discarded by the industry, left to fend for themselves. Shelley Duvall is a sad example of this.

Shelley's career began in the early 70s when she was just 18. She was helping her boyfriend, Bernard, a painter, organize and sell his work. During one of these meetings, she was surprised by a request to be in a movie by Robert Altman and his associates. Her unique beauty had caught by them, and they didn’t waste time trying to hire her. Up until then, she had never left Texas and was hesitant about starting a new career. But she accepted, and within days she was out of Texas and on a movie set.

Her first movie, "Brewster McCloud" (1970), is one of my favorites. It’s so random, and to me, that’s peak cinema. The film is a quirky, surreal story about a young guy named Brewster, who lives in the Houston Astrodome and dreams of flying. It’s no surprise I love movies like this, It's really similar to those directed by Brian De Palma, like "Phantom of the Paradise" (1974). Sometimes I wonder how she would have done in a De Palma movie, I don't doubt she would excel at it.

Shelley continued to work with Altman on other movies, like McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971), where she had a small role as a mail-order bride. In Thieves Like Us (1974) where she played one of the protagonists, a girl named Keechie, in a Bonnie and Clyde-ish story about two robbers in love on the run, 3 Women (1977), where she played the role of Millie Lammoreaux, one of her most eccentricity characters (This is where that picture of her shooting a FN-FAL comes from) and on Popeye (1980), also directed by Altman, where she shared the screen with the late Robin Williams (Another great artist who also had a tragic fate).

Her performances in these films were quite unique in a sense that only she could deliver and it's quite surprising to see a random girl who randomly got invited to work as an actress having such confidence to just act.

During that time, Shelley worked with Stanley Kubrick in one of her most memorable roles on The Shining (1980), another one of my favorite movies. Some people at the time considered it a weak horror movie, maybe because they were too used to Friday 13th. I think it works really well as a psychological thriller, probably one of the best in the genre, Especially when you see her character as an everyday women whose husband’s mind suddenly snaps into a psycho-murderer.

The filming process was specially brutal for Shelley though, it took a big toll on her emotional at the time. Which is why many people blame Kubrick for Duvall’s decline, but for me that's too easy, isn't it? I'm not downplaying Kubrick's over the line acting methods, however, Is it easier to blame Kubrick or the entire cinema industry? People tend to miss the bigger picture here, blaming individuals instead of the system those individuals work. just see how later she was nominated by the golden Raspberry Award for "Worst Actress". with lack of better words, it's a retarded industry with a bunch of egomaniac bloodsucker people.

Unfortunately, After her peak, she was discarded when they deemed her usefulness due. Shelley’s career started to decline in the late 80s and 90s, with fewer roles and diminishing support. The industry that once celebrated her uniqueness and talent offered no help when she needed it the most.

It's good to mention that this pattern of neglect is not unique to Shelley. Many actors from that time face similar fates. They were drawn in by the allure of fame and the promise of success, only to be met with low wages and left alone when the spotlight fades. The cinema industry is notorious for its lack of support for mental health and well-being. Actors often endure long hours, high stress, and intense scrutiny, all while being expected to deliver flawless performances. When the pressure becomes too much, they are left to deal with the aftermath on their own.

They are often convinced by the glamour of Hollywood, not realizing how temporary it all is. The so called friends and connections they make are often there for status and benefits, disappearing when times get tough. Entertainment is a business, and businesses are brutal. Most of it is based on ego and self-congratulation. The industry's focus on profit and image over the well-being of its talent leads to many being discarded once they are no longer seen as valuable.

I hope someday people don't have to go through this abandonment that she had to endure, maybe when cult classics are not only about liking a good movie but possibly making so the people who were part of it at least live humanely.

May her soul rest in peace, and may God keep her close and comfort her in His eternal embrace.