OVER THE course of five decades Rutger Hauer enjoyed a film career few could rival.
His sad passing at the age of 75, following a brief battle with cancer, has left Hollywood bereft of one of its most intriguing and consistently charismatic stars.
Known for his distinctive blonde hair and striking good looks, Hauer defied his humble Dutch origins to carve out a sensational body of work that totals an astonishing 172 acting credits.
While much of his early work in foreign language films like Soldier of Orange and Turkish Delight won him critical praise, it was during the 1980s that most mainstream film fans in Ireland became familiar with his work on both the big and small screen.
Star of a raft of cult classics in the years since, his efforts on a series of iconic Guinness adverts has further cemented his immortality on the Emerald Isle.
Here, The Irish Post looks back at some of his best performances on films both big and small.
Blind Fury
Hauer shone in this late 80s samurai action comedy as a blind, sword-wielding Vietnam War veteran enlisted to help the son of a close friend rescue his father from an evil crime syndicate.
An enjoyably daft premise inspired by the Japanese Zatoichi film series, it’s full of memorable action set pieces and some great one-liners with Hauer demonstrating a surprising flair for comedy alongside some impressive swordplay.
The Hitcher
This simple B-movie horror was given a real shot in the arm thanks to the presence of Hauer as the film’s titular hitcher – the one guy you definitely wouldn’t want to give a lift to.
Terrifying to watch, it’s Hauer’s central performance that makes this a must-watch and a film that will keep you gripped until the very last reel.
Nighthawks
Something of a pre-cursor the sophisticated terrorist type Alan Rickman would make iconic in Die Hard, Nighthawks sees Hauer going up against renegade cop Sylvester Stallone in a thrilling game of cat and mouse.
Sadistic and sharply drawn, Hauer’s performance won widespread praise, even if the film ultimately proved uneven. It’s nevertheless a taut and enjoyable thriller all too often overlooked.
Blade Runner
The film that made Rutger Hauer a household name and came to define much of science fiction cinema since, the Dutchman dazzled as Roy Batty, the robot leader of an escaped group of “Replicants” being hunted down by Harrison Ford’s Blade Runner Rick Deckard.
While director Ridley Scott succeeded in crafting a visually stunning piece of futuristic cinema that stands up even today, it was Hauer who imbued proceedings with a poetic majesty thanks in no small part to one stunning monologue that ranks among the most beautiful and iconic ever conceived – and one that was apparently entirely improvised by the actor himself.
A performance that will live on for eternity.
Hobo with a Shotgun
Hauer enjoyed something of a renaissance with this Grindhouse-inspired effort that saw him take centre stage as a homeless man armed to the teeth and out for revenge against a gang of repulsive criminal types.
A knowingly conceived and suitably bloody affair, Hobo with a Shotgun lacks subtlety but makes up for it with balls-to-wall action that’s creative and entertaining, to say the least.
Guinness
The man that made Guinness cool again. For much of the 1980s and 1990s, Hauer was the face of the Irish stout on TV, starring in a series of ads under the tagline “Pure Genius”.
Ranging from funny to dramatic and occasionally quite bizarre, the adverts peaked with this inspired effort around the idea of telepathy.
Clever, funny and the right side of weird, it was Hauer and Guinness at their very best.
