Bob Hoskins R.I.P.

I was shocked to learn that Bob Hoskins has died at the age of just 71. It was only a few days ago that Mrs NotaSheep and I were watching him in Mermaids, a much underrated performance of his.

I'm sure most of the reports will centre upon his role in the mediocre (in my view) Who Framed Roger Rabbit but I prefer to remember him in that great 1980 London film The Long Good Friday.

Hopefully one of the TV channels will show this film in its entirety, and if they do you MUST watch it, but in the meantime here's the ending of that marvellous film with one of the great Londoner speeches - "The Mafia, I've shit 'em" - and that lovely long concentrated look at Bob Hoskins' face.



Also here's Bob Hoskins' entrance in The Long Good Friday, great walk and great 1970s music.


The Long Good Friday was a marker for the end of the stagnation of the Labour and wet Tory 1970s and the start of the dynamism and optimism of the Thatcher era. Watch the whole film and see how much London has changed since 1980, especially docklands - Harold Shand was a visionary, but also to see where the recent London gangster films such as Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake and Snatch owe a huge debt. Also spot Helen Mirren, as Harold Shand's wife, near the start of her film career.


Sitting here I'm also remembering Bob Hoskins for his part in the great Denis Potter's Pennies From Heaven and the wonderful film Mona Lisa in which Bob Hoskins plays the very cheap George, here's an extract but do watch the film if you get the chance.

Spot the 'rabbit' reference, a good Pub Quiz question could link Bob Hoskins and rabbits. Also Michael Caine playing a superior London villain, for a change.