FAN Articles - Biehn There, Done That
by Winnie
To me Michael Biehn epitomizes what an actor should be. He portrays each and every character with style and flare. From the dark hero Chris Larabee to the evil Johnny Ringo he shines through. He steals each and every scene he's in without even making an effort to do so.
My fiction is usually centered around Chris Larabee, the wonderful character Michael Biehn portrayed in The Magnificent Seven. He seemed to shine in the roll of a man with a tortured past who overcame it and fought on the side of good. I don't think anyone could have played the gunslinger as well as Michael Biehn. The scene in Nemesis when he's standing by his families graves shows just how much he put into the roll. He really gave his heart and soul in this performance.
I enjoy writing, especially in the hurt/comfort zone. I've always been drawn to stories where the hero has to overcome major odds including life threatening injuries in order to survive. No, not survive but take back his life and live it to the fullest. Chris Larabee is just such a hero. His anguish and pain are breathtakingly portrayed throughout the series.
I tend to write in this genre to remind myself that no matter what life throws at us we can overcome it. If our TV heroes can do it so can we.
Imagine, if you will, a man so alone in the world he felt he had nothing to lose so he becomes a gunslinger. He dresses in black, a colour usually associated with the bad guys, yet this man has more good inside him than most men but is not willing to let it show. It takes a lot to get him to open up. The scene in Obsession when he finally confronts Ella Gaines about the locket and what she's done just screams Hurt/Comfort. The anguished look in his eyes when he realizes she killed Sarah and Adam is so filled with emotional pain and mental torment and is one of the reasons I love this episode so much. It may have some major mistakes in it but it showcased what I perceive as a wonderful performance by Michael Biehn.
I love to sit and watch the episodes where Chris is hurt, but I do wish there was more time for the comfort zone. I was disappointed when there was no reunion scene in Inmate 78. I mean our hero had just been through hell and slashed with a knife and yet the writers didn't even take the time to show the others reactions to his appearance. He'd been hurt so bad that it just pulled on my heartstrings. Maybe that's why I love to read stories where he's hurt and rescued but the writer doesn't leave it there. The writer takes us into the comfort zone and feeds my/our need for those tender moments. The ones where we watch as our leading man once more shows he can beat the odds.
I started writing in order to keep my heroes alive and close by when I need someone I know will always be able to overcome insurmountable odds. Take a look at James Curran. He's strong, he's a Seal, he's sexy, but we won't go there. Michael portrays him as a hero who's not afraid to show his emotions. One of my favourite scenes is when he's leaning on the rails of the boat. You can see the sadness he felt at losing someone so close to him. His eyes in this scene make me just want to latch on to him and tell him everything's going to be alright, Oh, shoot, we're back to Hurt/Comfort again. Sorry, it's just what makes me sit up and take notice.
Some people don't understand why we write in the Hurt/Comfort zone. I've mentioned a few of my own reasons here and I'm not ashamed to admit that these stories also make me laugh, cry, jump for joy, and scream. This genre has it all and I love how it affects me and I'm not ashamed to admit it's the first thing I look for in a story. I love that little tingling sensation in the pit my stomach when I read them.
So all you wonderfully talented hurt/comfort writers keep up the great work and know that this is one reader/writer who'll always read and enjoy.
If a man like Michael Biehn can portray so many characters and make each and every one of them seem so real then surely he deserves more than a passing admiration. I really think Michael is one of the greatest actors ever to grace the big screen. His uncanny ability to reach out and grab the audiences attention is a wonderful sight to behold.
If there was ever an actor who could make me root for the bad guy it's Michael Biehn. I finally broke down and bought Tombstone even though I knew how it ended. Although he did a fantastic job in this I prefer him in the roll of hero....Because Michael Biehn like Chris Larabee is Always The Hero.
Winnie