This is my tribute to Matthew Modine, in honor of his 56th birthday on March 22, 2015.

 

His performance in the movie Vision Quest, which celebrated it’s 30th Anniversary in February this year, was significant to me. My story begins on February 15, 1985, the release and theatrical debut of the movie Vision Quest. The day started out as any other ordinary day. I had no idea my routine of going to a movie, on this particular Friday night to watch Vision Quest would affect me the way that it did. This was the day that my love and admiration for Matthew Modine began.

 

Maybe it was because I was an impressionable, 13-year-old teenager, or because Matthew is extremely handsome, or the fact the movie has one of the best soundtracks of the 1980’s. I suspect that it is for all of these reasons, that both Matthew and the movie left such a lasting impression on me. I was completely captivated by him as Louden Swain, in this inspirational, coming-of-age story. He played a High School wrestler who goes on a mission to drop two weight classes so he can take on a three-time state champion, Brian Shute, played by Frank Jasper. Matthew Modine’s performance as Louden Swain has inspired countless wrestlers for the past three decades making the film a cult classic, that has withstood the test of time.

 

When I left the movie theater that night, I did what any teenager would do, I immediately walked out into the mall that it was attached to and bought the soundtrack! Vision Quest also introduced Madonna to the world, with the debut of “Crazy For You” as well as “The Gambler”. The soundtrack also included “Lunatic Fringe” by Red Rider, “Only The Young” by Journey, and “Change” by John Waite. The following weekend, I went to the movie rental store and rented a couple of Matthew’s previous films, the sex comedy Private School (1983) and the Alan Parker masterpiece, Birdy (1984). Watching these films sealed the deal for me. I have been a passionate fan of Mr. Modine’s for the past 30 years and am still going strong!

Additionally, he has written and will direct the feature film The Rocking Horsemen which is scheduled to begin filming tentatively this Spring. The cast will include the great Jennifer Beals as well as his daughter, Ruby Modine. It is a wonderful thing to witness his career over the years and how it has now come full circle.

 

What some might not know is that Matthew is also a passionate environmental activist. He founded the advocacy group “Bicycle for a Day”, a pro-cyclist organization, to raise awareness of the need to reduce carbon emissions and also to help demonstrate simple things that everybody can do everyday to help accomplish a greener, cleaner world. He also supports many different charities and organizations across the globe.

 

With all of the enjoyment that his films have brought me over the years, I felt as though the only logical thing for me to do was to start a Twitter account ShellovesMovies (Matthew Modine Fan) to express my love for movies, as well support him on a daily basis. It just made perfect sense to me. I have never had the opportunity of meeting Matthew in person, but I am fortunate to be able to interact with him on Twitter frequently. I can tell you, that he is as genuine as anyone could possibly be. He is kind, compassionate and down to earth. He takes time on a daily basis to try and respond to as many of his Twitter followers as he can. I can’t think of a better person for me to support, and I am extremely happy to do so. When I was offered an opportunity to write an article about Mr. Modine, there was no way I could turn it down. I wanted to let him know how much I appreciate his films and how much enjoyment his performances have brought me. Thank you so much Matthew, and I wish you a very Happy Birthday!

 

Article by @ShellovesMovies

Matthew’s career showcases a diverse array of memorable characters on film, television and on the Broadway stage. There is the unforgettable Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick’s Vietnam classic Full Metal Jacket (1987), Agent Michael Downey in Jonathan Demme’s mob comedy Married to the Mob (1988), WWII pilot Captain Dennis Dearborn in Memphis Belle (1990), Dr. Don Francis in the HBO docudrama And the Band Played On (1993), and a more recent role as Deputy Commissioner, Peter Foley in the blockbuster, The Dark Knight Rises (2012).

 

Modine also directed an impressive amount of short films between 1993 and 2011. Six of which are a part of a collection, The Short Films of Matthew Modine, which I personally recommend checking out. Modine is the author of a book, ‘Full Metal Jacket Diary’ which was released in limited edition in 2005. It gives a unique look at his behind the scenes experiences while filming Stanley Kubrick’s iconic Full Metal Jacket. It is a beautiful collection of his diary entries and amazing photographs that Modine took himself. If you love photography or have an interest in the filmmaking process, are a fan of Stanley Kubrick’s films, or of Matthew Modine’s, I can not recommend it enough! In 2010, Modine partnered with producer, Adam Rackoff and transformed the book into an award winning iPad application, as well as an audiobook version; both are beautifully narrated by Matthew.