standbyphoenix

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River and a bottle of wine in Venice.

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“If you love someone, it’s worth walking a million miles to see them.  If you love animals, then it follows that you’ll watch out for them. (…) Animal rights aren’t separate from other social, environmental or political issues. What do art and science mean if the Earth is falling apart, if we feel no responsibility to give it space to breathe? We’re very selfish with this planet, and the way we use animals is one of the symptoms of our selfishness. But when you love animals, you feel at one with the little bit of nature that’s left on Earth.”

[River in an interview for Sassy Magazine on October 1989].

[standbyphoenix]

Thank you so much for your beautiful blog. I love the way you talk about River and his loved ones with such respect. I can't help but wonder though, as River wanted so much for his music to be heard and change the world, why we can't hear more of it? There seems to be some in-fighting and finger pointing and "cone of silence". It makes me sad. I wish everyone just felt free and happy to share River's art and what an inspiring person he is, without focusing on his death.

Thank you very much for your kind words! <3 am very happy that people like the blog and that they continue to follow it, even after so long after I created it.

I think that the issue of River's songs, Aleka's songs, and all of his musical life's work, involve personal issues and relationships of those involved that go a little beyond River's own will in life.

And I think that there is indeed a will of the people involved to make River's music live and be in the world, but that it also involves their own personal issues, as people also involved in this process of creation, that go beyond that. In the end, we don't have any more material because the people involved have other issues involved in making the music available. Which ones, exactly, I cannot say...

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Do you think doing MOPI was River’s downfall because I know before that he was an alcoholic but he didn’t really get into heroin until he started doing research for his role and even in pictures you can see the difference in his appearance starting around 1990 I don’t know it’s something that’s been on my mind 

I find this question very delicate and I generally try not to speculate too much about it. And I don't know if we can say that… that MOPI was his downfall.

I think that, in fact, during the filming of MOPI, he may have been more exposed to this. But nothing guarantees that, not having made the film, the story would be different. I think it has less to do with the film itself, with the character, his preparation, and everything else, and more to do with Hollywood's backstage life, the kind of environment that actors end up in, the pressure...

[standbyphoenix]

hi I luv your Tumblr account and I saw your River movie links but they don't work when I try to open them because it says you need access. can you please give access to everyone to watch the movies? ❤❤

Hi, dear. Thank you so much. I'm happy you like the blog <3

I've just updated them so anyone can access it again:

PART I: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B69H_UmvlS_CSFpnSG9xTTVlX28?resourcekey=0-BzoBdee-po3QFRhuPvQ38A&usp=sharing

PART II: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1UNL1a6v77hX29uVi1GSXlwUUk?resourcekey=0-M3z-0rlkexybKpsfycSjJQ&usp=sharing

I also updated the links on the blog’s home page and here: https://standbyphoenix.tumblr.com/Filmography

[standbyphoenix]

did you know that river phoenix was the inspiration behind the character Ash Lynx from Banana Fish? this blog is so old. so nostalgic.

Yeah, I've heard about it before, although I have not seen it.

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My conversation with Sky ''Phoenix'' Sawirski on River.

    Wil Wheaton, Jerry O'Connell, Sky Phoenix and River - Stand by Me set.

River, Sky and Samantha on The Thing Called Love set.

River and Sky together in 1984.

I’ve recently had the opportunity to have a conversation with Sky about River, which resulted in this kind of ‘interview’ about Riv and their time together. Hope you guys enjoy remembering Riv through his friend memories. Thank you Sky for sharing it with us. <3

- In which situation have you first met River? 

Sky: In 1977, he was 7 years old and I was dating his Aunt, so they called me Uncle Sky. 

- How present were you in his life and he in yours?  Sky: 24 hours a day 7 days a week, mainly on the last 4 years of his life. 

- And for how long have you been friends?  Sky: 16 years. - You have always been a present person in River’s life, what includes his actor and musician career. How was it to go along with River in this part of his life? Sky: Very exciting. I think they got the HBO show “Entourage” from our adventures.  - Aleka’s Attic was also a great part of his life and career and he had even said that music was his main goal. How important was it and what it represented in River’s life? Sky: It was all he really wanted. Movies came along as a way to make money to support his musical artistic endeavors’… so he was good at acting and continued that artist endeavour also.

- His music was also related to his great conviction in defend the causes in which he and the band believed, as they have always supported several causes, mainly animal rights. What it represented in River’s life? Sky: Top of his list with the Environment as a whole.

- Being you a present person in his life, how would you describe him?  Sky: He was smart and very generous and a very caring person towards his family first and the Earth second and all he wanted was this world to be a better place.

- About the time you had together, what’s the best memory you have of River? Sky: When he was 7 years old and sang and played guitar like a professional adult, and sang a song that had 10 different languages in it. Also when he gave me a Valentine’s Day card.  - What about the funny ones? Is there anything to share? Sky: Will need to think of that ….there were many… We ate a lot of Tofu and beans together and farted a lot.

- How do you think he will be remembered over the years? Sky: He will be remembered by his great acting, hopefully people will get to hear his music and they can remember him by that also.  - Finally, is there any last thing you’d like to say to River’s fans?   Sky: It’s been over 20 years since he passed away. Tell your children and children’s children he was a great person of cause and generosity and no, he was no a drug addict. And demand his family and former band members to release his music. 

The Valentine’s Day card Sky mentioned Riv gave him when he was around 7-8 years old.

* ‘Stand By Phoenix’ blog exclusive content. Feel free to share with the proper credits.

[standbyphoenix]

 RIVER PHOENIX: A TIMELINE

A look through River’s work as an actor and musician, as well as some events he was in for causes he fought for.

[For better quality open in the blog’s page or click here]

[standbyphoenix]

Hello everyone!

It's been a long time! It's been quite a while since I've updated things around here, but every now and then, I keep an eye here.

Some people have written me asking about the link to watch the River movies that I created. I saw that the privacy settings have changed, so I share it here again:

PART I: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B69H_UmvlS_CSFpnSG9xTTVlX28?resourcekey=0-BzoBdee-po3QFRhuPvQ38A&usp=sharing

PART II: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1UNL1a6v77hX29uVi1GSXlwUUk?resourcekey=0-M3z-0rlkexybKpsfycSjJQ&usp=sharing

I also updated the links on the blog's home page and here: https://standbyphoenix.tumblr.com/Filmography

Let me know if you have any other problems :)

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Rare photo of River promoting My Own Private Idaho alongside director Gus Van Sant.

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“River. Brother. Inspiration. Best Friend. I can’t believe it’s been 28 years... The light in your eyes light the stars.” “On the death of a friend, we should consider that the fates through confidence have devolved on us the task of a double living, that we have henceforth to fulfill the promise of our friend's life also, in our own, to the world.” Henry David Thoreau

— Rain Phoenix via instagram.

[standbyphoenix]

hello! can you please give access to the River movie because I would love to watch his films!

Hi there! :)

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1UNL1a6v77hX29uVi1GSXlwUUk?resourcekey=0-M3z-0rlkexybKpsfycSjJQ

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B69H_UmvlS_CSFpnSG9xTTVlX28?resourcekey=0-BzoBdee-po3QFRhuPvQ38A

Let me know if it works.

[standbyphoenix]

Rest in peace Lizzie Bravo. Thank you for your amazing stories and for sharing with us a little bit about your life and memories. May you live forever through the memories of your loved ones. <3 

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Rare photo of River promoting Running on Empty at United Stations Radio Networks in New York on his 18th birthday (via @ riverphoenixfoundation).

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“I feel that there are great minds up there who would like to see what I can do with an Oscar nomination. I guess many people would change after a nomination in the way they see things. In my case it’s really irrelevant in terms of what I do. Still, it was an incredible experience which I will put in my memories, like everything else.”

- Riv on his Oscar nomination

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River and Wil during an interview, around 1986.

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