I don't think it matters. Phoenix did a lot of movies before his death. Some popular, some not as much.

Well, ok, but I was interested in hearing people's views.... if you're not interested, why bother commenting? :/

@Joeisacoolguy said:

Well, ok, but I was interested in hearing people's views.... if you're not interested, why bother commenting? :/

I had a view. It just wasn't one you agree with, it seems. :/

It was a big sleeper hit in its day and I am sure it would be remembered with fondness if he had lived, but his death certainly adds an extra layer of sadness to the ending - his final scene in the film ("Not if I see you first!") is, perhaps, more impactful knowing what history had in store for him.

Stand By Me was released while I was a teenager, just slightly older than the kids in the movie. It was hugely popular at the time, as I recall. I don't think it got any kind of boost from Phoenix dying, as tragic as that was. That's the way I remember it, anyway.

@FlyingSaucersAreReal said:

@Joeisacoolguy said:

Well, ok, but I was interested in hearing people's views.... if you're not interested, why bother commenting? :/

I had a view. It just wasn't one you agree with, it seems. :/

Ok, I'm sorry, I thought you meant by "it doesn't matter" that you weren't interested. It's not true exactly that I don't agree, I'm two in minds

@rudely_murray said:

It was a big sleeper hit in its day and I am sure it would be remembered with fondness if he had lived, but his death certainly adds an extra layer of sadness to the ending - his final scene in the film ("Not if I see you first!") is, perhaps, more impactful knowing what history had in store for him.

Hmm, yeah, 100%, I'm sure it would be very well received if he was still alive, but I do feel his death has given it more impact

@Joeisacoolguy said:

@FlyingSaucersAreReal said:

@Joeisacoolguy said:

Well, ok, but I was interested in hearing people's views.... if you're not interested, why bother commenting? :/

I had a view. It just wasn't one you agree with, it seems. :/

Ok, I'm sorry, I thought you meant by "it doesn't matter" that you weren't interested. It's not true exactly that I don't agree, I

Oh, ok. After rereading I see how you could read it that way.

It does make the ending more powerful, I suppose. I just don't think it had much to do with the movies popularity that Phoenix died young.

I suspect that this film is a classic, and it doesn't need River Phoenix to be alive to validate its worth.

@Joeisacoolguy said:

Obviously, as you will have seen, this is my favourite film ever- but I just wonder whether the ending would have quite such an impact if he was still alive? Obviously, he and Wil in particular are brilliant with the crying scenes, and throughout the film- pity Wil's career was dogged by Star Trek

This is my favourite movie about coming-of-age. I'm old enough to have seen this movie in the theater as a teen so I saw this movie when Phoenix was still alive and after his death. This movie made an impact on me as a teen, and I think it will carry a little more weight with future audiences who watch it for the first time knowing Phoenix is dead. But even if Phoenix were alive, the movie would remain impactful based on the merits of everything wonderful about the movie, and not because of the death of one of the actors.

@FlyingSaucersAreReal said:

@Joeisacoolguy said:

@FlyingSaucersAreReal said:

@Joeisacoolguy said:

Well, ok, but I was interested in hearing people's views.... if you're not interested, why bother commenting? :/

I had a view. It just wasn't one you agree with, it seems. :/

Ok, I'm sorry, I thought you meant by "it doesn't matter" that you weren't interested. It's not true exactly that I don't agree, I

Oh, ok. After rereading I see how you could read it that way.

It does make the ending more powerful, I suppose. I just don't think it had much to do with the movies popularity that Phoenix died young.

Yeah, that I definitely believe