River Phoenix's final film shown at Glasgow Film Festival - 20 years after actor died

  • Dutch director George Sluizer had completed four-fifths of the film at the time of the young actor, who had a leading role, passing
  • Phoenix died on October 31, 1993 following a drugs overdose at The Viper Room, a Hollywood night club

By Daily Mail Reporter

PUBLISHED: 04:08 EST, 24 February 2014 | UPDATED: 09:24 EST, 24 February 2014

The never-released film that actor River Phoenix starred in days before his death will be shown at the Glasgow Film Festival, the first time it has been seen in Britain.

Phoenix died of a drugs overdose aged only 23 just 10 days before the completion of Dark Blood, in which he plays a young widower who kidnaps a Hollywood couple.

Dutch director George Sluizer rescued the film in 1999 from Los Angeles two days before it was going to be destroyed because of a legal dispute with his family.


River Phoenix, (centre), in the film 'Dark Blood with Judy Davis (left) and Jonathan Pryce (right)

River Phoenix, (centre), in the film 'Dark Blood with Judy Davis (left) and Jonathan Pryce (right)

Due to River Phoenix's sudden death, shooting was never finished. Director George Sluizer read scenes from the script as a narration as part of the final cut

Due to River Phoenix's sudden death, shooting was never finished. Director George Sluizer read scenes from the script as a narration as part of the final cut

The film is the only one of Phoenix's where the star, brother of Joaquin Phoenix, portrayed a villain

The film is the only one of Phoenix's where the star, brother of Joaquin Phoenix, portrayed a villain

He managed to get hold of the film and ship it to Europe where, 20 years later, he has finished the film and is prepared to screen it.

He said: 'It was going to be burnt two days later by the insurance company after it lost a lawsuit with the family of River Phoenix.'

He will discuss his recently-completed film the last to feature the promising star, which he shot shortly before his death in 1993, the Independent reported.

He completed the film last month, voicing over the scenes from the screenplay that Phoenix never filmed.

But the final work is still missing some scenes and has about 25 per cent missing.

The director completed the film in 2012 and premiered it at the Berlin Film Festival.

In the film Dark Blood, Phoenix plays a character called Boy who is a young widower who retreats into the desert to live a reclusive life

In the film Dark Blood, Phoenix plays a character called Boy who is a young widower who retreats into the desert to live a reclusive life

George Sluizer rescued the film two days before it was going to be destroyed

George Sluizer rescued the film two days before it was going to be destroyed

Sluizer had completed four-fifths of the film at the time of the young actor, who had a leading role, passing.

Phoenix died on October 31, 1993 following a drugs overdose at The Viper Room, a Hollywood night club partly owned at the time by actor Johnny Depp.

The 23-year-old had returned to Los Angeles from Utah to complete the three weeks of interior shots left on Dark Blood the week he died.

Due to take the stage at the nightclub alongside his close friend Michael 'Flea' Balzary of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after he collapsed and was pronounced dead at 1:51am.

In the film Dark Blood, Phoenix plays a character called Boy who is a young widower who retreats into the desert to live a reclusive life after his wife died as a result of nuclear testing.

Boy saves a stranded couple on their second honeymoon, only to keep them hostage as he falls in love with the female lead character played by Judy Davis.

It has never been released on DVD because of an ongoing legal battle, so only a handful of people will be able to watch it.

Comments (5)

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No matter how good or bad it is, it will be claimed as somekind of work of art because he's dead. Just like dead musicians

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Seems awful that his family would try to prevent his final piece of work from being seen for something as trivial as money.

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If you think Keanu Reeves can't act watch him & River Phoenix in 'My Private Idaho' You'll soon change your mind & also realise what a loss River was as well. A wonderful moving sad film. R.I.P. River

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Can't wait to see this. River was my idol as a teenager. Was gutted when he died. Also angry..what a waste. And at 23, so young.

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Great actor!

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