"what was that all about?"

"guys into animals I guess"

Interesting scene.  I should watch The Doors again.  I remember being very impressed by his portrayal of Morrison. Need to watch Tombstone too, liked him in that.

As someone who is now 55, 65 seems young to me. 

Great actor.

@jack_frost 

Indeed too young. He took fewer leading roles after the 1990s, I think he's pretty underrated when you look at his range of work from the mid 1980s-2000.

From what I've read Kilmer fought a lot of health issues over the last decade, mainly throat cancer which is a rough go for most survivors due to the sensitive nature of one's neck. I learned he was a Christian Scientist and I wonder if that had anything to do with his treatment decisions. There's a doc on him I've been meaning to watch called Val. Good time to watch it I suppose.

Jack_Frost, at 68 (in a couple of months) I feel like I'm whistlin' past the graveyard!

Nebish - I'm one of the three people who not only watched Masked and Anonymous, but became a giant fan of the film.  Fair to say that you have to be something of a Dylan zealot to even sit through it. 

For me, the movie works on several different levels - which I'm not going to get into entirely because this is a Val Kilmer thread.  The movie can be digested as a whole - or in separate vignettes.  I've watched it many dozens of times (bought the DVD ... twice!) - with each viewing I come away with a new take or understanding (as with most anything related to Bob Dylan).  A common theme with each vignette is "the duality/complexity of man".  In this scene, Val's character (an animal wrangler in a carnival - where the story sort of unfolds ...) talks about how humans are out of place in this world compared to the various species.  "Man is the only animal who knows that he is going to die" - etc. This scene was edited quite differently than every other scene in the movie. I don't know why.  Watching this scene you hear the same lines delivered multiple times, you notice that Val likely adlibbed some of the dialogue and you even see him crack up once or twice.  Outtakes are used throughout.  No, I don't know why!  If I ever meet Bob Dylan the one thing I want to talk about is this scene from his movie!

I urge people who have the inclination to find a DVD copy (rather than a download) and watch the movie at least three times.  After the initial viewing - watch it with the directors commentary turned on.  This clues you into some hidden pieces of the puzzle that you will most certainly miss the first time around.  Then watch it for a third time.  Yeah, a lot of work.  I know!

Back to Val Kilmer - I honestly think that he was one of the most under-rated and overlooked actors of his generation.  I know that he suffered several disappointments - especially when he had the chance to work with Marlon Brando, who took every opportunity to rarely show up on the set and to be uncommunicative with fellow cast when he did.  

I though Val really became Jim Morrison in "The Doors".  And he did all his own singing as well, which is extremely impressive.  Wikipedia:

After several delays, director Oliver Stone finally started production on the film The Doors, based on the story of the band of the same name.^[27] Kilmer spoke with Oliver Stone early on, concerned about what he might want to do with the story because Kilmer did not believe in or want to promote substance abuse. Kilmer saw Jim Morrison as having picked the wrong heroes, who had different issues, which were not part of the creativity or inspiration. Kilmer saw Morrison's story as one that could be told "a thousand different ways" and did not want to tell it by playing the role in the style of drugs, with which Oliver Stone agreed.^{[citation needed]} Kilmer memorized the lyrics to all of lead singer Morrison's songs prior to his audition and sent a video of himself performing some Doors songs to director Stone.^[28] Stone was not impressed with the tape, but Paul A. Rothchild (the original producer of the Doors) said "I was shaken by it" and suggested they record Kilmer in the studio. After Kilmer was cast as Morrison, he prepared for the role by attending Doors tribute concerts and reading Morrison's poetry.^[29]