tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post7113948679514297639..comments2024-03-28T06:14:54.076-04:00Comments on And So It Begins...: In Character: Dennis HopperAlex Withrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-71991230385407224482015-05-05T14:30:23.561-04:002015-05-05T14:30:23.561-04:00Awesome man, so happy you like the picks and that ...Awesome man, so happy you like the picks and that you've seen all of them! Gotta love ol' Hopper.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-48929047926244735302015-05-05T14:29:33.745-04:002015-05-05T14:29:33.745-04:00The thing is, if you hadn't seen Eraserhead wh...The thing is, if you hadn't seen Eraserhead when Blue Velvet was released (which few had, it was really hard to get a hold of back then), then you would've thought Lynch was, like, normal haha. I can't imagine how much of a shock Blue Velvet was.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-2276897056579008242015-05-04T22:10:49.766-04:002015-05-04T22:10:49.766-04:00Nicely done man. Love this guy, and it's alway...Nicely done man. Love this guy, and it's always great when I've actually seen ALL of the performances you discuss. ;) Couldn't agree more with these, especially your #1.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-6213769907399721632015-05-04T19:18:33.610-04:002015-05-04T19:18:33.610-04:00I want to watch it again sometime. I remember the ...I want to watch it again sometime. I remember the gist of it and the general vibe, but I've forgotten a lot. I do remember some people coming out of the theater freaked out. *LOL* Apparently it wasn't what they were expecting.<br /><br />I'll check out Ebert's review.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06574641672605054506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-1724322613048611692015-05-04T17:47:01.661-04:002015-05-04T17:47:01.661-04:00Yeah if there's a movie to dump convention, it...Yeah if there's a movie to dump convention, it sure is that one. That's one of the reasons I love it, because it starts as this Leave It to Beaver fantasy and then BAM, enter Hopper to eff things up. But it is a tough film to love, for sure. Ebert's 1 star review of it is so intense. Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-1121777887831042592015-05-03T17:35:10.973-04:002015-05-03T17:35:10.973-04:00Ah, Blue Velvet. I was in college when it was rele...Ah, Blue Velvet. I was in college when it was released, and I saw it in the theater where I worked. I was a very conventional movie watcher back then, and --damn -- that movie was different. To this day I'm not sure whether I liked it. :-)<br /><br />Dennis Hopper definitely made a lasting impression on me. His portrayal of a psychopath was mesmerizing.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06574641672605054506noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-65876630128426620972015-04-30T11:23:30.892-04:002015-04-30T11:23:30.892-04:00Thanks! He was Kingsley's good friend in Elegy...Thanks! He was Kingsley's good friend in Elegy. A small but memorable part. And Blue Velvet... never a bad time to revisit that one.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-44261691691930344152015-04-30T11:21:52.028-04:002015-04-30T11:21:52.028-04:00Dude, Hopper is so good in The American Friend. Ri...Dude, Hopper is so good in The American Friend. Rider, Apocalypse, Hoosiers, Romance and Velvet were musts for me, but that last spot was a tough one. The American Friend, Out of the Blue, Tracks, Rumble Fish... very tough call. But I ultimately went with Giant because that was such a dangerous role for a young actor to take on in 1956. But I'm really glad you're a fan of his work, dude was one of the all time greats.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-31863938108496755312015-04-30T11:11:35.055-04:002015-04-30T11:11:35.055-04:00Great cast. I'll definitely seek it out soon.Great cast. I'll definitely seek it out soon.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-76592926468531367172015-04-30T08:35:52.673-04:002015-04-30T08:35:52.673-04:00Great write up! I haven't seen Blue Velvet in ...Great write up! I haven't seen Blue Velvet in years so I really need to rewatch it. It's funny - he is so memorable and charismatic yet I don't remember him being in Elegy at alls.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13987831438787776712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-86336409077072253242015-04-30T00:42:11.494-04:002015-04-30T00:42:11.494-04:00Gotta love Hopper and I don't envy you at tryi...Gotta love Hopper and I don't envy you at trying to bring it to 7 key roles sir lol. That had to be tough. So many amazing roles and I think you pretty much got the best ones here... lol, my super subtle way of saying the only one I would have put on is his role in The American Friend. <br />I'm a little surprised at the inclusion of his role in Giant to be honest, not because I don't agree but because I'm pretty sure that would be a performance that many others would have skipped over - good on you sir, always keeping an eye out and spotting the gems. There was no other option besides Frank Booth for the top spot though, just such a fascinating performance that continues to confound me to this day. If only those at the academy knew how incredible that performance is/was and could have rewarded him (and Lynch). maskofgojirahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18305737005899440472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-33546502641710296872015-04-29T20:29:02.345-04:002015-04-29T20:29:02.345-04:00Well, I can't say it's a "must see&qu...Well, I can't say it's a "must see", but it makes for an interesting contrast. It also stars Amy Irving, Amy Locane, Julie Harris, Gary Busey, and Hal Holbrook. It's from 1996. Irving produced it with her then-husband Bruno Barreto, who directed.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-25648243221348475482015-04-29T19:28:30.000-04:002015-04-29T19:28:30.000-04:00Now THAT is a hell of a story. Thanks so much for ...Now THAT is a hell of a story. Thanks so much for sharing. Seriously, I love stuff like this. And man, what a ballsy line from you. Love that you had the stones to ask him to sign it that way. Perfect.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-70568507460847214252015-04-29T17:33:16.101-04:002015-04-29T17:33:16.101-04:00Sadly, I wasn't kidding when I saw I was writi...Sadly, I wasn't kidding when I saw I was writing for a niche magazine. It was also 20 years ago (he was filming Waterworld). <br /><br />Here's the best part of the day, though:<br /><br />Hopper was doing a voiceover for a computer game called Hell, and I was working on a computer gaming magazine at the time. I went out to interview him mainly because I was a friend of the PR guy for the game company. He recorded all morning, we had lunch, and he finished up that afternoon. Afterwards, he signed pictures for people involved.<br /><br />Now, my mother had discovered where I was going and who I was interviewing. She demanded--demanded, mind you--that I get his autograph for her and all of her movie group friends. They'd seen Speed three times, and they weren't going to watch Keanu Reeves. So I memorized Mom's friend's names (Carol, Mary, Dorothy, Jane) and I waited until he had signed pictures for everyone else. <br /><br />I told him the story of my mom and her friends and he signed four pictures, for which I thanked him profusely, since I had asked for twice as much as everyone else. He then said, "You want one for yourself?" I said no, I'd already asked for too much, but he insisted. So, because of the name of the game, I said, "Can you sign it, 'See you in Hell'"?<br /><br />He smacked his hand on the table and yelled, "Why didn't you go first! I would've signed 'em all like that!"SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-68388161668046219852015-04-29T15:32:38.175-04:002015-04-29T15:32:38.175-04:00Oh wow, I'm so curious about Carried Away now....Oh wow, I'm so curious about Carried Away now. Restrained Hopper would be so interesting to see. Thanks for the recommendation. Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-86223148950025860962015-04-29T15:15:49.339-04:002015-04-29T15:15:49.339-04:00Gotta be Blue Velvet. And I agree pretty much on ...Gotta be Blue Velvet. And I agree pretty much on the others (although I've never been that big a True Romance fan).<br /><br />For a quieter, different take from him I'd mention Carried Away. It's about as far from the stereotype of him as you can get.Chip Laryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00787403805554027107noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-25342587021036992052015-04-29T12:44:43.718-04:002015-04-29T12:44:43.718-04:00Great choice on your part! Love this guy. And I lo...Great choice on your part! Love this guy. And I love hearing that Blue Velvet is one of your favorites.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-28379848377129576482015-04-29T12:44:15.316-04:002015-04-29T12:44:15.316-04:00I LOVE that line. If you pay attention to the extr...I LOVE that line. If you pay attention to the extras in the scene, they all start laughing their asses off. And because they try to hide their laughs from the camera, I assume those laughs were not scripted, which I think is priceless. Fuckin' Frank Booth, man.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-61887218556680234132015-04-29T12:43:12.949-04:002015-04-29T12:43:12.949-04:00Red Rock West is definitely an underrated flick, a...Red Rock West is definitely an underrated flick, and Hopper is superb in it. So happy you like that one. And yes TCM2 has to be seen to believed. That movie is fucking bonkers. It doesn't at all feel like it was directed by Tobe Hooper.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-73440009648831012762015-04-29T12:26:27.772-04:002015-04-29T12:26:27.772-04:00Thanks for this comment. I love hearing when filmm...Thanks for this comment. I love hearing when filmmakers I admire are genuinely nice people in real life. So cool that you got to spend some time with him. Is that article you wrote available anywhere? I'd love to give it a read.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-23759562034788189882015-04-29T12:22:58.376-04:002015-04-29T12:22:58.376-04:00Few people played psychos as well as Hopper. That ...Few people played psychos as well as Hopper. That man could tap into crazy so easily. Texas Chainsaw 2 is kind of a mess, but it's fun in a bad sort of way. And Hopper is clearly having fun, so hey, fair enough, right?Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-61646672054706226332015-04-29T12:16:18.894-04:002015-04-29T12:16:18.894-04:00That True Romance scene really did take a lot of b...That True Romance scene really did take a lot of balls to pull off. If that appeared in a movie today (a movie written and directed by white guys), "the culture" would have a fucking FIT. And to be clear, a lot of the words they're using make me really uncomfortable, which is a testament to Hopper and Walken that the scene comes off so well.<br /><br />I saw Out of the Blue a long time ago, but it is really good. And I agree, this post did come down to Blue Velvet and Hoosiers... crazy those movies came out the same year.Alex Withrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15887018476048271594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-67172160542451125572015-04-29T12:15:51.750-04:002015-04-29T12:15:51.750-04:00Thanks for doing this post! My favorite is also hi...Thanks for doing this post! My favorite is also his performance in Blue Velvet. On my top 5 favorites.John Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03622085882123976465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-48400556617778187512015-04-29T10:43:49.432-04:002015-04-29T10:43:49.432-04:00"Heineken? Fuck that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!..."Heineken? Fuck that shit! Pabst Blue Ribbon!"<br /><br />I'm not very familiar with Dennis Hopper's work apart from the performances you've mentioned here, but I'll be damned if his Frank Booth isn't one of the most terrifying yet strangely intoxicating performances of all time.Aditya Bnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4784665635104956142.post-70045371428136118562015-04-29T09:46:39.628-04:002015-04-29T09:46:39.628-04:00Excellent choices. Dennis Hopper is definitely one...Excellent choices. Dennis Hopper is definitely one of my all time favorite actors. I have never seen him give a bad performance, even in garbage like the Super Mario Bros movie. I remember that was one of the first movie i ever saw in the theater and probably the first movie i ever actually felt disappointed by, but watching it now i can have fun with it and it's awfulness. Especially Dennis Hopper's over-the-top performance. He always gave such great villain performances. But picking my favorite Dennis Hopper performance is incredibly hard. He really does have so many great ones to pick from. All of the ones you listed are definitely his best work, but if i'm gonna pick one outside of that i would have to say Red Rock West. I feel like that's a very underrated movie with a great performance from Hopper. <br /><br />And he is also in one of my favorite so-bad-it's-good movies The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 where he is dual wielding two chainsaws in a battle with Leatherface. That is a movie that has to be seen to be believed. Man, i really miss Dennis Hopper. He was one of the greats, even if the movie he was in was a masterpiece or total trash. He always knew what he was in and acted appropriately. He was an icon that will always be remembered.Henrik J.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12675100900709348187noreply@blogger.com