143 followers

1190 daily readers

rank of 4

E-mail Subscription

Receive an e-mail notification of new posts on this site:

Top Menu Section

Adam Lovett

Create Your Badge

Facebook

Share

Category Quick Links

Film & TV on DVD - John Doe Film News & Reviews

Greetings Film Fiends and welcome to John Doe's Film Blog. 30 years of dedicated celluloid obsession has meant that I have seen a few films. Drawing attention to some of the lesser discussed gems that I love. Cult classics, obscure curios and quality genre pictures. This blogs purpose is to translate some of my passion for these films and with luck, inspire you the reader to go check em out.

Drama Film News and Views Westerns - Film & TV on DVD

Dennis Hopper R.I.P. - John Doe Reflects on a Rebel's Legacy

The Man Is Departed, the Hangover Is Eternal.

dennis hopper, rebel cinema, film director

Dennis Hopper 1936-2010

“I am just a middle-class farm boy from Dodge City and my grandparents were wheat farmers. I thought painting, acting, directing and photography was all part of being an artist. I have made my money that way. And I have had some fun. It's not been a bad life.” – Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper lost his battle with prostate cancer this weekend and John Doe is consumed by the cinematic darkness that his extinguished artistic flame leaves. A manic creative force who survived his own self destructive nature, Hopper’s substance abuse and combative personality caused a maelstrom of chaos while operating in the pathos of celluloid expression.

He was committed to his craft as an actor, director and photographer. Relentlessly pushing the parameters of visual mediums to communicate extremes of human experience; frequently at his own expense.

“I should have been dead ten times over. I've thought about that a lot. I believe in miracles. It's an absolute miracle that I'm still around.” – Dennis Hopper

Dennis Hopper had eyes on our dark souls

Dennis as a new comer

Hopper’s first notable screen appearance came in Rebel Without a Cause where he formed a kinship bond to James Dean. Referring to the actor Dennis once said “Jimmy was the most talented and original actor I ever saw work. He was also a guerrilla artist who attacked all restrictions on his sensibility. Once he pulled a switchblade and threatened to murder his director. I imitated his style in art and in life. It got me in a lot of trouble.”

Before Dean’s untimely death Hopper co starred in Giant, a role that offered a glimpse at the range he would later be capable of. In this early stage of his career Dennis was getting a steady stream of TV parts, honing his skills on hits like The Twilight Zone, The Riflemen, Naked City and Bonanza.

Turning up in numerous westerns he notably pissed John Wayne off so much with his outspoken politics that the Duke hunted him down on the set of The Son of Katie Elder armed with a shotgun.

dennis hopper, jack nicholson, peter fonda, easy rider

On the set of Easy Rider

Continuing to work steadily his big break, the moment that is ingrained in pop culture mythology, the part that changed everything was Billy the biker in Easy Rider opposite Peter Fonda. In 1969 as Director and co-writer the artisan Hopper was birthed in an epic celluloid revolution of independent reinvention.

The Last Movie

Driven by chemical mutation and alcohol induced toxicity the auteur dreamer fatalistically manufactured his own doom with The Last Movie. A film which he Directed, wrote and starred in that was incarcerated in a post production nightmare of control issues in the editing room.

Dennis and Jack, a party force to recognize

The 1970’s saw the Dennis Hopper maverick image grow steadily with anecdotes still shared today about disheveled excess on films like Mad Dog Morgan, Apocalypse Now, The American Friend and Kid Blue. Proving that hallucinogenic and ethanol demons can breed genius; this is a time when some of the man’s finest moments can be found on the silver screen.Many of his most unforgettable creations were consumed by a deplorable id, characters that never seek redemption.

Do men like Frank Booth exist?

Years of gargantuan consumption finally saw Hopper hit the wall in the 1980’s and miraculously emerge clean and sober. Even more impressive is that his quality of work did not diminish. As an actor his performances in Blue Velvet, River’s Edge, Rumblefish and Chatahoochee are amongst the decades finest. As a Director both Out of the Blue and Colors proved his understanding of the medium was intuitive and precise.

By the 90’s the man continued to impress and grow notably in The Indian Runner, Paris Trout, Red Rock West, Basquiat, Jesus Son and True Romance. Even in generic material like Speed he managed to take a big pay cheque and still bring some brevity to the stupidity.

Dennis Hopper, red rock west, nicolas cage

Dennis and Nic in Red Rock West

"I made a picture called Super Mario Bros. (1993), and my six-year-old son at the time - he's now 18 - he said, "Dad, I think you're probably a pretty good actor, but why did you play that terrible guy "King Koopa" in "Super Mario Bros."?" and I said, "Well Henry, I did that so you could have shoes", and he said, "Dad, I don't need shoes that badly". – Dennis Hopper

Trailer for Paris, Trout. One of JD's favourite Hopper performances.

In the new millennium he continued to work as long as he was physically able. Obviously paying bills as a working actor, the quality of the product was not always worthy but his presence was consistently memorable.

dennis hopper, film director, the last movie

The unhinged artist

To say Dennis Hopper was under appreciated may be an exaggeration but for John Doe his later work was haphazard, full of highs and lows. In front or behind the lens Hopper made the most of the material and always mesmerized. JD will forever miss this fearless entertainer who gave insight into a pained psyche drenched in charisma and talent.

“There are moments that I've had some real brilliance, you know. But I think they are moments. And sometimes, in a career, moments are enough. I never felt I played the great part. I never felt that I directed the great movie. And I can't say that it's anybody's fault but my own.” – Dennis Hopper

The great Mr Hopper on Inside the Actor's Studio, talking James Dean and his early career