This piece is based on a theory about Hopper’s work that I’ve had for a while now, and it’s a shame it took the dude dying for me to write it, but you know. Everybody’s got an opinion on Dennis Hopper and like, everyone has a performance to talk about, but I tried to place him in a tradition beyond “batshit crazy actor genius” and also, touch on some of his work that doesn’t get talked about as much as it should or in the way it should. Easy Rider, Out of the Blue, and Colors makes up a good night of movie watching and if you want to extend it another day, throw in Last Movie, Tracks, and River’s Edge.
In the aftermath of Dennis Hopper’s death this past Saturday (J. Hoberman’s obit is here), tributes to the actor didn’t even try to construct an easy narrative out of his chaotic life. How could they? Hopper was many things at once: the actor who pushed the “method” style way past its breaking point; the ’60s icon turned rightwinger who publicly voted for Obama; the sensitive art photographer and abstract expressionist; and the nut who, threatened ex-wives and co-stars with guns and once attempted to blow himself up with dynamite in front of live crowd. He was far out in every role, from art-house classics to chintzy afternoon HBO staples like Spacetruckers, but was nominated only once by the Academy for his onscreen work–Best Supporting Actor, for Hoosiers.
The only constants in Hopper’s career were chaos (even his final months of life were wrapped up in a divorce) and his outre acting style, but there’s a narrative in Hopper’s career that’s been mostly ignored–his fluency with pop culture, especially in his work as a director. Particularly, three films he directed between the late ’60s to the late ’80s: The ’60s movie Easy Rider (1969), the grimy punk tragedy Out of the Blue (1980), and the proto-gangsta rap police procedural Colors (1988). Together they form a trilogy of music-tinged mini-masterpieces, showing Hopper to be a guy with his finger on the pulse of an ever-shifting pop music landscape for three decades–way longer than someone like Dennis Hopper really needed to have his finger on the pulse of pop music…
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Great article, Brandon…very incisive and picking up on something no one else noticed. Although let’s face it, Colors is not a very good flick.
Everyone’s obits seem to ride the crazy/talented angle as if that’s it (and also no one doing a retrospective of the long list of ‘insane movie bad guys’ he played, possibly rating them as ‘movie Hopper makes bearable’ [e.g. Waterworld] / movie that even Hopper can’t make bearable’ [e.g. that one with Wesley Snipes where Hopper has red hair]).
Also ‘Logan Melissa’ who commented on your article is my new internet crush, check out her HeightFiveSeven blog some time.
elmattic
2 Jun 10 at 9:28 am
elmattic-
Thanks! I’d say ‘Colors’ is mediocre. It’s matter than most movies but hardly a classic. I rewatched it on Sunday for preparation on the piece and found it weirdly moving. Duvall’s performance is especially amazing. Be interested to know why you think it’s not very good.
Also, the scene I mentioned in my article, where the mexican gangs are dancing–right before the gunfire shows up–is really moving, just filled with joy (and then there’s also these guys zonked out on ice in the background).
‘Spacetruckers’ is my favorite bad, Hopper makes it awesome movie.
brandonsoderberg
2 Jun 10 at 5:30 pm
I guess it’s like you said, it’s generally a pretty bland police procedural, with a few moments of illumination–Duvall’s death, the party, the scene in jail (and Damon Wayans trying to fuck the giant stuffed rabbit.) It’s not all that gritty or real or original…
I guess it just didn’t meet my expectations–I mean, come on: a hip-hop gangsta movie with Duvall, Sean Penn, Hopper on the decks?! This was supposed to be major. Then again, so was New Jack City. And Juice. And every other flick that didn’t manage to rise to the challenge. Except maybe Menace II Society and the less didactic parts of Boyz N The Hood.
Best bad movie Hopper makes good may be Super Mario Bros., which just looks totally insane but I haven’t seen it. He doesn’t salvage Land of the Dead, but Zombie Leguziamo fighting Hopper to the death almost makes it.
Looking at his IMDB, it feels like it doesn’t cover those 80 million movies where Hopper, Malcolm McDowell or Christopher Walken are the scenery-chewing bad guys…wasn’t he in Tank Girl? Or Johnny Mnemnomnic? Or every single shit action movie in the 80s and 90s? Or does it just feel that way?
elmattic
3 Jun 10 at 11:00 am