Thread by @sheilakathleen, It's Dennis Hopper's birthday. Ready for a thread? #DennisHopper I’m so glad [...]

It's Dennis Hopper's birthday. Ready for a thread? #DennisHopper

I’m so glad I used one of my columns at @FilmComment -now on hiatus – to sing the praises of Dennis Hopper’s wild and nihilistic OUT OF THE BLUE, starring Linda Manz and Hopper. Read here: https://www.filmcomment.com/blog/present-tense-out-of-the-blue/ #DennisHopper

Of all the essential and now-iconic roles Hopper played in his ravaged up-down-up-again legendary-as-it-unfolded career, this is one of the best things he ever did, reciting Rudyard Kipling’s “If” – by heart – on the Johnny Cash Show. #DennisHopper

For those interested in learning more about acting: that clip above is what it means to be present in the moment, not just to yourself, but to the audience listening to you. He's WITH them. FULLY present. So few people can be present like that, civilians or actors.

One last comment on that Rudyard Kipling recitation: I took a Master Class with Hopper, and he talked extensively about Lee Strasberg's “song and dance” exercise and how much he loved it, and then – standing up there – totally unafraid – he demonstrated it.

“Song and dance” is a terrifying (most actors fear it) confrontation with the void out there in the dark, and being present – intimately present – to those watching you and listening to you. Whatever comes out. Tears, rage, laughter. Whatever. Be there w/it. BE SEEN.

Watching him just stand up there in front of us, and do it, like he was in class with us, was a revelation. It made me feel brave. Hopper wasn’t scared at all. He was an intellectual, an actor trained in the classics. Song and dance was one of the things that released him.

He was also a brilliant photographer. Here’s his most famous: “Double Standard” 1961. #DennisHopper

Shortly before Hopper passed, @mattzollerseitz wrote a gorgeous piece called “The Middle Word in Life”, paying tribute to Hopper saying: “Contrary to what we’d all come to believe, Dennis Hopper is not immortal. Let’s appreciate him now.” http://www.movingimagesource.us/articles/the-middle-word-in-life-20100406

That piece was accompanied by a video essay - which was amazing - and I can't seem to find anymore. @mattzollerseitz does it still exist anywhere? If I never told you: I loved it so much.

And now a story from my time in Croatia: I asked Ante, our guide, what he would do if he came to America. He said immediately: “I would drive route 66. Like Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda. I want to do something like that.” It was the 2nd time he had referenced EASY RIDER. (cont)

I said, “You love EASY RIDER.” He said, “It was banned here for years.” “Wow, I had no idea. I can guess why though.” “FREEDOM!!” he said, with a huge gesture as he careened our car along a mountain cliff road. (I thought, Both hands on the wheel, Ante, I beg you.)

He said, looking at me thru the rear view, "The first time Easy Rider played in Croatia was in 1982. It was big BIG deal. And my father went and saw it and it changed his life. He understood freedom then and what it really was." (cont)

Ante: “And my father told me all about the movie when I was a child and how freedom was important. He told me there were lines down the block outside of theatre in 1982 to see the movie. Everyone wanted to see it. It was very dangerous movie.” (cont)

EASY RIDER came up yet again. On our boat ride to Hvar Island, and then again on our boat ride to Split, we were surrounded by motorcycle gangs from Croatia/Bosnia (it was literally me, Ante, Rachel, and 80 Hell’s-Angels-the-Balkan-chapter on those ferries). (cont)

I glanced at Ante, nodded my head at the bikers everywhere, “Dennis Hopper?” He made a dismissive gesture at them and said, “They’re fake. They’re not Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda.” “So what about these over here, Ante?”

“Pfff. Fake.”
“I don’t know, Ante. They look pretty fucking tough to me.”

Ante: “They’re just pretending they’re Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda.”
Ante was having NONE of it. He was immovable. I, however, was having ALL of it.

“So Easy Rider …” I said, wanting him to finish the sentence, even though I had no idea what he would say. I just wanted to hear whatever it was. (cont)

Ante said, “EASY RIDER is freedom and everyone wants that.”
The power of movies, people. You never know where they will go or who they will reach. EASY RIDER was life-changing to Croatians in 1982. Now that's an impact. (end)
#DennisHopper

One thing about Hopper as a director: he told this story when he came to my class. Even though he was an experienced actor, he learned a lesson about acting when directing COLORS - which is also a tribute to (and a revelation in re:) film acting:

He was directing the scene when Robert Duvall is in the locker room, flipping through the wad of cash. The wad of dirty cash. Duvall was supposed to be furious. Hopper, standing beside the camera, wasn't seeing the moment he wanted to see. It was totally flat. (cont)

Experienced actors will probably know where this is going. DH held Duvall in awe, one of the greatest actors of his generation ... why was Duvall, like, phoning it in? Why didn't he seem angry? How could Duvall NOT know what the scene was about? Hopper was very frustrated. (cont)

Then he watched the moment in playback. And it was ALL. THERE. Hopper said, "it was just a little tiny thing - a look in his eyes - his lips tight ... and you could see him SEETHING. I couldn't see it 'in the room.' But the camera caught it. Duvall was that good."

With all his experience, he still had that to learn, being on the other side of the camera. He said he was very glad he hadn't asked Duvall to do it again, in retrospect. He would have been embarrassed. DH was very transparent in re: his shortcomings/breakthroughs. In process.

Not to be sappy: the most fun about doing these threads is everyone responding (not the "I never liked him" takes - like: why. Go tf away, bore.) - with memories, things they loved, clips. For me, it's the best use of this hellsite: a group celebration. so thank you!

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