Portrait of the Artist as a Young Narcissist

Filmbrain recently had the opportunity to watch the rarely seen but often sought after "documentary" The American Dreamer, which follows Dennis Hopper during the editing of The Last Movie, the film that cost him his directing career. Filmbrain should mention that he is a fan of both Easy Rider and The Last Movie, and he feels the latter deserves to be reconsidered, for it's not nearly as bad as many make it out to be. Filmbrain also appreciates Hopper as an actor -- he was great in The American Friend, Blue Velvet, Apocalypse Now, River's Edge, Jesus' Son, etc. That said, watching The American Dreamer made him realize what an insufferable prick Hopper must have been back then. Though classified as a documentary, it's really more of a vanity project. (Why else would Hopper have a writing credit on the film?) It was directed by L.M. Kit Carson, best known as the star of the phenomenal David Holzman's Diary and the co-writer of Paris, Texas. (In turn, Carson was most likely directed by Hopper.) Though it's meant to be a filmed diary about the post-production of The Last Movie, it's actually just 70+ minutes of unadulterated, megalomaniacal Hopper pontificating on life, sex, philosophy, politics, etc. Looking like a cross between Jim Morrison and Charles Manson, we see him walking through the desert, hands in pockets, contemplating deep thoughts, or driving his pickup down the freeway contemplating deep thoughts. Speaking of Manson, Hopper tells of the time he met him in person, and how Charlie told him that's he's just a product of our society. Scary thing is, later in the film Hopper makes the same excuse for himself. Nice one! Much of the film (too much, in fact) is about his preparation for an orgy encounter session with a bunch of groupies. Here's Hopper on a bed with about five or six hippie chicks trying to lay down some heavy raps about lord-knows-what, and how he would rather go down on a woman than have sex with her. About how he's such a dedicated lover, much better than most men blah blah blah. There's footage of him frolicking naked in a bathtub with three of the groupies, while the soundtrack contains his musings: I love to look at beautiful women. I had the classic American concept -- I wanted the virgin that I married to have my children and stay at home. But then when I discovered I was a whore, I decided that I wanted the whore who could understand me, and we could understand each other. There's not nearly enough about The Last Movie in the film. There are some scenes of Hopper at the editing deck, describing how cutting out scenes is like ripping limbs off your child. (I believe the first cut he delivered to Universal was five hours long.) The most interesting segment in the film has Hopper at Universal Studios, meeting with some executive (a suit!) who's nervously pressing Hopper for an update on the editing process, as they have to begin the marketing campaign. Hopper, all cool and anti-establishment, refuses to succumb to the pressure. This is what the film needs more of -- the struggle with Universal, the now infamous test screening that ended with Hopper being attacked by the audience, etc. Instead, we get lots of footage of Hopper shooting guns into the desert. Still, The American Dreamer is a must-see, for there is no greater example of self-indulgence in its purest form.

Comments

[Rodney Welch]

Very intriguing; I've never gotten a chance to see The Last Movie, whose legend certainly precedes it, but maybe I can beg my local art theatre for a double-bill of that and American Dreamer. One minor correction: saying Last Movie cost Hopper his directing career overstate the matter a little, since he did manage to direct five films since then. One, Out of the Blue is said to be pretty good; I've seen Colors and it's a solid cop drama.

[Filmbrain]

True, but there was a ten year gap between The Last Movie and Out of the Blue.

Universal had good intentions when they started that production wing for films that would appeal to the young generation. Though they f'ed it up most of the times, they still released Two Lane Blacktop one of, if not the best film of the period. Amazing to think that that was a major studio release.

[Marleigh]

I don't care what anyone says, the pinnacle of Dennis Hopper's career was his work in Speed. What a triumph of cinema: it was the four-fingered man! His appearance in The Last Ride might top even such a wonderous cinematic achievement, though, so I guess we can't count his career over yet.

On a serious note, though, the thought of Dennis Hopper in bed with anyone—even if it were just to sleep—makes me feel dirty. Ew.

I'd rather picture Jerry Lewis naked.

[Sal C.]

Rodney -
Since you mention it, that's exactly how I caught both of those films - on a double bill at the Film Forum. It was a series on American cinema of the 70's (which I'll define as...say, starting with Bonnie & Clyde and ending with Star Wars). I believe Kent Jones curated the series prior to moving on to the Walter Reade. It was an amazing collection of films where I not only had my mind blown by The Last Movie for the first time, but also caught Scarecrow, Payday, The Conversation, and the remarkable Dusty & Sweets McGee.