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A Simple Tribute to Dennis Hopper

News Type: Opinion — Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:32 AM EDT

entertainment, dennis-hopper, hopper, twilight-zone, apocalyse-now

Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle

Dennis Hopper took a big chance with his career accepting this part for television.

From the famous film

Dennis Hopper, a world-class actor who has never been afraid to take chances, was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. He once risked his career doing a Twilight Zone episode playing a guy who got his advice on street politics from Adolf Hitler.

Recently, he's been giving Americans solid advice on investments.

Perhaps his greatest part ever was playing the whacked-out photog on Apocalypse Now. Or maybe Easy Rider, where he directed and wrote much of the script. They were all great roles, but this quote from Apocalypse Now proves that he can do good lines.

"Why? Why would a nice guy like you wanna kill a genius? You know that the man really likes you. He likes you, he really likes you. He's got something in mind for you. Aren't you curious about that? I'm curious, I'm very curious. You curious?

There's something happening out there, man. You know something, man, I know something that you don't know. That's right, Jack. The man is clear in his mind, but his soul is mad. Oh yeah. He's dying, I think. He hates all this, he hates it! But...the man's...uh...he reads poetry out loud, alright? And a voice! A voice.... He likes you because you're still alive. He's got plans for you. Nah, nah, I'm not going to help you, you're going to help him, man. You're going to help him.

I mean, what are they going to say, man, when he's gone, huh? Because he dies, when it dies, man, when it dies, he dies. What are they going to say about him? What are they going to say, he was a kind man, he was a wise man, he had plans, he had wisdom?

Bullsh-t, man! Am I going to be the one that's going to set them straight? Look at me! Wrong!...You!"

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Public Discussion (18)

{"commentId":10371043,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle

I wouldn't say it's checkout time at the Reality Hotel for Hopper just yet.

He's tougher than you think.

{"commentId":10371043,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

1 vote

#1 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:35 AM EDT

{"commentId":10373967,"authorDomain":"webslinger"}

webslinger

Your headline scared me.....I'm glad to see he's kicking - and totally agree that he is one tough SOB. I wish him a speedy recovery!

{"commentId":10373967,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"webslinger"}

3 votes

#1.1 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:44 AM EDT

{"commentId":10372089,"authorDomain":"tempestnam"}

Nicey-1026620

Any details on the cancer?

Did they catch it early? Late? How serious? etc.

I gotta say Dennis Hopper also has the best stories. He talks about his days hanging with Elvis, competing for chicks, etc, he's just an old school guys guy.

I fell in love with his acting after watching Easy Rider.

{"commentId":10372089,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"tempestnam"}

#2 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:11 AM EDT

{"commentId":10374888,"authorDomain":"JohnRussell"}

JohnRussell

I saw where his manager says they are "hoping for the best". That does not sound good. When they catch it early they usually say "we caught it early".

{"commentId":10374888,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"JohnRussell"}

1 vote

#2.1 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 11:20 AM EDT

{"commentId":10373410,"authorDomain":"enigmaobscura"}

enigma

Hopper used to be an icon for the anti-establishment; now he's hawking insurance (of all things!). Talk about a huge sellout.

{"commentId":10373410,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"enigmaobscura"}

1 vote

#3 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:21 AM EDT

{"commentId":10390381,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle

Enigma says:

'Hopper used to be an icon for the anti-establishment; now he's hawking insurance (of all things!). Talk about a huge sellout.'

Jessica Simpson & ProActiv Solution
William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy & Priceline.com
Wilfred Brimley & Quaker Oats, Liberty Medical
Catherine Zeta-Jones & T-Mobile
Kelly Clarkson & Vitamin Water
Jason Alexander & KFC
Betty White & 1-800-Pet-Meds
Alan Jackson & Ford Trucks
George Strait & Chevy Trucks
Garth Brooks & Dr. Pepper
Dwight Yokum, Joss Stone, Missy Elliot, Madonna, and about 300 other celebrities have appeared in commercials from GAP clothing.
Coca-Cola - David Arquette and Courtney Cox-Arquette, Bill Cosby, Paula Abdul, New Kids on the Block, Aretha Franklin, Bill Gates, Roy Orbison and more
Pepsi - Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Shakira, Madonna, Faith Hill, Ray Charles, Bob Dole, Michael J. Fox, Shaquille O'Neal and more
Not exactly a NEW phenomenon for celebrities to 'sell out', I'd say.

{"commentId":10390381,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

1 vote

#3.1 - Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:53 AM EDT

{"commentId":10410763,"authorDomain":"jjocarolata"}

Joanna Caroll

You have to list the foreign produced/placed ads (Italy, Spain, Japan, etc.) too, which feature a surprising number of "A" list stars who would never be caught dead or alive hawking products in the US of A. Sellouts? Nope...just a job.

{"commentId":10410763,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"jjocarolata"}

3 votes

#3.2 - Sun Nov 1, 2009 2:51 PM EST

{"commentId":10376264,"authorDomain":"JStranahan"}

Jimster

I had the pleasure of seeing Dennis Hopper on a regular basis in the late 80s.

I was working in a photo lab in Hollywood were he was a customer. He always seemed a bit twitchy and ill a ease to me.

David Lynch's production company was behind our building and Hopper had worked with him on Blue Velvet.

Good luck to you Dennis, you are in our thoughs

{"commentId":10376264,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"JStranahan"}

2 votes

#4 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:11 PM EDT

{"commentId":10386228,"authorDomain":"bigmomma"}

rottlady

He's tougher than you think.

I hope you are right Robert! Good luck to Dennis!

{"commentId":10386228,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"bigmomma"}

3 votes

#5 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:54 PM EDT

{"commentId":10386787,"authorDomain":"jsbach"}

jsbach

They were all great roles, but this quote from Apocalypse Now proves that he could do good lines.

Good lines? Good lines? That was how people talked during that era. God, how I hated it.

It was like, wow, man, I wanted to shoot the guy speaking that way, but hey man, his truth is truth, and only he knows what he means, man, and we should all love him, man...

But, I did love the music from Easy Rider. That was truly great music.

{"commentId":10386787,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"jsbach"}

1 vote

#6 - Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:31 PM EDT

{"commentId":10390310,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle

jsbach says in part:

'Good lines? Good lines? That was how people talked during that era. God, how I hated it.'

I don't think most people talked like that. He was playing a guy who had experienced a psychotic break from reality. Long line, tough memorization, and he made it sound totally convincing.

The story goes that Brad Pitt studied Hopper's work in Apocalypse Now as part of his preparation for his own role in 12 Monkeys.

One thing about Hopper is he's never been afraid of a role just because it was offbeat or demanding. One example could be Hoosiers, playing the alcoholic father of one of the basketball players.

{"commentId":10390310,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

2 votes

#6.1 - Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:38 AM EDT

{"commentId":10409615,"authorDomain":"jsbach"}

jsbach

I don't think most people talked like that. He was playing a guy who had experienced a psychotic break from reality. Long line, tough memorization, and he made it sound totally convincing.

He made it totally convincing because that was how people talked during that period. That's one reason I hated hippies. And, don't even get me started on the photographers who relished going to Vietnam.

Yeah, I realize I have issues with that period.

But, back to Hopper. He really was an odd guy. Talk about eccentric.

{"commentId":10409615,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"jsbach"}

1 vote

#6.2 - Sun Nov 1, 2009 1:22 PM EST

{"commentId":10420272,"authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

Robert Blevins - AB of Seattle

Not 'was,' but IS an odd guy. He's still hanging around.

It's cool to keep hanging around anyway. That way you can see what comes next.

{"commentId":10420272,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"adventurebooks"}

1 vote

#6.3 - Mon Nov 2, 2009 2:24 AM EST

{"commentId":10400283,"authorDomain":"slowrivermic"}

Mic Hudson

Dennis Hopper, a contemporary of both James Dean and Sal Mineo, continues to display the genius so well "characterised" by both Dean and Mineo. The main difference between the three is that Hopper was and/is ever the natural survivalist. In that light (and, may I add [as another who has also been diagnosed with prostate cancer... supposedly "caught early"]), "I predict he'll "beat the hell" out of this challenge and "characterisation" as well!"

{"commentId":10400283,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"slowrivermic"}

3 votes

#7 - Sat Oct 31, 2009 6:22 PM EDT

{"commentId":10403901,"authorDomain":"pennid"}

PenniD

One of my earliest movie star crushes was Dennis Hopper. Easy Rider was the second movie to make an impression on me. I hope he gets well and stays that way for a long time. What pleasure he gave me and everyone else of my generation with Easy Rider.

{"commentId":10403901,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"pennid"}

3 votes

#8 - Sun Nov 1, 2009 12:20 AM EDT

{"commentId":10408007,"authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

iconoclasm

That was an excellent Twilight Zone.

Fastforwarding to Waterworld. It wasn't a great movie but Hopper made up for the defects of the movie by again being such a good villian. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLUpbbYdjf0 I couldn't find any of the good crazy ramlbings from the movie.

{"commentId":10408007,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"nkycarbon"}

2 votes

#9 - Sun Nov 1, 2009 11:19 AM EST

{"commentId":10432389,"authorDomain":"ddickinson-1"}

believer-369603

I always admired Hopper for the simple reason that he was eccentric and twitchy, and yet he managed to make a pretty decent life for himself without self-destructing.

So I was thrilled when I ran into him in a supermarket in New Mexico one Thanksgiving week-end.

I'm not easily impressed by fame, but I really couldn't think of anything to say, so I just sort of touched my forehead and said "Mr. Hopper" as I walked by. He grabbed my hand and said, "Yea Thanks. Do you know where I can find the cinnamon?"

My thoughts are with him.

{"commentId":10432389,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"ddickinson-1"}

5 votes

#10 - Mon Nov 2, 2009 4:13 PM EST

{"commentId":10459159,"authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

MinnieApolis

Mr. Hopper may have the option of the latest approach to treating this disease, which is to insert radioactive pellets, um, in situ. It is far less disruptive of one's life compared to getting radiation treatments. Let's hope that he kicks @&& out of this disease.

{"commentId":10459159,"threadId":"712957","contentId":"3442562","authorDomain":"MinnieApolis"}

1 vote

#11 - Tue Nov 3, 2009 9:18 PM EST

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ROBERT BLEVINS - AB OF SEATTLE

A Simple Tribute to Dennis Hopper

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