Dennis Hopper’s Five Best Films: A Tribute to a Hollywood Icon
May 29, 2010 by Rob FrappierIconic Hollywood actor Dennis Hopper passed away after a long fight with prostate cancer. As a tribute, we pick our five favorite Dennis Hopper movies.
Counterculture icon and Hollywood legend Dennis Hopper has passed away due to complications from prostate cancer. Hopper was 74 years old.
Dennis Hopper was known throughout much of his nearly six-decade career as a Hollywood rebel. Indeed, Hopper’s 1969 film Easy Rider, which he also directed and co-wrote with Peter Fonda, is viewed by many film scholars as the ultimate anti-establishment film and one of the primary movies responsible for sparking the “New Hollywood” film movement in the 1960s and 1970s.
After the success of Easy Rider, Hopper’s mainstream career faltered somewhat due to drug and alcohol abuse, as well as a desire to direct and perform mainly in independent film. With the exception of Apocalypse Now in 1979, Hopper didn’t have a notable role until the 1980s when he decided to enter himself into drug rehabilitation. During this decade, Hopper again achieved widespread recognition for his turns in David Lynch’s Blue Velvet and the sports classic Hoosiers.
Throughout the 1990s, Hopper utilized his manic energy and forceful acting style to great effect playing a number of villainous roles, including the psychotic bomber in the 1994 blockbuster action film Speed and the head of the “Smokers” in Kevin Costner’s ill-fated 1995 film Waterworld. In the last years of his life, Dennis Hopper found success on television, including a short, but critically acclaimed role on 24.
From the 1950s through the new millennium, few actors have made their mark in Hollywood quite as strongly as Dennis Hopper. In tribute to his life, we have put together a list of our top five favorite Dennis Hopper films. Check out our list below with clips included (be advised there is some NSFW language).
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Speed (1994)
In Speed, Dennis Hopper plays an ex-cop and former bomb squad technician who holds a bus full of people ransom with an ingenious plot device – if the bus goes below 50 miles per hour, it will blow up. The film, which also starred Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, was a huge international blockbuster, earning $350 million worldwide.
It also spawned the classic Dennis Hopper line, “Pop quiz hotshot.”
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Apocalypse Now (1979)
It’s a miracle that Apocalypse Now was ever actually made (watch the brilliant documentary Hearts of Darkness to see how messed up the production was), but we’re certainly glad it was since it gave us one of Dennis Hopper’s finest performances. Playing a manic combat photographer, Hopper’s drug-crazed rants about Kurtz (Marlon Brando’s character) are enough to make you feel like you’ve dropped some acid yourself.
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Blue Velvet (1986)
David Lynch’s surreal mystery film Blue Velvet gave us another drug-addled Dennis Hopper role. As the criminal Frank Booth, Dennis Hopper inhales nitrous oxide and sexually abuses Isabella Rossellini’s character in a variety of disturbing ways. It was a strange part, but one that Hopper knocked out of the park, notching another iconic role in his belt.
Watch the now-famous scene of Hopper becoming emotionally overwhelmed by Roy Orbison’s “In Dreams.”
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Hoosiers (1986)
One of my personal favorites, and one of the greatest sports films of all time, Hoosiers gave Dennis Hopper the rare opportunity to portray a sympathetic character. As Shooter, Hopper channeled his own experience with substance abuse to play the reclusive alcoholic father of one of Gene Hackman’s basketball players.
The scene where Hopper listens to the final game from the hospital where he has finally admitted himself for rehab always brings a smile to my face. Hopper earned a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination for his role.
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Easy Rider (1969)
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider is arguably the most important counterculture film of the 1960s. Easy Rider tells the story of two bikers Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Hopper) who ride across the United States to make it to Mardi Gras. During their trip, we get a drug-fueled glimpse of how the “Free Love” generation polarized America. (Easy Rider is also notable for being Jack Nicholson’s first big break as an actor.)
There are countless excellent scenes to choose from, but Easy Rider‘s opening credits, set to the strains of Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” are particularly memorable.
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Honorable Mention
True Romance (1993)
Tony Scott’s slick crime film True Romance has a truly great ensemble cast, featuring Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Brad Pitt, Gary Oldman, Val Kilmer, Christopher Walken, James Gandolfini, and, of course, Dennis Hopper. While he doesn’t play a major role in the movie, Hopper does have one of the best scenes in the movie opposite Christopher Walken. Not only is an example of both actors at the top of their game, but it is also some of Quentin Tarantino’s best writing.
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Dennis Hopper was a truly great actor, and he has certainly left his mark on Hollywood. Besides our list, what are some of your other favorite Hopper roles?
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The American Friend, The Last Movie, Elegy, River’s Edge, Giant, Carried Away and Rebel Without A Cause come to mind. He was good in so many things.
NIce list!!
RIP to a fantastic actor, he’ll always be Victor Drazrn to me, Jack Bauer first and arguably best nemesis.
I actually didn’t like Hopper in 24 because of his poor accent.
Just finished season 8 an hour ago
Red. Rock. West.
King Koopa :’(
hoo hoo hoo hoosiers!…
RIP
The scene where Shooter talks with his son at the hospital before the big game is an emotional one. You can see how proud his son is that his dad is finally getting help. It always makes me misty eyed.
I could watch “Speed” all day. When you first see Dennis Hopper and he shoves the screwdriver in the side of that guy’s head.
I was very glad to see that you included “True Romance.” That scene between Hopper and Christopher Walken is one of my favorites out of the whole movie.
I don’t know if this is good or bad, but when I think of Dennis Hopper, King Koopa will always jump to my mind first. Ha-ha.
I watched Speed over and over and over again when I was a kid
Speed is and always will be a classic.
Rob, I loved him in 24, the sneery way he would say “Jack Bauer”, he was the first 24 super baddie. It set a trend that a well known actor would always play the main big bad in 24.
Kinda shocking just a few days ago Gary coleman pass’s away and now Dennis hopper it’s a sad week for Hollywood R.I.P. to both actors they will be missed
Just yesterday, a co-worker of mine asked, “Who’s next? This always happens in threes”, and I said, “Well, Dennis Hopper isn’t doing very well right now”. I can’t believe it was just 24 hours ago I said that. The man will always be remembered for Speed and Apocalypse Now. Didn’t he also play in Bonney and Clyde?
So glad True Romance made the list. That was a short but awesome role, and the speech to Walken was so dope!
First Gary Coleman, now Dennis Hopper. I hope that’s it for today; I can’t take much more of this.
That scene from “True Romance” is probably one of the best scenes I’ve seen captured on film. Another sad piece of news going into this holiday weekend. As someone mentioned in the Gary Coleman thread, stand by for #3.
Actually, Dennis was number 3-first it was Art Linkletter, then Gary Coleman. Lets not have any more-this has been alot for the last few days as it is! R.I.P. the GREAT DH!
rest easy Mr. Hopper & thank you for all of your amazing work.
you were so much fun to watch in Speed and you scared the S**T out of me with your work in Blue Velvet.
you have earned your place in movie history as one of the greats and we will miss you always.
dennis we’ll miss you you were one of greatest actors of all times!!he plyed great role in texas chain saw massacre i&II.to his family sorry for your loss!!jc
Pop quiz hotshot
you forgot The Crow Wicked prayer
But seriously he was & is one of my favourite actors of all time MY personal favourite has always been Rivers Edge truely a great performance Tonight I will spend my night watching rivers edge& crush proof..although I might skip Space Truckers
R.I.P HOP
Sad news. Two others I’d add to all of the above are Paris Trout and Rumble Fish.
Rest in peace Dennis Hopper, you will be missed.
I see a few people said the liked the True Romance scene. I am also glad you mentioned it. It is one of my favorite movie moments ever. The Charisma between Hopper and Walken was off the charts. I’ll never forget the story he told. Haha and I love sharing it with my italian friends.
What a great career!
I’m gonna miss him.
But I’m sure he’s in a better place!
How about Moon in True Grit? Early in his awesome career, but he was great!
He will be missed!
Even in his minor roles as in various westerns he always stood out as somethone special. But for me it was as Shooter in Hoosiers which will always stay with me as a defining Hopper performance.
My sister met him and said that he was very nice. I would have put The American Friend on the list instead of Speed.
The scene from True Romance captures him perfectly. The subtle facial expressions, changes in tone and body language, playing off Walken’s amazing performance (when have you ever seen a laughing man change to a menacing, scary SOB in such a shot time?).
I haven’t seen Easy Rider yet; it’s been on my “TO WATCH” list for a while. I’ll be watching it tonight.
RIP
ogb139, your gonna dig Easy Rider!
Afterwards rent “Hell Ride” 2009 co produced by Tarrentino.
I’m pretty sure I will. Having a bike and loving to travel makes me love motorcycle movies. One Week and Motorcycle Diaries are some of my favorites. And of course Long Way Round (BBC DOC) had a very big impact on my life.
Funny you mention Hell Ride. Also high on my TO WATCH list but I’ve been keeping it on the back burner due to negative reviews. But since Hopper is in it, I’ll have to watch it ASAP.
Ha! Its amazing how many new fans will enjoy Hopper’s films for the first time!
It was only a few years ago myself that I watched the complete version of “Easy Rider” for the first time.
I was blown away “no pun intended”, by the writing and direction. Especially the Jack Nicholson scenes.
^
“Hell Ride” is a HARDCORE (Grindhouse) Tarantino co produced epic full of soft core porn and volience. I loved it!!! Really because its the ultimate biker film!
Hopper stole the film toward the end.
As he should have!
Hell Ride will go down as his last great film!!!!
Def check it out,!!!
Ogb139!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speed was my favorite of his movies. R.I.P
“Poor people are crazy, Jack, I’m eccentric!” -Speed
“Did you know that ‘If’ is the middle work in life, man?” -Apocalypse Now
Gonna miss him, what a larger than life man.
This article forgets one of the hidden gems of the 1970s. Dennis Hopper was FABULOUS in “The American Friend” by Wim Wenders from 1977. I have no idea why this German film has become lost in the shuffle over the years. He and Bruno Getz (who played Hitler in “Downfall”) play wonderfully off each other in a very complicated, cerebral, daring film. It’s the first Tom Ripley film and by far my favorite, and I am a Matt Damon fan.
Hopper’s performance here is minimally superb and his intensity and quirkiness is all over the frame. Its a must see for an Hopper fan or fan of great 70s cinema. Definitely one of his top 3 performances of all time. Well worth watching if you can find it.
Marc Griffin
http://twitter.com/montrealmarc