Cert TBA
90 mins
BBFC advice: TBA
I thought Dennis Hopper was acting in Blue Velvet.
But here we have evidence that he was just as crazed as Frank Booth, the character he played in David Lynch's film.
Fifteen years before Blue Velvet came The American Dreamer, a biopic which was filmed shortly after Hopper became a worldwide star in Easy Rider.
During L.M. Kit Carson and Lawrence Schiller's decadent documentary, Hopper espouses his philosophies on life.
For the second time in a week, I was left bamboozled by the warblings of someone who is widely regarded as an artistic genius.
Hopper's crazy rantings are on a par with Lee Scratch Perry's. Extensive exposure to drugs could well be to blame.
More interestingly, the film offers a fly-on-the-wall view of the hippy lifestyle of Hopper and his entourage which is made up of a couple of pals and a conveyor belt of pretty girls.
As the movie progresses, the more inhibitions melt and by its conclusion it drifts into the sort of orgy befitting of a major star with a huge libido.
It then struck me that whatever righteous words were being uttered by Hopper, they merely acted as justification for debauchery.
His musings didn't add up but clearly he was having a rare good time.
Meanwhile, the audience may well have a sense that they are voyeurs of a non-stop Hollywood party.
The American Dreamer is being shown at selected cinemas and will be appearing exclusively on Mubi from February 12.
Reasons top watch: a peek into the high hippy-life of the early 70s
Reasons to avoid: its high levels of self-indulgence
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: yes
Overall rating: 6/10
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