Could I have one of those Chesterfields now?
I just heard the news about Dennis Hopper ’bout a couple hours ago and we’ve lost a great artist. I can’t say that I (we) didn’t see this one coming though. It was only a month or two ago that he was getting his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He looked so frail and it was evident that the time was near.
Nice to see George, err, I mean Jack out there seeing an old friend off. To bad they didn’t light one up for old times sake. I’d like to think they did behind the cameras but that was the thing about Easy Rider, written and directed by Hopper. It was all in front of the cameras like a big middle finger to the “man” a.k.a, the “establishment”!
Dennis Hopper was the embodiment of “coolness”. Even in his early days of Rebel without a Cause he was banging Natalie Wood off-camera. Now that’s cool! I wonder if she tasted like peaches too? (True Romance reference if you didn’t get that.) Cultivating his skills in the Actors’ Studio payed off in roles as a photojournalist in Apocalypse Now, Easy Rider, Hoosiers, and even in the last few years with his hit series “Crash”, a Stars original series, he always came across with that aura of coolness. Heck, I even thought he was cool in Red Rock West and Speed! Plus did you know he directed “Colors” too? He probably came up with the name Pac-Man for Sean Penn!
Well, it just so happens, and probably not by accident either, that Dennis Hopper stars in one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history, in my mind at least, in one of my all-time favorites, True Romance. Starring opposite Christoper Walken playing a Siccilian mafioso, who was also phenomenal in this scene I might add, Dennis Hopper, with the help of Tony Scott I’m sure, just nails it with the language and tone as he insults the Sicilian as he realizes he is facing certain death whether or not he gives up his son. In true Dennis Hopper fashion he verbably and intellectually sticks a middle finger in the Sicilian’s face, choosing not to give up his blood and savoring his Chesterfield before the inevitable.
His method acting was is a beautiful thing to watch. He had a thing about that middle finger. He was the counter-culture before their was a counter-culture. He was cooler then cool. Let’s hope he finds his “Freedom” now. R.I.P.
PHOTOJOURNALIST
"Do you know what the man is saying? Do you? This is dialectics.
It's very simple dialectics. One through nine, no maybes, no
supposes, no fractions -- you can't travel in space, you can't go out
into space, you know, without, like, you know, with fractions -- what
are you going to land on, one quarter, three-eighths -- what are you
going to do when you go from here to Venus or something -- that's
dialectic physics, OK? Dialectic logic is there's only love and hate, you
either love somebody or you hate them."
Kurtz throws a book angrily at him :
PHOTOJOURNALIST
"This is the way the fucking world ends! Look at this fucking shit
we're in, man! Not with a bang, with a whimper. And with a whimper,
I'm fucking splitting, jack!"
Photojournalist leaves :
As Lost finally concludes, it is evident how much of a cultural and generational impact this show has had. This is evident in the myriad of articles and postings found throughout the blogosphere all the way to main stream media such as the Wall Street Journal. Many of these posting attempt to give a final explanation to the series. This is not one of those. Many of these attempt to answer lingering questions left open by the writers for interpretation. I won’t attempt to answer any of these burning questions. I am however amazed at the sheer amount of angles that have been covered by some of these articles already but also by the many comments. There seems to be a love/hate relationship with the LOST series and especially with the finale. So many people are confused by what they just witnessed. Some are perplexed. People have vested so much and thus have been so polarized by not being fulfilled by the conclusion. Yet so many others have come to terms with the fates of their favorite characters and are at peace with the ending. I am in this camp. Although I am so lost and confused and have my own questions like so many others, I am fully satisfied with the well fitted ending. I have watched this series from the beginning and although at times fell off the wagon, was able to catch up and keep up with one of the most iconic television shows in television history. Some may laugh at that now but I believe LOST is truly an iconic work of art that will go down as such and will be tied to this generation forever. It speaks volumes to the many talents that brought it to life logistically, not to mention artistically as well. It is obvious looking back to the very first episode at the deliberate nature of what the writers were trying to convey. And it is even more amazing that they actually pulled it off 6 years later. As with any art, it has its flaws and leaves plenty of room for interpretation. That’s the beauty of art though. Some people will look at it and may see complete randomness while others will see many complicated layers, colors, and deliberate brush strokes. People should take it at face value and for what its worth and apply what they can to their own lives. If nothing else it was entertaining and will allow for debate and interpretation for generations to come.
