Dennis Hopper tried so hard and so unsuccessfully to burn through his own hellraising life that it’s still slightly startling to remember that he is now, sadly, gone from us, and has been for more than three years. He was an extraordinary Hollywood survivor for a long time, with a career that ranged from “Rebel Without A Cause” and “Easy Rider” into more complexly rebellious material—in particular, David Lynch‘s “Blue Velvet,” in which Hopper played Frank Booth, the fuck-spewing, gas-sucking psycho who is probably Lynch’s most terrifying character (which is seriously saying something).
And here is Hopper himself, being interviewed a few years later about the film and his own contributions to the character. Notably, Lynch’s original version had him inhaling helium with the attendant silly voice, rather than the less specific gas of the final flick. Hopper reminisces too about various other performances and personalities, including a disturbingly good impression of a conversation between John Huston and John Ford, which comes with some excellent advice. Enjoy. [via LoSceicco1976]