Dennis Hopper should've starred in more documentaries.
“The American Dreamer” is a documentary about Dennis Hopper shot by Lawrence Schiller & L.M. Kit Carson in the early 70s. Unfortunately, it got Hopper in trouble with Universal and went unseen for years. Well, that’s not necessarily true. For a few years, it had a weird life on the college cinema circuit as the filmmakers toured the print. Plus, it had a habit of appearing in select cuts on YouTube around 2010. So, what became of The American Dreamer?
The documentary is almost an essay on Hopper’s views of what make an artist. Frank discussion of oral sex vs. intercourse is had at great length. But, it’s insanely fascinating to see Hopper at the peak of his power. Carson and Schiller feel themselves being toyed with at times, as Hopper steals any attempt at directing focus. This is his show and you belong to him for a solid 81 minutes.
The Blu-Ray comes with featurettes and an extensive photo gallery as the special features. Make sure you watch the piece on the film’s restoration, as Etiquette Pictures went through Hell to make this film look so amazing. The 1080p transfer pops and the DTS-HD master audio track is cleaner than I expected. Ultimately, it’s a purchase for those that follow Hopper.
RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW!