Courtesy Discovery Productions
Movies
As Hollywood’s post-golden age bad boy, Dennis Hopper fits into 1980′s Out of the Blue with remarkable ease. His third directorial project is anything but feel-good, however (our protagonist groans about happy endings near the start of the film, so prepare yourself), yet a glimpse into such a rare personal projects is a cinema lover’s long lost dream.
After a terrible tragedy, Cebe (Linda Manz) sees the world as a place wherein everyone leaves, whether it be her incarcerated father Don (Hopper) or her beloved Elvis Presley. Rebellious to a point of recklessness, her possibilities shift when Cebe’s troubled father is released back to her and her addict mother (Sharon Farrell). Their disinterested community racks up the tally of blows, prompting Cebe to search for an escape even while a new dawn in her relationship with her father finally seems possible.
Hopper’s opus is a deeply uncomfortable film representing the secrets behind outwardly idyllic domestic Western life and those which drive our inner desires. One can call it bleak and hopeless, others eye-opening—Out of the Blue’s muted dreary-skied portrayal of Vancouver is enough cause for most to question their own worlds’ mendacity; any faults in the direction are made up in consistent energy and a pacing modern films still struggle to find.
Hopper, who died in 2010, never had much luck as a director and, despite occasional critical praise, never quite grasped the same heights as Easy Rider’s success. Pulling double duty as the father, he tackles a figure who can’t come back into society with all the Oscar-bait such a role entails. Nevertheless, Manz and Farrell take control of the picture in their tragic mother-daughter duo performances, becoming superstars in their inter-connected portrayals of fragile strength.
Out of the Blue is thus a film to avoid if you’re overwhelmed by the state of the world, but cinephiles can hardly afford to miss out. Its gorgeous restoration further reminds audiences why New Hollywood’s gritty vibe resonated as it did—just don’t expect polish and you should probably jettison expectations for a pre-determined ending. No, Hopper’s lost film isn’t perfect, but as an encapsulation of the man’s rebellious streak featuring echoes of New Hollywood, it is downright indispensable.
8
+A hidden gem; marvelous performances
-Lacking technical elements
Out of the Blue
Directed by Hopper
With Manz, Hopper and Farrell
CCA Cinema, NR, 93 min
