Actor Dennis Hopper lost his battle with prostate cancer yesterday, 30 May, at the age of 74.
The actor was one of Hollywood’s original mavericks, and the performances of his early career were often mesmerising portrayals of angry, drug-sucking, unstable outsiders – like his small role as ‘Goon’ alongside James Dean in Rebel Without A Cause. He also re-invented the ‘great American road movie’ with his legendary 1960s counterculture film Easy Rider that put the “trip” in road trip, a film that he starred in, co-wrote and directed.
Hopper was also a prolific photographer, painter, and sculptor.
Arguably, the actor was best known for his remarkably menacing villains, creeps and weirdos – he had a singular gift for doing “crazy”, and so our tribute to Hopper comes in the form of our favourite moments of ‘Dennis the Menace’: his scariest, creepiest, most psychotic moments captured on film.
Sicko freak ‘Frank’ in Blue Velvet
Intense drug-addled dude in Apocalypse Now – says “man” really well.
“Pop Quiz, hot shot”. Hilarious evil laugh in Speed.
Dennis fucks with Christopher Walken in the famous “Sicilian” True Romance
Epic one-eyed psycho in Waterworld – “You are a total freakin retard” scene.
R.I.P. Dennis Hopper.
