On November 13th, Arbelos Films (US) will be releasing a special 4K restored BluRay edition of Dennis Hopper’s New Hollywood era passion project THE LAST MOVIE.
Synopsis: Consciously self-reflexive and co-written by Hopper and Rebel Without a Cause screenwriter Stewart Stern, The Last Movie follows a Hollywood movie crew in the midst of making a western in a remote Peruvian village. When production wraps, Hopper, as the baleful stuntman Kansas, remains, attempting to find redemption in the isolation of Peru and the arms of a former prostitute. Meanwhile, the local Indians have taken over the abandoned set and begun to stage a ritualistic re-enactment of the production – with Kansas as their sacrificial lamb.
Among the most storied productions of the New Hollywood Era, Hopper was given carte blanche by Universal for his next directorial feature after the tremendous commercial success of Easy Rider, and writer-director-star took the money and ran – literally – staging The Last Movie in Peru at farthest remove from the Hollywood machine, with an on-screen entourage in tow that included Kris Kristofferson, Julie Adams, Stella Garcia, Peter Fonda, Dean Stockwell, Toni Basil, Russ Tamblyn, Michelle Phillips and director Samuel Fuller.
Although it won a special award at the Venice Film Festival, The Last Movie would effectively end Hopper’s career for many years – the Hollywood establishment gleefully writing him off as a self-indulgent madman. Yet the movie remains thrillingly innovative and remarkably contemporary – influenced greatly by the work of Bruce Conner and the French New Wave, as well as the Pop and Abstract artists Hopper revered.
Special Features and Technical Specs: BRAND NEW 4K RESTORATION OF THE FILM FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE • Original 1971 Theatrical Trailer • Original 1971 Product Reel • New 4K Restoration U.S. Theatrical Trailer • Scene Missing – New Documentary directed by Alex Cox • Some Kind of Genius – Profile of Dennis Hopper directed by Paul Joyce • The Last Movie featurette – New video interviews • The Dick Cavett Show 1971 Interview with Dennis Hopper • Dennis Hopper 2007 The Last Movie Introduction Clip • Restoration demo • Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature
