Monday, December 26, 2011

Dennis Hopper vs. Don Johnson

Here's a movie note from Wikipedia about The Hot Spot as directed by Dennis Hopper. Imagine Mitchum in the lead. Wow. Don Johnson never did much for me though I thought he did a good job here.

"Charles Williams wrote a screenplay version of his own novel with Nona Tyson in 1962.[1] It was intended for Robert Mitchum. Many years later, Dennis Hopper found the script and updated it.[1] The director described the film as "Last Tango in Texas. Real hot, steamy stuff".[2] A bedroom scene originally called for Madsen to appear naked, but she decided to put on a negligee because she felt that, "Not only was the nudity weak storywise, but it didn't let the audience undress her".[3] Hopper later admitted that Madsen was right.[3] The director gave his impressions of working with Johnson: "He wasn't that bad. He has a lot of people with him. He came on to this film with two bodyguards, a cook, a trainer, ah let's see, a helicopter pilot he comes to and from the set in a helicopter, very glamorous let's see, two drivers, a secretary, and, oh yes, his own hair person, his own make-up person, his own wardrobe person. So when he walks to the set he has five people with him".[4] Johnson found Hopper's approach to filmmaking "a little disappointing, I gotta tell you".[5] Hopper shot the film in Texas during what he described as the "hottest, steamiest weather you could imagine".[6]"

4 comments:

jervaise brooke hamster said...

All i remember from "The Hot Spot" was the scene in the strip club where that geezer from "Eraserhead" was trying to look up the birds bum.

Ed Gorman said...

Jervaise, you`re obviously great at always remembering the best bits from movies, if i`m being honest that was my favorite bit from the film as well, that stripper was fucking gorgeous.

Mike Dennis said...

Very interesting behind-the-scenes stuff, Ed. I liked the film very much, actually. It had a great noir feel to it, very understated.

Neil said...

Virginia Madsen was gorgeous in that movie. Always thought she should have got more roles. She was also great in Sideways (and still gorgeous).

The book The Hot Spot (formerly "Hell Hath No Fury"?) was also excellent, it's not hard to get in the 2nd phase Black Lizard trade edition. It's the only Charles Williams I've read - haven't got around to the Hard Case Crime book but I will!