The following is a guest post by John Snelson of the Packard Campus.
Friday, July 29 (7:30 p.m.)
Dennis Hopper Double Feature
The American Dreamer (Corda Productions, 1971)
Filmed after Dennis Hopper’s breakout hit as writer-director and star of Easy Rider, and in the midst of his follow-up The Last Movie, this documentary was barely released. It is situated between a critique and a wake for Hopper’s ideals. The high-definition digital copy is on loan from Vinegar Syndrome distribution company and film archive. 90 minutes.
The Last Movie (Universal, 1971 – R-rated*)
Dennis Hopper wrote, directed and stars in this tale of a stunt man working on a Western being shot on location in Peru. When he stays behind after the crew leaves, he discovers that the villagers are ritualistically re-enacting the making of the film, but they don’t understand that all the violence they’d seen was make-believe. Seen as an allegory of Hollywood’s cultural imperialism, the film won the Critics Prize at the 1971 Venice Film Festival. The cast also includes Julie Adams, Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, Michelle Phillips and Dean Stockwell, with cinematography by László Kovács. The 35mm print is courtesy of the Academy Film Archives. 108 minutes. *No one under the age of 17 will be admitted without a parent or guardian.
Saturday, July 30 (6 p.m.)
La Belle Noiseuse (MK2 Diffusion, 1991)
A renowned artist (Michel Piccoli) attempts to create his definitive painting of the female form with his wife as his muse. Unable to find his voice, he quits painting. Ten year later and at the age of 60, he attempts to finish the art piece with a new muse. Legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa named La Belle Noiseuse as one of his two favorite films made in the 1990s, calling it the best cinematic depiction of an artist struggling with his craft. This rare screening of Jacques Rivette’s four-hour masterpiece will be presented on 35mm and un-cut with an intermission. The film won the Grand Prix at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival. In French and English with English subtitles. Unrated, but contains adult subject matter. 238 minutes.
For more information on our programs, please visit the website at: www.loc.gov/avconservation/theater/.