THE ALLURE OF LORRE

June 26 . . .

He planned, and studied, to be a psychiatrist. Instead, he ran away from home to become an actor. Good thing, too -- imagine confessing your inner-most thoughts, fears and dreams to Peter Lorre.

He was born Laszlo Lowenstein on this day, 1904, in Hungary. Chaplin called him the greatest actor of the screen. Adolf Hitler agreed, extending a generous invitation to make films under the Third Reich. Lorre declined, reportedly saying, "I'm afraid there's room for only one mass murderer of my ability and yours in Germany."

Peter Lorre had an otherworldly quality that was absolutely unique - an uncanny ability to tap into the creepiest corners of the human psyche (that psychiatric training came in handy) while projecting a childlike charm and vulnerability. He could play a sadistic killer, a bewildered immigrant, or a cowering weasel - often all in the same part (check out his Raskolnikov in Von Sternberg's 'Crime and Punishment'). Hitchcock used him to wonderful effect in two early films, 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' (the actor's first film in English; he learned his lines phonetically) and 'Secret Agent'. He was notorious for his scene-stealing ad-libs and on-set practical jokes. During the filming of 'Casablanca', he was observed exiting from Ingrid Bergman's dressing room, zipping up his pants and saying "Thanks, Ingrid!" in front of a set full of visiting nuns. In later life, he was hobbled by ill health and obesity, and was a morphine addict for much of his life.

His greatest role was as the tortured child killer in Fritz Lang's 'M' (1930). It's an astonishing performance. Lorre creates a sense of dread as the murderer (he can be heard whistling Grieg's 'Peer Gynt Suite' before he strikes). But when he's chased down and cornered by a makeshift tribunal of the city's criminals, he pathetically pleads that he cannot help what he does - and you believe him; miraculously, he turns from monster to victim in front of your eyes.

Click here to watch Lorre's pivotal confession in 'M' . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvxBvqvuY7I

DEATH OF A REBEL

June 1


What to say about Dennis Hopper?

He revolutionized American independent film making. In 1969, he and cohort Peter Fonda decided to pair their respective talents and limited experience in exploitation movies ('The Trip', 'Wild Angels') and make a modern Western with motorcycles instead of horses. The result was 'Easy Rider.' Hopper directed, co-starred and co-wrote the screenplay.

'Easy Rider' is no masterpiece - Hopper never made a masterpiece - but it is a landmark movie which influenced indie film forever after. He was mercurial, tempestuous, undisciplined, impossible. Well, maybe not impossible - but highly unlikely.

As a young actor - and a very beautiful one, at that - he was very influenced by his friend James Dean, with whom he shared two movies. In the second, 'Giant', they shared no scenes together, but Dean's influence is so pronounced that he may as well have been directing. As Bic Benedict, Hopper's performance is full of nervous tics, and is awkward. You can tell the movie wants him to play the part like Ronald Reagan, but Hopper wants to play Monty Clift.

After Dean's death, Hopper played all sorts of 'bad boys', and developed a reputation in Hollywood as a difficult actor who was more trouble than he was worth. He ended up working for Roger Corman, where he hooked up with Peter Fonda and the two of them hatched 'Easy Rider'. Thank God they cast an unknown Jack Nicholson as George Hanson - he saved what would have been, without him, an insufferable stagnant movie.

With the huge success of 'Easy Rider', Hopper was given carte blanche for his next film which, characteristically, he fucked up. 'The Last Movie' very nearly was. Filmed on location in Peru, Hopper flew out an impressive cast (Peter Fonda, Sam Fuller, Michelle Phillips, Henry Fonda, etc.) and made them extras. He had a brilliant storyline by Stewart Stern, which he proceeded to ignore - improvising an impressively surreal but disconnected exercise in self-indulgence. The film effectively killed his career a second time.

He was, no doubt about it, an egomaniacal madman, ingesting massive amounts of drugs, booze and women. He was married for all of two days to Michelle Phillips, who asked him after the 2nd day, "Have you ever considered suicide?"

But the gods smiled on Hopper, granting him a late career playing psychos in such films as "Speed", "Waterworld", and, most memorably, as Frank Booth in "Blue Velvet".
He straightened out - going so far as too become a Republican - proving there is such a thing as 'too straightened out' - and became a memorable and nuanced character actor, unafraid to cash in on his reputation. My favorite performance of his is, strangely, as 'Shooter', the alcoholic in "Hoosiers". It is a heartbreaking turn.

He did get to direct again - "Colors" (with protege Sean Penn), "Backtrack" (keep an eye out for Bob Dylan) and a few others. He pitched a sequel to "Easy Rider" called "Biker Heaven", in which the characters - both killed in the original - returned to earth as avenging angels. But no one was buying, least of all Peter Fonda who, despite admiration for his ex-partner, was not about to work with him again. "Why try to re-make 'Citizen Kane'?" he asked me rhetorically.

Hopper often said he never had a great role. "Moments", he lamented. "Just moments." He was wrong. His performance as Dennis Hopper was magnificent.

Here's a real gem for you. Nobody ever gave a better reading to Kipling's "If" than Hopper. Go to YouTube and search for 'If Dennis Hopper' and enjoy. And remember.

Dennis Hopper lived "If."