Few would argue that the world became a sadder place with the death of iconic actor/director Dennis Hopper in the spring of 2010. Some, however, would argue that Mr Hopper already made this world a sadder place in 1980, so his death was wholly unnecessary – perhaps a bit of an indulgence on his part. After viewing Out Of The Blue – his 1980 made for Canadian TV paean to bad behaviour, nihilism and poor parenting – it’s hard to view it any other way.
I mean, have you seen it? Bleak is the word for it. Bleak bleak bleak. It’s freakin’ bleak. Bleak as, man.
But it’s also freakin’ amazing, so let’s get messy, put on our deep river fly fishing coveralls and wade into this here insanity.
Legend has it that sometime in the late 1970s, Dennis Hopper signed on for a role in this Canadian film and early in the production the director bailed and instead of bailing as well Hopper offered to take over as director – after all, it wasn’t like he was a stranger to the director’s chair having directed and stared in Easy Rider – a counter cultural milestone that also ended up being the third highest grossing film of 1969. So Dennis said “Yeah man, I’ll direct this but I just wanna rejig the script a bit first. I need to fix some things up, y’know.”
I’ve been told that before Dennis’ ‘rejig’, the script revolved around a slightly bitter but mostly sweet coming of age story staring Dennis as a ne’er do well uncle with a heart of gold trying to bring up his newly orphaned yet exceptionally charming niece Sally Lou. They lived on the outskirts of town in a decrepit houseboat and on warm summer evenings they would lie in separate hammocks and discuss the ways of the world while watching the fireflies dart about through the luminous twilight.
Dennis, being a renowned hater of houseboats and fireflies, quickly dispensed with the core plot and reconfigured the story around troubled teen Cebe and her bad news parents – her parents being a mother who is a heroin addicted prostitute and her dad a newly released alcoholic ex-con. So much bad news. This film is so thoroughly marinated in alcoholism, substance abuse and crappy life choices. One is advised to bathe after viewing.
I really should have stated earlier in this piece that I have not seen this film in over a half a decade and my memory is a trifle hazy on some of the finer points of the plot. When I started this article, I decided to make an artistic decision (one in line I feel with Dennis’s post-Easy Rider film The Last Movie) to refrain from doing any real and ‘serious’ research around this film and instead rely on my memory and impression of the film. I took no small delight in telling Wikipedia and IMDB to fuck right off. I think this is how Dennis would have wanted it.
I am not going to discuss the plot beyond this point as I feel I have given you enough. Go see this film. It’s a good film. Some critic whose name escapes me described it as one of the best films of the ’80s. Whoever he was, he was right. It will take your head off and throw it down a deep, deep well. Your head will hit the cold damp stony sides of the well and it will hurt but it will be well worth it. Watching this film is like having a your heart strings ripped out of your chest by an unfriendly evil cherub who then goes on to play the jazzy bass intro to Black Sabbath’s NIB on them – not a knee slapping fun time to be sure but you will appreciate the art.
Before I sign off, I am reminded that this blog is about soundtracks, so lets quickly discuss a few music related elements to this film.
1) The film is named after a lyric from Neil Young’s ‘Into The Black’ and the song plays over the opening shot of Cebe dressed all in denim hitchhiking on a barren Canadian highway. It’s a badass intro and it sets the tone nicely.
2) Cebe is an avowed fan of punk rock and Elvis. Pictures of Johnny Rotten and Elvis Presley adorn her bedroom walls.
3) At some point in the film, Cene runs away to the city and goes to a punk gig and witnesses Canada’s answer to The Buzzcocks – The Pointed Sticks. They perform their greatest song ‘Out Of Luck’. The song will break your heart and make you want to dance.
4) The soundtrack for this film does not exist. The music used on this film exists separately, so if you like it, I suggest you make your own compilation mix tape. Play your mix tape at parties and stand by the stereo and yell at the top of your voice, describing what is happening in the film when each song is played. You will be the life of the party and everyone will want to be your friend. Trust me on this.
5) Cebe is unafraid to advance the concept that the musical genre known as disco is not something people should hold in any kind of regard. Why? Because it sucks.
