Out of the Blue (Dennis Hopper) - BFI

[Yami]

Responsible for a deadly accident whilst driving intoxicated, Don Barnes (Dennis Hopper) struggles to reconnect with his family after returning from a stretch in prison. With his wife (Sharon Farrell) a promiscuous drug addict and his disturbed daughter (Linda Manz) finding solace in punk rock and the music of Elvis Presley, the trauma of the past looms large as dark secrets slowly begin to emerge.

Featuring an astonishing performance by Manz, as an angry and disillusioned victim of her circumstances, this punk-fueled drama chronicles the collapse of sixties idealism into the nihilistic haze of the 1980s.

Despite only taking over directing duties 8 days into the shoot Out of the Blue arguably represents Hopper’s strongest film as director and is a cult-classic ripe for rediscovery, it’s presented here in a new 4K restoration and is on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

Extras
Audio commentary with Dennis Hopper, producer Paul Lewis and distributor John Alan Simon (2000)
New commentaries by Kate Rennebohm and Kat Ellinger
Dennis Hopper interviewed by Tony Watts (1984, 97 mins)
Guardian Screen Talk: Dennis Hopper (1990, 91 mins, audio only): the filmmaker talks to Derek Malcolm
Subverting Normality: Linda Manz Comes from Out of the Blue (2021, 18 mins): a new video essay by Amanda Reyes and Chris O’Neill
Remembering Out of the Blue (2021, 174 mins): nine new interviews with cast and crew
Me & Dennis (2021, 95 mins): four new interviews with Hopper’s friends and colleagues featuring Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater, Julian Schnabel and Philippe Mora
Alex Cox Recalls Out of the Blue (2021, 13 mins)
Montclair Film Festival Q&A (2020, 30 mins): John Alan Simon and Elizabeth Karr discuss the history and restoration of the film
A selection of complementary archive shorts – Morecambe and Wise – Be Wise Don’t Drink and Drive (1963, 1 min), Drink Drive Office Party Cartoon (1964, 1 min), A Girl’s Own Story (Jane Campion, 1983, 27 mins); Girl (Carol Morley, 1993, 7 mins)
Jack Nicholson radio spot (1982, 1 min)
Trailers
Limited 2-disc Edition (4,000 copies) includes booklet with extensive archival writing on the film, a new essay on the film’s music by the BFI’s Vic Pratt, contemporary reviews and more

Restoration Trailer