I Blame Dennis Hopper: And Other Stories from a Life Lived In and Out of the Movies

by Illeana Douglas

Hardcover, 2015

Status

Available

Call number

792.02

Genres

Collection

Your library

Publication

Flatiron Books (2015), 304 pages

Description

"In 1969, Illeana Douglas' parents saw the film Easy Rider. Like many folks of that generation, the groundbreaking film transformed them. Taking Dennis Hopper's words, "That's what it's all about man", to heart, they abandoned what Illeana had hoped would be her comfortable upper middle class life for a childhood filled with hippies, goats, free spirits, and free love. Illeana writes, "Since it was all out of my control, I began to think of my life as a movie, with a Dennis Hopper like father at the center of it. Years later I would work with Dennis Hopper on the film Search and Destroy"--

User reviews

LibraryThing member Kaethe

I Blame Dennis Hopper: And Other Stories from a Life Lived In and Out of the Movies - Illeana Douglas Prior to reading this book I probably couldn't have named two Illeana Douglas movies. I loved Grace of My Heart, but I don't actually remember her other performances that I know I've seen. Perhaps

that's an indication of what an amazing actor she is: she inhabits a character so fully that you don't notice the actor at all. Maybe she just hasn't gotten enough big roles. I don't know. What I do know now is how much she loves movies. Wow, does she love movies. She's seen all of them, apparently, and can discuss every aspect of film-making and -viewing with equal ease. And also, she know how to tell a story.Reiterating more or less what I must have written before when reading John Cleese: this is exactly what I want from a memoir. Weird and funny details about making movies (so many movies), anecdotes from encounters with famouser people, but mostly just the sheer delight of sharing her enthusiasm. She's really a very skilled writer who manages to make it all seem effortless and natural and intimate without ever being indiscreet. It would be an honor to find one's self in the index.Library copy

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LibraryThing member br77rino

I've seen her in many movies, and she was an engaged and interesting guest on the Jon Favreau "Dinner for Five" video. But I did not know a lot about her, and this telling is really interesting.

She grew up poor, but also is the granddaughter of 1950s actor Melvyn Douglas!! Her dad wanted to BE

Dennis Hopper. Her mom was Italian. She has great stories about getting into show business. She dated Martin Scorcese for a long time. They spent time with Marlon Brando.

Very worthwhile read. As good as the bio's by Carol Burnette and Diane Keaton.

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LibraryThing member kslade

Interesting memoir of actor and star who was raised by hippie parents in poverty and was the granddaughter of the great actor Melvyn Douglas. She went on to be in many films and other projects and was influenced by her boyfriend, Martin Scorsese, and others. I enjoyed it. She is also quite a film

buff like me.

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