Stars: Linda Manz, Dennis Hopper, Sharon Farrell, Raymond Burr, Don Gordon

Director: Dennis Hopper

Summary: Dennis Hopper has spoken openly about his substance abuse problems, and many regard his survival as miraculous, since throughout the 1960s and 1970s he seemed to be competing for a gold medal in the pharmaceutical Olympics. In this intense, improvisational film, Hopper's first directorial effort in 11 years, he lays out the consequences of such behavior--in particular, its devastating effect on children. Starring Linda Manz as punkish teenager Cebe Barnes, the film follows her anomic life wandering the streets of Vancouver, occasionally showing up at school and generally evincing a serious attitude problem. She eventually gets picked up by the police and is questioned by the kindly Dr. Brean (Raymond Burr). But her angst isn't without justification. Her alcoholic father, Don (Hopper), has just been released from prison after serving a five-year hitch for having killed some children by crashing his semi into a school bus. Her waitress mother, Kathy (Sharon Farrell), is a junkie who's sleeping with both her boss and Don's best friend, Charlie (Don Gordon). The girl hopes that her parents' reunion will bring some kind of order to all of their lives.OUT OF THE BLUE is a fascinating slice of dysfunctional life, including a couple of memorably disturbing scenes. Manz and Hopper are excellent, and the film includes some lovely shots of Vancouver.

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Part of the gritty, punk-inspired wave of US independent cinema of the early 1980s, Out of the Blue is a bleak, harrowing drama. Essentially the vision of actor and director Dennis Hopper, the film finds the man behind the sepia-tinged soul searching of Easy Rider at a far lower ebb, in terms of the tone of the film and his own character, Donny. The undoubted star of the movie, however, is Linda Manz, who plays the troubled 15-year-old CB, a troubled teenage girl on the brink of adulthood. Waiting for Donny to return from a jail sentence for manslaughter, CB is living with her drug-addicted mother and seeking solace in the Sex Pistols and Elvis Presley. The events that unfold on Donny's return are often unbearably grim (the final scenes are practically unwatchable) but produce a movie that is worthy of its hallowed status. Hopper in particular is an uncomfortable sight, made all the more unsettling by the knowledge that it is hard to tell where his character ends and he begins. It's hard work, but more than worth the effort.

On the DVD: for its first release on DVD much effort has been made to give Out of the Blue the treatment it deserves. The enhanced visuals are excellent, focusing on Hopper's inspired direction. The audio soundtrack is available in Dolby Digital sound, particularly effective on the recurring use of Neil Young's fragile "Hey, Hey, My, My (Out of the Blue)", the song which gave the movie its title. Hopper's audio commentary is fascinating and reflects his dedication to the project, a film that he practically rewrote on set after stepping in to replace the original director. The movie's place in both Hopper's career and alongside works such as Repo Man and Driller Killer is also examined in an excellent 12-page booklet. --Phil Udell

Aspect Ratio:	1.85 Wide Screen
Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 0
Special Features:	Audio Commentary, Jack Nicholson Radio Spot, Original Theatrical Trailer, Animated Menu Sequence Booklet With Liner Notes
Subtitles:	English, French, German
Year:	1982
Release Date:	March 4, 2002
Runtime:	90 minutes
Certification:
Catalogue Number:	S D E 3019
Keywords:	Special, Out, Blue, General, Edition, Wide, Screen, Drama
Genre:	Drama