The Last Movie (1971)

83% of critics liked it
(6 reviews)
59% of users liked it
(668 ratings)

With a barrage of cinematic distancing devices at hand (flashbacks and flash-forwards, super-imposed titles, missing frames, projectionist cue-marks placed in the wrong locations in a film reel), Dennis Hopper concocts a hallucinatory acid-trip concerning an American movie company making a western… More With a barrage of cinematic distancing devices at hand (flashbacks and flash-forwards, super-imposed titles, missing frames, projectionist cue-marks placed in the wrong locations in a film reel), Dennis Hopper concocts a hallucinatory acid-trip concerning an American movie company making a western in Peru. In a remote mountain village in Peru, a Hollywood film company wraps up shooting a western and returns to California. Staying behind is a young stunt man, Kansas (Dennis Hopper). In the village, he takes up with the resident whore, Maria (Stella Garcia). At this point, the film flash-forwards to Kansas being crucified by the villagers. Back in the old time frame, the Peruvians decide that they want to make their own movie. Not having the necessary film equipment, but plenty of local raw material, the villagers construct the needed cameras, microphones, and sound recorders out of bamboo, and although the equipment is faked, the villagers substitute real, bloody violence for the make-believe violence of Hollywood. During this eruption of violence in the Peruvian village, the local priest (Tomas Milian) blames Kansas for the carnage. The priest decides that movies are the root of all worldly evil and convinces the villagers to seize Kansas. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 50 min.
Directed By: Dennis Hopper
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Sep 29, 1971 Wide

Critic Reviews

J. Hoberman, Village Voice
One of the craziest (and druggiest) movies ever made, it's also blatantly self-deconstructing and meta to the max, albeit produced years before those terms became commonplace.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
My mind had a good deal of trouble tolerating the inflated pretensions of Hopper, who, it's now apparent, is gifted with all of the insights of a weekend mystic who drives to and from his retreat in a Jaguar.
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
No other studio-released film of the period is quite so formally audacious.
Fernando F. Croce, CinePassion
The implosion of film is Hopper's topic and style, he risks pretension and reaps wonders
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The allegory attempted was so bizarre and unlike any Hollywood venture, that it's worth checking out for all the potential it had but never realized.

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Cast

            Dennis Hopper as Kansas

            Stella Garcia as Maria

            Samuel Fuller as Director

            Peter Fonda as Sheriff

            Julie Adams as Mrs. Anderson

            Kris Kristofferson as Minstrel Wrangler

            Dan Ades as Thomas Mercado

            Rich Aguilar as Gaffer

            John Alderman as Jonathan

            Donna Baccala as Miss Anderson

            Toni Basil as Rose

            Poupée Bocar as Singer

            Anna Lynn Brown as Dance Hall Girl

            Rod Cameron as Pat Garrett

            Severn Darden as Mayor

            Roy Engel as Harry Anderson

            Warren Finnerty as Banker

            Fritz Ford as Citizen

            Michael Greene as Hired Gun

            Al Hopson as Sheriff

            John Phillip Law as Little Brother

            Ted Markland as Big Brother

            Tomas Milian as Priest

            Sylvia Miles as Script Clerk

            Tom Monroe as Citizen

            Owen Orr as Hired Gun

            Michelle Phillips as Banker's Daughter

            Robert Rothwell as Citizen

            Richard Rust as Pisco

            Dean Stockwell as Billy

            Russ Tamblyn as In Gang

            Allan Warnick as Assistant Director

            Michael Anderson Jr. as Mayor's Son

            Eddy Donno as Stunt Man

            Don Gordon as Neville

            Henry Jaglom as Minister's Son

            Gray Johnson as Stunt Man

            Clint Kimbrough as Minister

            John Stevens as Cameraman

            Jorge Montoro as Jorge

            William Gray Espy as In Billy's Gang

            James Mitchum as Art

            George Hill as Key Grip

            Tom Baker as Member of Billy's Gang
See full cast

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