What is Memorial Day? In the United States, it is a national holiday that is set aside to honor, remember and celebrate Americans who serve or have served in our armed forces. We fly flags, say a few prayers and feel grateful that we live in a free country, which has been given to us by the men and women who have been willing to fight; especially those who have died.
Memorial Day Quotes:
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.
-Joseph Campbell
For love of country they accepted death…
-James A. Garfield
And I’m proud to be an American,
where at least I know I’m free.
And I won’t forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me.
-Lee Greenwood
The brave die never, though they sleep in dust:
Their courage nerves a thousand living men.
-Minot J. Savage
Peace is more important than all justice; and peace was not made for the sake of justice, but justice for the sake of peace.
-Martin Luther
Grandma’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad Recipe
5lb sack of potatoes
6 eggs
2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped Vidalia onion
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup mayonnaise
Yellow mustard to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and cube the potatoes, then boil in water until chewable, not too soft. Drain and rinse. Place the eggs in a pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain pan and fill with cold water until eggs are cool. Peel and chop eggs.
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to sit in the refrigerator as long as possible before eating, as the flavor improves with time.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Dennis Hopper's 10 Best Movie Roles
Dennis Hopper, who passed away from prostate cancer on May 29, 2010, at 74, was one of our most recognizable stars who managed to turn a string of perennial outsiders, misfits, and deranged characters into the embodiment of our worst nightmares and sometimes even our own best hopes. Anytime he appeared on screen, he was an outright scene stealer, the visual equivalent of walking into a gas station with a lit match. His characters weren't always pleasant, but they never let us look away. Here are 10 roles that stood out.
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10. 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955)
As one of the goons in the gang that torments James Dean, a very young, blond Hopper doesn't have that many lines. But he's a threatening presence all the same, especially in the famous knife fight scene at Griffith Park Observatory as he lies splayed on the roof of Dean's car, getting as close to the action as possible without actually committing the crime. Offscreen he made an even bigger mark, befriending Dean and getting in a car crash with Natalie Wood that managed to damage the reputation of America's sweetheart.
9. 'Giant' (1956)
Appearing once again with his buddy James Dean, Hopper plays Bick Benedict, the grown-up son of Rock Hudson's imperious cattle rancher. Of course, this was Dean's last film, as the actor was killed in September 1955 shortly after filming wrapped, an event which shattered Hopper.
8. 'Cool Hand Luke' (1967)
Another in a string of vaguely threatening roles, Hopper plays the bet-taker Babalugats in the epic Paul Newman prison drama. Just before Newman has to make good on his bet to eat 50 eggs, Hopper trails along behind Newman and George Kennedy clutching the cash, acting like the perfect sycophant in the shadow of greater men. His time would come.
7. 'Apocalypse Now' (1979)
As the nameless photojournalist, Hopper has a somewhat tender moment when he quotes a line from T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock.' Francis Ford Coppola's harrowing adaptation of 'Heart of Darkness' is yet another case of Hopper finding a way to attach himself to, and distinguish himself in, some of the era's most important films -- a talent that would never desert him.
6. 'True Grit' (1969)
Hopper plays an outlaw named Moon, one of the miscreants that John Wayne's Marshal Rooster Cogburn chases down. Off screen, they had similar chemistry: Wayne was seen chasing the obstreperous (and then left-leaning) Hopper around with a loaded gun while Hopper hid in Glen Campbell's trailer. Just another day on the set with a Hollywood wild child.
5. 'Speed' (1994)
Sure, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were the nominal stars, but Hopper stole the show as disgruntled, hell, demented ex-cop Howard Payne, who uses his hi-tech know-how to wreak havoc in buildings and on buses. And it's certainly one of Hopper's more quotable movies, as in, "Nothing tricky now. You know I'm on top of you! DO NOT attempt to grow a brain!"
4. 'True Romance' (1993)
Hopper's greatest moment in this drug-and-mobster tale written by Quentin Tarantino is the famous "eggplant scene," where Christopher Walken tortures Hopper for information on Patricia Arquette and Christian Slater's whereabouts, only to have Hopper turn the tables and expound profanely (a Hopper specialty) on Walken's dubious Sicilian ancestry. It's six minutes of Hopper's finest work.
3. 'Hoosiers' (1986)
'Hoosiers' is not only one of the great sports movies of all time, but it also contains one of Hopper's most complex characters. As Shooter, the high school basketball hero turned town drunk, Hopper gives a heart-rending performance of uncanny subtlety. Between lurching onto the court in a drunken stupor (achieved by spinning for 10 seconds before the cameras rolled) and Shooter's finding redemption as an assistant coach, Hopper draws an unforgettable portrait of a man crawling back from the edge.
2. 'Easy Rider' (1969)
For a dramatized snapshot of the hippies of the late '60s, look no further. It's ironic that Hopper ended up a staunch Bush supporter, because to some fans he will always be remembered for his role as Billy, the ultimate counterculture character. With a buckskin coat and floppy hair modeled after David Crosby, Billy rode alongside Peter Fonda in a hallucinogenic haze, trying to become one with the universe while remaining totally oblivious to the fact that the gun-toting Moral Majority had guys like him squarely in their sights.
1. 'Blue Velvet' (1986)
Frank Booth. Just the name gives you chills. In David Lynch's nightmarish tale, Hopper's Booth is a vile, evil creation who snorts up copious amounts of amyl nitrate and has a propensity for violent, ritualistic rape. An indelibly disturbing character, Booth drops F-bombs with nearly every sentence, and serves as an example of the potential depths of man's depravity. If you have any friends who like to quote this character, run away. Very fast. It would be the ultimate tribute to Hopper, an actor of singular intensity the likes of whom we may never see again. Check out Hopper's famous Pabst Blue Ribbon scene here.
Share
270diggsdigg
10. 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955)
As one of the goons in the gang that torments James Dean, a very young, blond Hopper doesn't have that many lines. But he's a threatening presence all the same, especially in the famous knife fight scene at Griffith Park Observatory as he lies splayed on the roof of Dean's car, getting as close to the action as possible without actually committing the crime. Offscreen he made an even bigger mark, befriending Dean and getting in a car crash with Natalie Wood that managed to damage the reputation of America's sweetheart.
9. 'Giant' (1956)
Appearing once again with his buddy James Dean, Hopper plays Bick Benedict, the grown-up son of Rock Hudson's imperious cattle rancher. Of course, this was Dean's last film, as the actor was killed in September 1955 shortly after filming wrapped, an event which shattered Hopper.
8. 'Cool Hand Luke' (1967)
Another in a string of vaguely threatening roles, Hopper plays the bet-taker Babalugats in the epic Paul Newman prison drama. Just before Newman has to make good on his bet to eat 50 eggs, Hopper trails along behind Newman and George Kennedy clutching the cash, acting like the perfect sycophant in the shadow of greater men. His time would come.
7. 'Apocalypse Now' (1979)
As the nameless photojournalist, Hopper has a somewhat tender moment when he quotes a line from T.S. Eliot's 'The Love Song of J Alfred Prufrock.' Francis Ford Coppola's harrowing adaptation of 'Heart of Darkness' is yet another case of Hopper finding a way to attach himself to, and distinguish himself in, some of the era's most important films -- a talent that would never desert him.
6. 'True Grit' (1969)
Hopper plays an outlaw named Moon, one of the miscreants that John Wayne's Marshal Rooster Cogburn chases down. Off screen, they had similar chemistry: Wayne was seen chasing the obstreperous (and then left-leaning) Hopper around with a loaded gun while Hopper hid in Glen Campbell's trailer. Just another day on the set with a Hollywood wild child.
5. 'Speed' (1994)
Sure, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock were the nominal stars, but Hopper stole the show as disgruntled, hell, demented ex-cop Howard Payne, who uses his hi-tech know-how to wreak havoc in buildings and on buses. And it's certainly one of Hopper's more quotable movies, as in, "Nothing tricky now. You know I'm on top of you! DO NOT attempt to grow a brain!"
4. 'True Romance' (1993)
Hopper's greatest moment in this drug-and-mobster tale written by Quentin Tarantino is the famous "eggplant scene," where Christopher Walken tortures Hopper for information on Patricia Arquette and Christian Slater's whereabouts, only to have Hopper turn the tables and expound profanely (a Hopper specialty) on Walken's dubious Sicilian ancestry. It's six minutes of Hopper's finest work.
3. 'Hoosiers' (1986)
'Hoosiers' is not only one of the great sports movies of all time, but it also contains one of Hopper's most complex characters. As Shooter, the high school basketball hero turned town drunk, Hopper gives a heart-rending performance of uncanny subtlety. Between lurching onto the court in a drunken stupor (achieved by spinning for 10 seconds before the cameras rolled) and Shooter's finding redemption as an assistant coach, Hopper draws an unforgettable portrait of a man crawling back from the edge.
2. 'Easy Rider' (1969)
For a dramatized snapshot of the hippies of the late '60s, look no further. It's ironic that Hopper ended up a staunch Bush supporter, because to some fans he will always be remembered for his role as Billy, the ultimate counterculture character. With a buckskin coat and floppy hair modeled after David Crosby, Billy rode alongside Peter Fonda in a hallucinogenic haze, trying to become one with the universe while remaining totally oblivious to the fact that the gun-toting Moral Majority had guys like him squarely in their sights.
1. 'Blue Velvet' (1986)
Frank Booth. Just the name gives you chills. In David Lynch's nightmarish tale, Hopper's Booth is a vile, evil creation who snorts up copious amounts of amyl nitrate and has a propensity for violent, ritualistic rape. An indelibly disturbing character, Booth drops F-bombs with nearly every sentence, and serves as an example of the potential depths of man's depravity. If you have any friends who like to quote this character, run away. Very fast. It would be the ultimate tribute to Hopper, an actor of singular intensity the likes of whom we may never see again. Check out Hopper's famous Pabst Blue Ribbon scene here.
Dennis Hopper's Wife Won't Move Out!
Dennis Hopper's Wife Won't Move Out!
According to court docs, Victoria must leave Dennis' compound on March 15. But in legal papers filed today and obtained by TMZ, Victoria claims the prenup she signed does require her to vacate one of the homes on the property, but she says she's living in a different, freestanding home on the property so she's allowed to stay.
Victoria Hopper: Click to watchVictoria also said in court she's broke and needs money, stat.
And, Victoria says in her legal docs, she believes Dennis is getting ready to die. She says, "I believe in contemplation of death [Dennis Hopper] may be intending to remove me as a beneficiary of any kind..."
According to court docs, Victoria must leave Dennis' compound on March 15. But in legal papers filed today and obtained by TMZ, Victoria claims the prenup she signed does require her to vacate one of the homes on the property, but she says she's living in a different, freestanding home on the property so she's allowed to stay.
Victoria Hopper: Click to watchVictoria also said in court she's broke and needs money, stat.
And, Victoria says in her legal docs, she believes Dennis is getting ready to die. She says, "I believe in contemplation of death [Dennis Hopper] may be intending to remove me as a beneficiary of any kind..."
Dennis Hopper's estate up for grabs by wife Victoria Duffy
Dennis Hopper, who died Saturday (May 29) from complications of prostate cancer, has been trying to divorce his wife of 12 years -- Victoria Hopper -- since January. But his death at age 74 -- before the divorce could be made final -- will now leave his estate up for grabs.
Under the prenup, Victoria stands to get 25% of Dennis' fortune and a $250,000 life insurance payout if they were still married and living together when Dennis died.
TMZ reports that Victoria has been living in a separate, although connected, house on Hopper's property, as allowed by the court. She will no doubt argue in the upcoming probate hearings that they were therefore legally living together. The couple has a daughter, Galen Grier Hopper, born in 2003.
It's sad that this marriage came to such a bitter end. When the Dish Rag talked with Dennis in 2001, when he had been sober for 18 years, he told me that it was Victoria who first spoke to him in 1992 at Rebecca's, a Venice restaurant Hopper frequented, where she was working as a hostess.
"I had been separated from my last wife for just a week and I was eating alone. She seated me and then came over and said, 'I don't want to bother you now but when you're finished, would you mind if I asked you about your art. I just saw your show at the James Corcoran Gallery and I'd like to discuss it with you.' We have been together ever since."
I asked Hopper if Victoria's horse sense (literally, she rides and trains high strung thoroughbred horses) is why their marriage worked so well.
He admitted: "Victoria just knows how to deal with me. If she sees me in a mood, she comes over, touches me and says, 'How are things going?' But if she needs to stay away, she stays away. She has an understanding. We just don't get into confrontations."
Like all good things, that apparently came to an end. Sad.
Under the prenup, Victoria stands to get 25% of Dennis' fortune and a $250,000 life insurance payout if they were still married and living together when Dennis died.
TMZ reports that Victoria has been living in a separate, although connected, house on Hopper's property, as allowed by the court. She will no doubt argue in the upcoming probate hearings that they were therefore legally living together. The couple has a daughter, Galen Grier Hopper, born in 2003.
It's sad that this marriage came to such a bitter end. When the Dish Rag talked with Dennis in 2001, when he had been sober for 18 years, he told me that it was Victoria who first spoke to him in 1992 at Rebecca's, a Venice restaurant Hopper frequented, where she was working as a hostess.
"I had been separated from my last wife for just a week and I was eating alone. She seated me and then came over and said, 'I don't want to bother you now but when you're finished, would you mind if I asked you about your art. I just saw your show at the James Corcoran Gallery and I'd like to discuss it with you.' We have been together ever since."
I asked Hopper if Victoria's horse sense (literally, she rides and trains high strung thoroughbred horses) is why their marriage worked so well.
He admitted: "Victoria just knows how to deal with me. If she sees me in a mood, she comes over, touches me and says, 'How are things going?' But if she needs to stay away, she stays away. She has an understanding. We just don't get into confrontations."
Like all good things, that apparently came to an end. Sad.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Dennis Hopper's 'Easy Rider' co-star Peter Fonda: 'We changed the way movies were made in Hollywood'
Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider co-star Peter Fonda has released the following statement to EW: “Dennis introduced me to the world of Pop Art and ‘lost’ films. We rode the highways of America and changed the way movies were made in Hollywood. I was blessed by his passion and friendship.”
Check back here for more tributes from Hopper’s friends and colleagues.
Check back here for more tributes from Hopper’s friends and colleagues.
DENNIS HOPPER- STARS TAKE TO TWITTER TO PAY TRIBUTE
Even though they may not have worked with him, or known him directly, actor/director Dennis Hopper has clearly had an impact on many in Hollywood, judging by the tributes to
him that have started streaming on Twitter. Here are some highlights.
“Dennis Hopper was born in Dodge City, and man, did he ever get out of Dodge… Dennis Hopper directed a screenplay written for Robert Mitchum, and it embodied the heart and soul of film noir.” –Roger Ebert
“TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, HOOSIERS, BLUE VELVET, RED ROCK WEST, EASY RIDER. Thanks for always making it seem simple & fun, Mr. Hopper. RIP.” –Kevin Smith
“Just heard we lost Dennis Hopper at 74. Great actor, sad loss. ‘Sometimes he goes too far. He’s the first one to admit it.’ Apocalypse Now” –Simon Pegg
“Rest In Peace Mister Dennis Hopper. I shall drink a Pabst Blue Ribbon in your honour.” –director Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)
“RIP Dennis Hopper. Man, I’m getting tired of typing those three letters…” –Michael McKean
“Dennis was the ultimate gentleman & bon vivant greatly loved in Las Vegas. In his last days he was embroiled in bitter ugly divorce battle… Will always remember from smoking our cigars at the Casa Fuente store in Forum Shops of Caesars Palace. We have lost 1 of the great ones!… One of my favorite photos of Dennis Hopper taken at CineVegas film festival by Scott Doctor.http://twitpic.com/1s748v… My favorite Dennis Hopper photo as we enjoyed cigars at Casa Fuente in Forum Shops of Caesars Palace. Rest in Peac http://twitpic.com/1s768l” –Robin Leach
“Dennis Hopper RIP. A maverick, a wonderful actor. You always got something unexpected from him. He will be missed… Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, True Romance, Crash..some of the fine work and much more from Dennis Hopper. Thank you DH. RIP” –Marlee Matlin
“RIP Dennis Hopper.The world was your canvas & you captured it brilliantly.Thank u for the friendship u gave my dad&inspiration u gave us all” –Soleil Moon Frye
“You take the great ones for granted until they’re gone. RIP Dennis Hopper” –Slash
“RIP to another LEGEND Dennis Hopper a great actor, great director and a brilliant artist. Your work will live on as will ur spirit” –Marlon Wayans
“RIP Dennis Hopper – ‘Somewhere in my strange career, someone has liked something.’” –Tom Green
“Sweet Dennis Hopper. Bless you for your gifts you gave us all these years.” –Christina Applegate
“RIP Dennis Hopper. One of the great ones.” –Elizabeth Banks
him that have started streaming on Twitter. Here are some highlights.
“Dennis Hopper was born in Dodge City, and man, did he ever get out of Dodge… Dennis Hopper directed a screenplay written for Robert Mitchum, and it embodied the heart and soul of film noir.” –Roger Ebert
“TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE 2, HOOSIERS, BLUE VELVET, RED ROCK WEST, EASY RIDER. Thanks for always making it seem simple & fun, Mr. Hopper. RIP.” –Kevin Smith
“Just heard we lost Dennis Hopper at 74. Great actor, sad loss. ‘Sometimes he goes too far. He’s the first one to admit it.’ Apocalypse Now” –Simon Pegg
“Rest In Peace Mister Dennis Hopper. I shall drink a Pabst Blue Ribbon in your honour.” –director Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead)
“RIP Dennis Hopper. Man, I’m getting tired of typing those three letters…” –Michael McKean
“Dennis was the ultimate gentleman & bon vivant greatly loved in Las Vegas. In his last days he was embroiled in bitter ugly divorce battle… Will always remember from smoking our cigars at the Casa Fuente store in Forum Shops of Caesars Palace. We have lost 1 of the great ones!… One of my favorite photos of Dennis Hopper taken at CineVegas film festival by Scott Doctor.http://twitpic.com/1s748v… My favorite Dennis Hopper photo as we enjoyed cigars at Casa Fuente in Forum Shops of Caesars Palace. Rest in Peac http://twitpic.com/1s768l” –Robin Leach
“Dennis Hopper RIP. A maverick, a wonderful actor. You always got something unexpected from him. He will be missed… Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, True Romance, Crash..some of the fine work and much more from Dennis Hopper. Thank you DH. RIP” –Marlee Matlin
“RIP Dennis Hopper.The world was your canvas & you captured it brilliantly.Thank u for the friendship u gave my dad&inspiration u gave us all” –Soleil Moon Frye
“You take the great ones for granted until they’re gone. RIP Dennis Hopper” –Slash
“RIP to another LEGEND Dennis Hopper a great actor, great director and a brilliant artist. Your work will live on as will ur spirit” –Marlon Wayans
“RIP Dennis Hopper – ‘Somewhere in my strange career, someone has liked something.’” –Tom Green
“Sweet Dennis Hopper. Bless you for your gifts you gave us all these years.” –Christina Applegate
“RIP Dennis Hopper. One of the great ones.” –Elizabeth Banks
THE LATEST ENTERTAINMENT NEWS- DENNIS HOPPER DIES AT 74
Dennis Hopper, who died Saturday at age 74
after a battle with prostate cancer, was always a fighter. Early in his career, the Dodge City, Kan., native fought tooth-and-nail against onscreen phoniness with a Method intensity he learned at the Actors Studio. In his second act, he revolutionized Hollywood with his 1969 directing debut Easy Rider – an existential road movie whose Harleys, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll message struck gold with an underserved counterculture audience. But Hopper, the newly minted hippie icon who was no stranger to career ups and down, burned out and faded away in a swirl of drugs and alcohol. The third act of Hopper’s life was one of repentance, recovery, and career rehabilitation, as the actor got clean and sober in the mid-1980s and spent the next three decades turning in a handful of brilliant performances, including his Oscar-nominated turn as an alcoholic basketball coach in 1986′s Hoosiers. But the fighter ultimately lost his toughest battle when he passed away from cancer.
Whether playing leading men or supporting parts, oddballs or villains, Hopper was always a welcome presence on film. He gave every movie he graced a spark of unpredictability — you never knew what he might do next. Hopper learned his raw, naturalistic technique with the best, sharing the screen with his idol James Dean in both 1955′s Rebel Without a Cause and 1956′s Giant. In the late ’60s, in the wake of the summer of love, Hopper and pals Peter Fonda, author Terry Southern, and an unknown actor named Jack Nicholson teamed up to make Easy Rider. They raised the $400,000 budget independently, shot the movie on the fly, and watched in amazement as the receipts rolled in. Easy Rider grossed $60 million and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. The film’s success also opened the studio doors to a new generation of long-haired young film brats who would go on to re-energize American cinema in the ’70s. But Hopper will be remembered as much for what he accomplished onscreen as behind the camera. He leaves behind a string of indelible and daring performances in such films as Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, True Romance, and Speed.
after a battle with prostate cancer, was always a fighter. Early in his career, the Dodge City, Kan., native fought tooth-and-nail against onscreen phoniness with a Method intensity he learned at the Actors Studio. In his second act, he revolutionized Hollywood with his 1969 directing debut Easy Rider – an existential road movie whose Harleys, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll message struck gold with an underserved counterculture audience. But Hopper, the newly minted hippie icon who was no stranger to career ups and down, burned out and faded away in a swirl of drugs and alcohol. The third act of Hopper’s life was one of repentance, recovery, and career rehabilitation, as the actor got clean and sober in the mid-1980s and spent the next three decades turning in a handful of brilliant performances, including his Oscar-nominated turn as an alcoholic basketball coach in 1986′s Hoosiers. But the fighter ultimately lost his toughest battle when he passed away from cancer.
Whether playing leading men or supporting parts, oddballs or villains, Hopper was always a welcome presence on film. He gave every movie he graced a spark of unpredictability — you never knew what he might do next. Hopper learned his raw, naturalistic technique with the best, sharing the screen with his idol James Dean in both 1955′s Rebel Without a Cause and 1956′s Giant. In the late ’60s, in the wake of the summer of love, Hopper and pals Peter Fonda, author Terry Southern, and an unknown actor named Jack Nicholson teamed up to make Easy Rider. They raised the $400,000 budget independently, shot the movie on the fly, and watched in amazement as the receipts rolled in. Easy Rider grossed $60 million and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes. The film’s success also opened the studio doors to a new generation of long-haired young film brats who would go on to re-energize American cinema in the ’70s. But Hopper will be remembered as much for what he accomplished onscreen as behind the camera. He leaves behind a string of indelible and daring performances in such films as Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, True Romance, and Speed.
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