Monday, September 17, 2018

Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (2012)

Harry Dean Stanton: Partly Fiction (2012): directed by Sophie Huber; featuring interviews with Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Kris Kristofferson, Sam Shepard, Wim Wenders, Debbie Harry, and others: 

A German documentary about that great American character (actor) Harry Dean Stanton, who would pass away in 2017 at the age of 91. I guess Germans love Harry Dean Stanton. Note that the subtitle 'Partly Fiction' quotes the same Kris Kristofferson song that plays a big role in Taxi Driver.

It's more mood piece than standard autobiography. Forget chronological order or a rundown of Stanton's films. Instead, we get snippets of interviews with Stanton interspersed with interviews and conversations with some of Stanton's friends, directors, and co-stars. Stanton, who admits towards the end of the film that he wishes he'd pursued a singing career, also sings on several occasions, to the extent that about 25 of the film's 75 minutes involve singing.

If you like Harry Dean Stanton, you'll like it a lot. Debbie Harry wrote a song about him! Rebecca de Mornay lived with him for about two years before going off with Tom Cruise during the filming of Risky Business! He's from Kentucky! He drinks... tequila and cranberry juice??? Highly recommended.

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