If you heard there was a documentary about a filmmaker as told by his assistant, you would have every right to think that it was going to be some salacious garbage. Luckily, that’s not what they’re presenting in the upcoming documentary “Along for the Ride,” which focuses on the life and career of Dennis Hopper, as told by his “right-hand man” Satya de la Manitou.
The trailer for the film offers a great look in to what you can expect from the doc. This story isn’t about Dennis Hopper, the director. It’s not about Dennis Hopper, the actor. “Along for the Ride” is about Dennis Hopper, the artist. Like you would expect from a documentary about Hopper, you’re going to get some behind-the-scenes stories from his work on “Blue Velvet,” “Easy Rider,” and the troubled production of “The Last Movie,” but the real meat of the film is about the times in between. In those times, you get a real sense of who Hopper was, when the camera’s stopped rolling.
“Along for the Ride” gives you a peek into the mind of one of America’s great filmmakers from one of his dearest friends and partners. As the footage shows, this is a stylized doc, from newcomer Nick Ebeling, that wants to shine a light on one of the most charismatic forces Hollywood has ever seen.
If you’re a fan of Hopper or ‘70s films, this is a doc you’re going to want to keep a look out for. “Along for the Ride” opens in New York on November 3rd and Los Angeles on December 8th, before rolling out to more theaters.