Out of the Blue is a 1980 film featuring and directed by Dennis Hopper. The film was written and produced by Gary Jules Jouvenat. The film was nominated for an award at the Cannes film festival. It centers on a rebellious young girl (Linda Manz) interested in Elvis Presley and punk rock music, her ex-convict, truck driver father (Dennis Hopper), and her high-strung mother (Sharon Farrell). The title is taken from the Neil Young song My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue), an acoustic ballad dedicated to Elvis Presley and punk rock. Young's song is featured throughout the movie, along with songs by Elvis Presley and Bob Seger, among others.
The film also features supporting roles by character-actor Don Gordon as Hopper's drinking buddy (Gordon also appeared with Hopper in his second feature The Last Movie) and Raymond Burr as a friendly social worker. The original version of the Out of the Blue was banned in the UK, but was aired in full on UK TV Channel 4 in a series of banned movies in the 80's. The available formats of this film are all the legal edited versions, which is probably appropriate for the times.
Out Of The Blue is a short-lived American fantasy-based sitcom that aired on the ABC during the fall of 1979. It is chiefly notable as having featured a Mork and Mindy crossover, and for the controversy surrounding its status as a spin-off of Happy Days,
The series starred Jimmy Brogan as Random, an angel-in-training who is assigned to live with (and act as guardian angel for) a family and work as a high school teacher.
The unsuccessful series aired from September 9 to December 16, 1979. Less than ten episodes had been aired at the time of cancellation. Some completed material was never broadcast.
Random was an angel out to earn his wings by doing good deeds. He went to work as a high-school teacher, and moved in with Marion and her five nephews and nieces, who were frequently getting in (and out) of trouble, thanks to Random's magic. Written by Marty McKee
Dennis Hopper replaced another director midway into production. It was the first time he had directed a film since 1971's The Last Movie.
Hopper considered this movie a follow-up to Easy Rider (1969) in that this is what would have "likely happened" to the Easy Rider characters ten years later.
Originally the film was titled CeBe, but one day on the way to set, the Neil Young song "My My, Hey Hey" came on the radio, inspiring Dennis Hopper to change the title to "Out of the Blue".
Five cameras were used for the school bus scene.
Shot in Vancouver in five weeks.
The owner of the diner was the Set Designer of the film.
The punk rock band that Cebe drums for in the movie are the Canadian punk rock legends, The Pointed Sticks.
