Hollywood legend Harry Dean Stanton discusses his rich film career – beginning with his first leading role in Wim Wenders’ highly acclaimed Paris, Texas.
Harry says his 1984 film Repo Man remains one of his favorite movies, along with the cult classic, Paris, Texas.
He got involved with the movie through Sam Shepard, whom he describes as “a brilliant writer.” He recalls being in Albequerque, NM, with Shepard while listening to a Mexican Mariachi band and expressing his desire to be in a different kind of film.
“Somewhere along the line I said, ‘I wish I could be in a movie with some intelligence and sensitivity,’ and I wasn’t pitching myself to Sam or anything. I just said I’d like to do a film with some sensitivity, intelligence, something along that line.” So he said he went back to L.A. and quickly got a call from Shepard, inviting him to consider being the lead in the film.
He agreed to the idea, but said Wenders initially thought he was too old for the role. Although it was his first real leading role, Harry says it was just another portrayal in his career. “Wim (Wenders) tried to say that I was daunted by it, but he’s full of shit,” he recalls.
He says he agreed to do the film, but not without his own conditions. “I said I’ll do it, but only if you and the producer and everybody involved is totally enthusiastic about me doing the part. And then I said, whoever plays my son in it, I should have a close relationship with off-camera. And whoever plays my brother in it, I should be very close to off-camera.”
Wenders went to see him twice and he told him his conditions and the director agreed to hire him. He also recounts how he bonded with the boy who plays his son, Hunter Carson, during a reading of the script before Carson had been picked for the role.
In the full interview, Harry also talks Repo Man, reveals details about his close relationships with Jack Nicholson and Marlon Brando, names the loves of his life and explains his views on religious philosophy.
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