The Dennis Hopper Trilogy

Dennis Hopper digs into the fascinating world of advertising and the art of selling

The Dennis Hopper Trilogy The Fine Art of Separating People From their Money
The Ten Commandments of Creativity
The A-Z of Separating People from Their Money

Hermann Vaske's "Hopper Trilogy" uses interviews with the great and the good from the worlds of film, art, music, advertising, religion, and academia to discuss the relationship between the arts and industry and to explore the connections and cross-pollination between the cultural and commercial worlds. Guided by the late Dennis Hopper, the world's leading figures, from David Bowie to Nelson Mandela, offer their thoughts on creativity, the media, and advertising.
Hermann Vaske's "Hopper Trilogy" uses interviews with the great and the good from the worlds of film, art, music, advertising, religion, and academia to discuss the relationship between the arts and industry and to explore the connections and cross-pollination between the cultural and commercial worlds. Guided by the late Dennis Hopper, the world's leading figures, from David Bowie to Nelson Mandela, offer their thoughts on creativity, the media, and advertising.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of plagiarism" proclaims Hopper. Having struggled to crack his brief he decides the only honourable act is to go to the roof and throw himself off. Before he commits this most final of acts God, in the form of Sir Peter Ustinov, appears and bestows the Ten Commandments of Creativity upon the frustrated and desperate advertising executive. Hopper uses the template of the ten commandments to navigate the state of creativity today. Featuring Tarantino, Jeff Koons, Sean Penn, and Malcolm McClaren, amongst a host of others.

"is it art? Is it business? Should it be shocking? Should it be funny? Could you do better? ". In The Fine Art Of Separating People From Their Money, Dennis Hopper sends Hermann Vaske on a mission around the world to find out about the crossover between the various creative disciplines, and how this is changing both the creative and commercial arts. With insights from the likes of Tony Scott, Spike Lee, Paul Arden, and Harvey Keitel this film shows the growing proximity between advertising, art, and film.

At the beginning of The A-Z Of Separating People From Their Money Dennis Hopper states that "right this minute there are millions of people trying to separate you from your money". Pointing to the increasingly blurred distinction between reality and fiction in the world today, this film discusses the methods used by advertisers, as well as the responsibilities of ad-makers. The biggest names in the business have their say on shock, humour, and sex as methods of selling.

Vaske's trilogy of films artfully and humorously grapples with the fundamental questions of post-modernity within the art world. Has art lost its soul to the commercial sphere? Can art have meaning in an age of plurality? And should art be used to separate people from their money?
FULL SYNOPSIS

The Producers

AmitHermann Vaske is a director, author and producer. He is the winner of the Grimme Award (Germany’s TV Oscar) and more than 100 creative awards, including Cannes Lions and Clios. Hermann's films include The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money with Dennis Hopper, The Art of Football with John Cleese, The Radical Gardener, Balkan Spirit with Marina Abramovic and Angelina Jolie, Arteholic and Bra Wars: Hollywood's Affair with the Bra. Hermann also produced the Why Are You Creative? series, featuring a host of notable names, including David Bowie, David Lynch and Nelson Mandela. Hermann Vaske is a member of the European Film Academy (EFA).

Making The Film

AmitHermann Vaske and Dennis Hopper first met in the mid ‘90s, whilst judging the Breaking Walls Award at the Berlin Academy of the Arts. Their mutual ideas about art and advertising led to a creative collaboration resulting in The Fine Art of Separating People From Their Money, an exploration into the world of advertising. This film was followed by The A – Z of Separating People From Their Money, and The Ten Commandments of Creativity, the former a post-modern journey through the creative alphabet, the latter a provocative take on the state of creativity worldwide. In this humorous yet astute trilogy, Vaske and Hopper explore a plethora of topics, covering everything from art to religion to academia, in a way that only this creative duo could.

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