Frank Booth (Blue Velvet)
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This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (January 2010) |
| Frank Booth | |
|---|---|
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| First appearance | Blue Velvet |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Gangster |
Frank Booth is a fictional character and the main antagonist of David Lynch's 1986 psychological thriller Blue Velvet, portrayed by Dennis Hopper.
Booth became one of the best-known villains in cinema. He ranks #36 on AFI's list of the top 50 film villains of all time.[1]
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Cultural impact [edit]
Booth's lines and extensive use of the word "fuck" are frequently referenced in pop culture. The line, "Don't you fucking look at me!" was voted by Premiere Magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Quotes in Cinema", and was sampled by electronic act Faultline for use in the title track of the album Closer, Colder. Industrial group Pigface sampled one of Booth's lines for use in the remix song "Sick Asp Fuck." Samples of Frank speaking are strewn throughout Mr. Bungle's self-titled album. Most notably, in "Squeeze me Macaroni", the entire scene with Booth from "Man, Where's the fucking beer man?" to "One thing I can't fucking stand is warm beer, makes me fucking puke!" is played.
When hosting Saturday Night Live, Dennis Hopper appeared in a skit as Frank Booth, hosting a game show titled "What's That Smell?", which he opened with Booth's line "Hello, neighbor."
In a 2011 interview with Rolling Stone,[2] Lynch was asked, "Who is a more dangerous gentleman, Frank Booth or Marcellus Santos?" Lynch replied, "That's a good question. I'd rather hang with Frank Booth. I'd rather chill with him, and wait for a booty call, than with Marcellus."
Lists [edit]
- The character ranks #36 on AFI's list of the top 50 film villains of all time.[1]
- Premiere magazine listed Frank Booth, played by Dennis Hopper, as #54 on its list of The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time, calling him "the most monstrously funny creations in cinema history".[3]
- "Don't you fucking look at me!" was voted by Premiere Magazine as one of the "100 Greatest Quotes in Cinema".
Casting [edit]
The part of Frank Booth was originally offered to Robert Loggia, Willem Dafoe, and Richard Bright, who all turned it down. When Hopper read the script, he called Lynch and said, "You have to let me play Frank! Because I am Frank!"
Unexplained drug [edit]
Throughout the film, Frank Booth uses a medical mask and tube to inhale some kind of stimulant from an aerosol canister. The identity of this gas is a subject of controversy. Lynch's script specified helium, to raise Booth's voice and have it resemble that of an infant. However, during filming, Hopper, an experienced drug user, claimed to have insight into Booth's choice of drug, and said that helium was inappropriate. Lynch later explained the change:
| “ | I'm thankful to Dennis, because up until the last minute it was gonna be helium — to make the difference between 'Daddy' and the baby that much more. But I didn't want it to be funny. So helium went out the window and became just a gas. Then, in the first rehearsal, Dennis said, 'David, I know what's in these different canisters.' And I said, 'Thank God, Dennis, that you know that!' And he named all the gases. | ” |
In a documentary on the 2002 Special edition DVD version of the film, Hopper claims the drug was amyl nitrite, an angina medication used recreationally as an inhalant in the disco club scene.
References [edit]
- ^ a b "AFI's 100 Heroes & Villains". American Film Institute. June 2003. Retrieved 2007-02-12.
- ^ Prato, Greg. "David Lynch's First Solo Album is on 'Crazy Clown Time'" Rolling Stone. August 18, 2011. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time". Premiere. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
