By the late 1970s Hopper was a mess. His drink and drug habit was out of control and directors were loathe to work with him. What he really needed right then was to head to the jungle with Francis Ford Coppola...

Against all the odds, Hopper's turn as the spaced-out war photographer going badly native works brilliantly in the sprawling Vietnam war film. He's just the shot of capering mania it needs before sinking into Marlon Brando's downbeat murmerings as Kurtz.

It did little to patch up his image as an out-of-control wild man though.

Hop Triv – The character of the photojournalist (he's never given a name) was inspired by real life snapper Tim Page.