"Easy Rider" (1969) - Counterculture Road Movie Written, Produced by, and Co-Starring Peter Fonda, Directed by and Co-Starring Dennis Hopper

[DonRocks]

*** SPOILERS FOLLOW *** (I'm assuming you've already watched the film if you're going to read this.)

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Continuing my recent trend of seeing movies I haven't seen in years, or decades, for the second time, I rented "Easy Rider" on Amazon - my general rule of thumb lately has been to rent movies that I've seen, and enjoyed, but don't really remember. I knew that Easy Rider is a beloved road movie starring Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper; I didn't know their characters' names were Wyatt and Billy, respectively - for Wyatt Earp and Billy the Kid.

With Amazon, you have the option of using "X-Ray" to glean little tidbits about films - for me, it's often helpful since I'm on my second viewing, but I can also easily see it being an annoyance - the good news is that it's easily deactivated. Since I'm more of an aesthete than a hedonist, I tend to use it for second viewings.

My chicken's ready.

I'm back. Do you get a little Robert Redford here?

And, to Mr. Redford: *Happy 80th birthday this Thursday*! I doubt he'll see this, but hey, Jack Sock liked my tweet today!

I didn't remember that Easy Rider popularized "The Pusher," which came out the year before:

The brief scene when Wyatt looked at his watch and threw it on the ground is *so* late-60s, the rapid-fire changes in photos often seen in B-horror films, often with psychedelic music and sometimes with a girl screaming while realizing something.

Wow, and all this during a cold open - I didn't even realize that.

Well, as of right now, I'm 40 minutes into a 95-minute movie, and to be honest, I think it's pretty boring. Other than the obviously appealing imagery of the two men on the bikes (an iconic American image which will be around for a long time), we've visited a ranch - which was tolerable enough - and spent *way* too much time at a commune, and to what end? Perhaps this will tie in later in the movie, but as of right now, I wish they'd get the heck off that commune and get on their merry way. So far, this is poorly acted, without any clear meaning, and just plain dull. Also, the drug deal in the beginning has absolutely nothing to do with this except for financing their trip.

It's the next day now.

And now that I think about it, I'm not sure I've ever seen this film before, at least not in its entirety - I don't remember a single thing about it. I'm pretty sure I'd remember George Hanson (Jack Nicholson) riding on the back of that chopper in a football helmet.

My biggest problem with the extended commune scene is that, one day later, I hardly remember a single person in the commune (or maybe, that's the whole point?); however, the campfire scene with George Hanson smoking his first-ever joint is priceless, and vintage early Jack Nicholson. *That* is some character development, and it only took a couple of minutes - it's the highlight of the movie, so far, in my mind. Dennis Hopper (Billy) - who got a little psycho-weird when he called BS on Hanson's UFO theory - always has a little bit of "creepy" to him, even here ... it's hard to get "Blue Velvet" out of my mind, even when I see him in such a vastly different role like this.

Okay, the scene in the diner - with the local rednecks - is suspenseful. This movie is almost like a series of "short stories," linked together by motorcycles: Chapter 1 - Drugs, Chapter 2 - Ranch, Chapter 3 - Commune - Chapter 4 - Campfire, Chapter 5 - Diner. it's starting to chain together now, and I'm liking the movie more - it's almost like a theme and variations.

Have you seen that internet meme that's been going around - the one about conservatives always longing for "the good old days" (itself a strawman - how many people have you actually heard say this?) and the liberals rebutting it by saying, "Name one single year that you'd like this country to return to" (of course, nobody can - the retort is nothing more than argumentum ad antiquitatem: an attempt to force the person to choose an easily debunked, logical fallacy). It's supremely ironic that Hanson said - after the diner scene - "You know, this used to be a hell of a good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it." Tables turned - most amusing, and whenever I come across things like that on Facebook, I realize I'm spending too much time on Facebook. I hope it goes without saying that I'm talking about "conservative" and "liberal" in the original, *non-political* definitions of the terms (the fact that I felt the need to say that makes me long for the good old days, when you weren't walking on eggshells every time you say something - we all need you, John Cleese):

Hanson (Nicholson) is coming up with some compelling lines in this campfire speech, and I wish every food writer, celebrity chef, and hanger-on would watch this movie and pay close attention to what he's saying: things like, "It's real hard to be free when you're being bought and sold in the marketplace." Of course, even if they paid close attention they wouldn't dream of thinking that these words apply to them, so what good would it do? I'm sorry - did I just offend anyone? God, I hope so.

Oh, man! And then he continues: "Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they gonna get *real* busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are." Man, this movie's slugging percentage just went up - way, way up.

As the Wikipedia plot summary says, so correctly: "He [Hanson] observes that Americans talk a lot about the value of freedom, but are actually afraid of anyone who truly exhibits it." I wonder how many people *aren't* going to look in the mirror right now - probably something close to 100%. Nevertheless, this bit of dialog is the best scene in the movie so far.

And then what comes right afterwards? Wow.

The cowards strike in the darkness of night - just as they always do. 

Interestingly, the two girls in The House of Blue Lights are played by Karen Black and Toni Basil.

Amazing cinematography in the final scene - powerful stuff. I was *so certain* I'd seen Easy Rider before, but I'd never seen it in my life, and I'm glad I did.

[DaveO]

I looked at this topic and thought I'd revisit the film Easy Rider.  I must have seen it during its initial run, and was coincidentally a college student/dope smoking/ aspiring hippie/occasional hallucinogenic taking/ young person, who occasionally ran into some of the types of negative reactions that followed the two protagonists through the film, though clearly not as drastic as what occurred in the movie.

I think Easy Rider is both a serious Period Piece, but also is somewhat of a reflection on the cultural wars that troubled the US in the late 60's/70's and continue to trouble the US today.  Much is similar.  I'm not sure if its better or worse, but much is similar.

Consider:

1. In the late 60's prior to the film being produced there were:
2. Urban Race Riots in 1967 and 1968
3. Martin Luther King was murdered in April '68 and Bobby Kennedy in June '68 Added to the significant number of deaths in those riots--a lot of domestic violence.
4. We were in the midst of a long seemingly endless war that was not well received, highly controversial, was not the big war such as WWII and we were not fighting it with every ounce of energy such as WWII
5. There was a cultural war and reaction to it that inflamed the population
6. The '68 national election included George Wallace who as a third party candidate won about 14% of the popular vote and electoral votes from 5 Southern states.  On many issues his stances and rhetoric are remarkably similar to that of Donald Trump-- really remarkably similar on a variety of topics.
7. Certainly there are other similarities between then and now, but its the cultural wars and the violence related to it is what I find so striking.

But its certainly a period piece; the clothes, hitch hiking, communes, hallucinogenics,the music (ah the music) the language, etc.  Its all particular to that time period.  What occurs to the extremely well acted Jack Nicholson character and  what occurs at the conclusion are powerful cinematic scenes in their own right.

I'm not sure how many films from that period capture elements of the cultural wars and violence that were in existence then and being relived now....but this particular film certainly captures that aspect of society. 

In so many ways not much has changed and I can't say if its better or worse now than then....but so much of the "bad shit" hasn't changed.  Isn't that a pity?

[Steve R.]

Other than Fantasia, I can't think of another movie I've seen more times.  Since I started High School in '67, this was my soundtrack & the backdrop to much of what I did throughout my HS & college years (besides tennis & squash).  Even wound up hitching to Boulder one summer with a friend, carrying only a duffle bag & a map.  Some great Easy Rider stories from that escapade.  As an adult, my 1st visit to N.Orleans had to include a visit to the cemetery spot where they spent a trip.  I love that movie!!!

[DaveO]

51 minutes ago, Steve R. said:

Other than Fantasia, I can't think of another movie I've seen more times.  Since I started High School in '67, this was my soundtrack & the backdrop to much of what I did throughout my HS & college years (besides tennis & squash).  Even wound up hitching to Boulder one summer with a friend, carrying only a duffle bag & a map.  Some great Easy Rider stories from that escapade.  As an adult, my 1st visit to N.Orleans had to include a visit to the cemetery spot where they spent a trip.  I love that movie!!!

Don't Bogard that joint my friend, pass it over to me

I wonder how many (hundreds of) times I said that????

[dcs]

1 hour ago, DaveO said:

Don't Bogard that joint my friend, pass it over to me

Bogart. 

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, dcs said:

Bogart. 

Yes, but did you know that this was its *first-ever* usage?

"bogart" (verb, lowercase) on etymonline.com

That tidbit *alone* is enough to make the movie important. I always thought (and still think) the word has a more general usage - I have a wine-tasting friend, for example, who uses the term if someone pours themselves too much of a good wine.

Also, I thought the etymology was because Bogart used to hog every scene he was in (that, as a compliment); not because of the cigarette dangling from his mouth. The latter makes more sense to me, but this is the first I've *ever* heard of this etymology and definition.

I'd like to hash this out (pun honestly not intended until after I saw what I wrote), and I can move the discussion to the Etymology and Grammar thread in the Literature Forum.

Cheers,
Grammar Rock

[dcs]

Little Feat - Don't Bogart That Joint

[DaveO]

18 hours ago, dcs said:

Bogart. 

Thanks for the spelling correction.   I'm sure that during my dope smoking days I used that phrase countless times and had it directed toward me countless more times. 

"Don't bogart that joint my friend.  Pass it over to me";  A terrific slang phrase.   I doubt I ever saw it spelled.  Oral cultural history.

As with the other music on Easy Rider it all came from records or albums released before the movie.  The genius aspect had to be with using "The Weight" written and released by The Band the year before the film. Playing The Weight with the two bikers rolling through the SouthWest has to be one of the great cinematic images of that era.  The Weight is one of Rock and Roll's all time  pieces, played by The Band and replayed by numerous artists over the decades. 

That scene and music had to inspire millions of young Americans to travel across the big ole US of A.  It appears to have impacted Steve R above, and it impacted me in a similar way.

Two videos of the Weight:   One from Easy Rider:

The second.  My favorite Band version of The Weight from the film The Last Waltz:  It highlights the Staple Singers and Mavis Staples:   Are you musicologists familiar with the Staple Singers?   Dylan loved them and introduced them to the 70's Rock and Roll illuminerati.  The Staple Singers often accompanied Martin Luther King during the Civil Rights era.  Additionally some of their earlier recordings simply sound like good loving and sex.  (at least that is what I thought).

Reportedly a young Dylan asked Mavis Staples if she would marry him.....

Ah, heck.   Might as well feature the Staple Singers singing some sex for one and all................

 

[Waitman]

On 9/12/2016 at 7:23 PM, DaveO said:

Don't Bogard that joint my friend, pass it over to me

I wonder how many (hundreds of) times I said that????

Dirk Bogarding a cig. 

[DaveO]

On 11/1/2016 at 3:10 PM, Waitman said:

Dirk Bogarding a cig. 

Had to be careful with those bogarters.  (says one who often heard...."hey man.  don't bogart that joint")

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The one aspect of this film that continues to live on...is that the Soundtrack included  the Weight, the song by The Band.  Its timeless and its current.....

so current in fact that ...the celebrating Cubs fans in this years World Series, including several famous celebrities can be found partying to this song.

(this song sounds better when played...not drunk  --just my opinion, man)

 

[Steve R.]

If the tribute band "The The Band band" is ever playing at a place/time when you can go, definitely go.  And I'm not just saying that because the lead guitarist is a good friend of mine.  Well, partially... but they are really very good at this.

[DonRocks]

I watched "Easy Rider" again this evening: The light-blue truck isn't in the helicopter-filmed scene.

Trivia Quiz:

Does anyone know who this guy is in the hippie-commune scene?

Here's your answer: (Go to SE1 EP2), and look at the photo. Hey, wow, man.