Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Movie review in One Minute: Easy Rider

Easy Rider (1969)



Two stars out of five


A classic film haled as a benchmark movie about the counterculture of the 1960's


Easy Rider explores the societal landscape, issues, and tensions in the United States during the 1960s, such as the rise and fall of the hippie movement, drug use, and communal lifestyle. Easy Rider is famous for its use of real drugs in its portrayal of marijuana and other substances. (from Wikipedia)

Easy Rider has an all star cast, including Fonda, Hopper, Nicholson, Black and Basil


Peter Fonda was great in it. He was a great actor. He should have gotten an Academy Award nomination. He didn't. Nicholson did, which was an injustice..both ways. Fonda also produced this movie. If he hadn't had Hopper direct it, it would have been that much better.


I love Dennis Hopper in a lot of his films,  but not in this. He also directed this movie and clearly he was stoned for real for the whole movie. He sucked and his direction sucked.


Jack Nicholson gained his role in this movie because Rip Torn had an argument with Hopper before shooting began. Nicholson is a great actor, and this was his breakout role, but he was lousy in it. His fake Southern Accent was anything but believable. Torn was the better choice and at the time the much better actor.


Karen Black, who I have never cared for, was lousy in this, as she is in almost everything she was in.


Toni Basil was very good as Mary. "Hey Dennis you're so stoned. You're so stoned, hey Dennis..hey Dennis."

The music, Steppenwolf (Born To Be Wild, Pusherman) The Band (The Weight) and other classics was great and gives the movie flavor.

The main drawback of the movie are its aimless scenes and horrible dialogue. Not surprising, as the whole movie was one long ad lib. It hurt the movie and was its ultimate downfall.

The photography was great, and along with the soundtrack and the vibe the movie has leads me to suggest you see it even though I didn't care for it that much.

It is a classic, but it could have been better.

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