Although it has faults, at times feels dated and it's hard to fully justify its revered place in cinema history, Easy Rider set a benchmark for pioneering film-making in the late 1960s and early 70s, and is still considered by many to be the ultimate road movie.
A highly experimental film, it was written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper and Terry Southern, directed by Hopper and produced by Fonda. It follows two oddball dropouts - Wyatt (Fonda) and Billy (Hopper) - who sell some cocaine, stuff a vast amount of cash into the fuel tank of Wyatt's chopper, and head east down the highway, trying to reach New Orleans in time for Mardi Gras.
En route they pick up a hitchhiker who leads them to a very "far out" hippy commune where they experience free love and are given LSD. Later they befriend alcoholic but square lawyer George Hanson (Jack Nicholson), and the trio set out on the road. And that's when their acid-fuelled adventures - and the madness - really begin...
Picking up two Oscar nominations and numerous awards, it is a must-see, but with reservations. And although it's only an hour and a half in length, it feels considerably longer. Oh, and the soundtrack, featuring Steppenwolf, Jimi Hendrix, the Byrds, the Band and the Electric Prunes, is sublime.
Reviewer - Paul Strange
Did you know? Real marijuana was smoked in many scenes, but the white powder sniffed by Fonda was believed to be powdered sugar.
(4 Star)
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