Review of Easy Rider (1969) by Brandon M — 13 Feb 2013

In the 1960s, the majority of movies were very light-hearted and not gritty at all. After the classics-filled 50s, the 60s saw a dry period in film. Of course, there were still many fantastic and deep films such as Spartacus and Psycho in the early 60s, and 2001: A Space Odyssey in the late 60s. Easy Rider capped off the decade with a film so powerful and defining of that era that it almost alone launched a Golden Age in cinema.

In the introduction of Easy Rider, we meet Billy and Wyatt, or "Captain America," who are making a profitable drug deal in a Hispanic junk yard. From there they go to a runway where they meet "The Connection" and exchange their cocaine for a lot of cash. They then purchase their iconic choppers and set off on an adventure that defines the 60s. They go to a commune, meet a rebellious lawyer, and do many other activities along the way.

The characters in the film are not silk thin. The characters are all unique with flaws and I could almost relate with Jack Nicholson's character. The two main characters are fun. Billy (Dennis Hopper) is a high-strung, paranoid, arrogant "long-hair," while Wyatt, or "Captain America" as Billy takes to calling him, is a cool, calm gentleman. They both were after the same thing (as were all hippies in the 60s): freedom. Of course, this is the hippie-skewed idea of freedom. You could almost call it anarchy.

Politics aside, the camera work is done well. I enjoyed the beautiful scenery as Billy and Wyatt were traveling from Las Angeles to Louisiana. From the mountains of New Mexico to the backwoods of Texas, it was all very distinct and colorful. The music was also always fitting. A few songs also made me chuckle, like the one that played during Jack Nicholson's ride on Wyatt's American flag-painted motorcycle.

But much of what helped the movie feel like the 60s were not just the great soundtrack, but also the campfire segments and what they represented. The campfires represent nature and the free spirit that went on the 60s. Wyatt and Billy didn't want to stay in a city; they wanted to stay secluded in a camp away from all that. The hippie movement was ever-so-present in the movie. The dialogue made that clear too.

One quote that I will always remember, due to its enigmatic tone and context, is "we blew it," coming from Fonda. I'm honest not so sure why I found this quote to be so great and impactful, but its delivery was fantastic and it truly made me rewind "Easy Rider" in my head. I guess Fonda's character could've meant a great deal of things by this: how they blew their money, how the duo weren't able to break off from society like they planned. "We blew it" is one of my favorite quotes in cinema.

But what I appreciate most about this classic and meaningful film is the message that came with Jack Nicholson's character (and arguable one of his best performances), and it will always stick with me even though it doesn't always apply: that Americans will talk about freedom and their Bill of Rights, but when they see someone truly exhibiting freedom and those rights, they'll get scared. In the words of that character: "They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em." And that was the free spirit of America.