Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex, Drugs and Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003)

A look at 1970s Hollywood when it was known as New Hollywood, and the director was the star of the movie.

Director:

Kenneth Bowser

Writers:

Peter Biskind (book), Kenneth Bowser

Stars:

Martin Scorsese, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdanovich

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself
Dennis Hopper	...	Himself
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Himself
Sam Peckinpah	...	Himself (archive footage)
Warren Beatty	...	Himself
Robert Altman	...	Himself
Arthur Penn	...	Himself
Jack Nicholson	...	Himself
Francis Ford Coppola	...	Himself
Steven Spielberg	...	Himself
George Lucas	...	Himself
Tony Bill	...	Himself
Peter Bart	...	Himself
Paul Schrader	...	Himself
Sharon Tate	...	(archive footage)

Storyline

Based upon Peter Biskind's book of the same name, this BBC-produced documentary traces the rise of a generation of Hollywood filmmakers who briefly changed the face of movies with a more personal approach that pushed the boundaries of what was acceptable on-screen. Influential directors who appear include Arthur Penn ("Bonnie and Clyde"), Dennis Hopper ("Easy Rider"), Francis Ford Coppola ("The Godfather"), John Schlesinger ("Midnight Cowboy"), Bob Rafelson ("Five Easy Pieces") Martin Scorsese ("Taxi Driver"), Peter Bogdanovich ("The Last Picture Show"), and Jonathan Demme ("Crazy Mama"). Narrated by William H. Macy, the documentary features vintage clips of Coppola, Scorsese, Beatty, George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Roman Polanski, Robert Altman, and Pauline Kael. It also includes original interview material with Penn; Roger Corman; Bogdanovich; Hopper; David Picker; writer/directors John Milius and Paul Schrader; actresses Karen Black, Cybill Shepherd, Margot Kidder, and Jennifer Salt; ...

---

Plot Keywords:

hollywood | actor | producer | interview | place name in title | 

---

Taglines:

How the Sex Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

---

Genres:

Documentary

---

Certificate:

TV-14

Details

Country:

Canada UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 March 2003 (USA)

Also Known As:

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Cactus Three, Fremantle Corporation, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many of the subjects profiled in author Peter Biskind's book, including directors Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert Altman, and 'William Friedkin', declined interviews for the documentary.

---

Connections

References I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)

User Reviews

An exceptional film...educational and entertaining

This is a great look at Hollywood in the 1960's and 1970's. If you hadn't already noticed, that was an era of great American films, and "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" tells you how and why. The interviews and narration are awesome, and I love seeing all those old movie posters and clips. There may be a few independent filmmakers missing from this piece, but it's impossible to cover them all in just 2 hours. Plus, the thesis of this film deals with the major studios and how talented YOUNG artists briefly took control and made cool movies with studio money. I only wish the industry was like that today.