HWY: An American Pastoral (1969)

A young man wanders the desert and than drives in a car to Los Angeles.

Director:

Paul Ferrara

Writers:

Paul Ferrara, Babe Hill,

Stars:

Jim Morrison

Cast

Cast overview:
Jim Morrison	...	The Hitchhiker

Storyline

A young man wanders the desert and than drives in a car to Los Angeles.

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Plot Keywords:

desert | swimming | old people | coyote | voice over narration | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 1969 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Hitchhiker

Filming Locations:

Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$30,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

50 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

The Hitchhiker: Look, I don't know how to tell you this, but... I killed a guy.

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Connections

Edited into American Masters: The Doors: When You're Strange (2009)

User Reviews

Insight into the Morrison Icon film HWY

"HWY An American Pastoral"

The movie you love to hate. James Douglas Morrisson Stars in this apparent "non-movie" about a man, a car, and a HWY. With Morrison behind the wheel the movie takes a lot of dark and somewhat twisted turns but even without any outside financial backing, he was able to hold it all together, complete this risky experimental film, and turn in an admiral acting performance considering that much of it is unscripted. HWY is considered By some ( including myself of course) to be the first American Indie movie. The movie predates the movie Easy Rider by two years and the quality is almost on par with that film. Jim Morrison made this film in the void following the demise of the Hollywood studio system and was aware that a change was happening. He realized that anyone could now make and distribute their own films. Morrison and his film "HWY An American Pastoral" were right on the edge of what seems like the exact moment our culture of mass media kicked in...kind of like the acid Jim loved to consume.

Stafford P. Lansman