Easy Rider (1969)

Two bikers head from L.A. to New Orleans through the open country and desert lands, and along the way they meet a man who bridges a counter-culture gap of which they had been unaware.

Director:

Dennis Hopper

Writers:

Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper

Stars:

Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Jack Nicholson

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Fonda	...	Wyatt
Dennis Hopper	...	Billy
Antonio Mendoza	...	Jesus
Phil Spector	...	Connection
Mac Mashourian	...	Bodyguard
Warren Finnerty	...	Rancher
Tita Colorado	...	Rancher's Wife
Luke Askew	...	Stranger on Highway
Luana Anders	...	Lisa
Sabrina Scharf	...	Sarah
Sandy Brown Wyeth	...	Joanne (as Sandy Wyeth)
Robert Walker Jr.	...	Jack (as Robert Walker)
Robert Ball	...	Mime #1
Carmen Phillips	...	Mime #2
Ellie Wood Walker	...	Mime #3 (as Ellie Walker)

Storyline

Netting a hefty profit from their latest drug deal, hippies Wyatt and Billy decide to outfit themselves with among other things motorbikes - Wyatt complete in what they call his Captain America gear and similar motif on the bike - and chucking any structure in their lives beyond the want to get there for the event, cycle from their home base of Los Angeles to New Orleans for Mardi Gras in just over a week. They don't plan to spend their proceeds on this trip - they saving that for a more carefree life in Florida after the fact - they sleeping in the great outdoors along the way. While Wyatt is more easy going, believing in the karmic nature and practicality of helping others when they can and in turn asking for help when they need it, Billy is a little more suspicious of the people they encounter, especially in hiding their wad of cash that is stuffed into the gas tank of Wyatt's bike, that money their future. They will find that not all counter-culturalists have the exact same ...

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Plot Keywords:

road movie | motorcycle | friendship | campfire | montage | 

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Taglines:

All they wanted was to be free

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Genres:

Adventure | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Some of the weird lighting effects in the LSD scene came about because a can of film was accidentally exposed when it was opened before being developed.

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Goofs

After Wyatt asks the farmer permission to repair the motorcycle tire in the barn, the cowboy who is shoeing a horse puts his left arm on the horse's back. Between shots he appears with his both arms by his sides.

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Quotes

Rancher: Turn that thing off, you're makin' my horse skittish. That chopper's a good lookin' machine.
Captain America: Yeah.

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Connections

Referenced in Duckman: Private Dick/Family Man: Not So Easy Riders (1994)

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Soundtracks

Born to Be Wild
Performed by Steppenwolf
Composed by Mars Bonfire

User Reviews

Spaced - Out Bikers

In this counterculture film, we have a spaced-out trio of Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and a funny Jack Nicholson tooling down the "high"way, on motorcycles and "stuff", en route from L.A. to Mardi Gras. As artistic expression during an angry era of war and social change, the film communicates a powerful philosophy, in lieu of a complex plot.

Most scenes take place outdoors, in the American South and Southwest. Laszlo Kovacs' adroit cinematography, combined with an expansive soundtrack, hippie lingo, and "cool" clothes, convey the film's underlying message of individual freedom and nonconformity. The film is significant in that it was one of several successful 60's films made by individuals outside the traditional Hollywood studio structure. As such, "Easy Rider" broke new ground in film-making.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Release Date:

26 June 1969 (Sweden)

Also Known As:

The Loners

Filming Locations:

Santa Monica Mountains, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$360,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$74,448, 14 July 2019

Gross USA:

$123,276

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$123,276

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pando Company Inc., Raybert Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital

Color:

Color Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1