Talk:Easy Rider

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

	This article is part of WikiProject Films, an attempt to build a comprehensive and detailed guide to films and film characters on Wikipedia. If you would like to participate, you can edit the article attached to this page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.
B This article has been rated as B-Class on the quality scale. Top This article has been rated as Top-Importance on the importance scale.
Editing Guidelines Please remember these guidelines when editing a film article: If a non-film article already exists with the name of the film that you are trying to create an article for, disambiguate and use (film) in the title: Film Title (film) For more information see: Wikipedia:Naming conventions (films) When writing an article about a particular film, the general format should be a concise lead section, followed by a plot summary of no more than 900 words, production details, a cast list, a reception section, and references. Create an Infobox that tells all pertinent information about the film.

ok, i made some major - but obvious - changes. i integrated the trivia into a coherent (but incomplete) "production" section, as well as a section on the bikes. most of it is taken verbatim from what was in the trivia, but streamlined where necessary. all of that information is included in either the Easy Riders, Raging Bulls book, or the making-of documentary on the DVD, or both, but the citations should be put into footnotes.

i also got rid of the tracklist, since that's in the soundtrack article, and replaced it with some actual information about the soundtrack, again, from the documentary. i left the trivia that i couldn't do anything with, but it should probably be deleted - there's plenty of trivia on IMDB. overall though, i think this is a big improvement Sebs26 22:47, 16 March 2007 (UTC)

A lot deeper than it sounds. It both creates and destroys the hippie ideal, all at the same time. Taking a toke versus a bad trip on LSD leading to a death; the intolerance of the Deep South for nonconformists. "Steal This Book" by Abbie Hoffman does the same, but on paper. You've gotta see this. (The great soundtrack helps, too.)

I concur. This is one of the greatest films of all time. It's up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner, Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, etc. The Wookieepedian 11:34, 31 October 2005 (UTC)

Spinoza1111 05:36, 15 July 2006 (UTC)Hmm, why should I have to put up with somebunny who writes "a lot deeper than it sounds" when he so obviously meant, like wow man, to write the reverse. Oh well...

Spinoza1111 05:36, 15 July 2006 (UTC)The above reverted the following passage:

Despite its "countercultural" ambience, the film had a conservative subtext. No space was given to the idea of social change within viable communities and the "commune" is a joke. Captain America and Billy buy in to the same values of power and control, in the "hippie" register, as the society and for this reason are perceived by the locals (portrayed unflatteringly by real people in a foretaste of modern "reality" shows, and their contempt for reality and the people in it) as in competition and fit for nothing but a drive-by shooting.

Women are treated as sex objects and markers of power and control, and the popularity of this film caused not a little feminist rage in reaction to male hippiedom.

Shortly after this film, and after Altamont and the Manson slayings, the very idea of the hippie became the sickest of jokes at best.

For this reason, it is not at all ironic that Dennis Hopper is today, a Republican and a supporter of President Bush.

Spinoza1111 05:36, 15 July 2006 (UTC)I want this back in. What, we're supposed to accept that this film is about two "liberal radicals" versus "conservatives"?? Bullshit.

Spinoza1111 05:36, 15 July 2006 (UTC)Captain America and Billy are fucking thugs. Even the makers of this film are laughing at people who in any way think that Captain America and Billy were heroes, or even anti-heroes. Their Amerikkka is so fucked up that they themselves are fucked up, and, as Captain America says, they blew it.

Spinoza1111 05:36, 15 July 2006 (UTC)To worship this as a great film is nonsense. It was exploitation at worst and healthily realistic at best.

To answer your question: The contribution you made was both commentary and extreme POV as outlined in the Wikipedia guidlines. If you dispute this, you are welcome to follow the guidlines, and officially dispute the deletion. Rsm99833 09:48, 15 July 2006 (UTC)

Contents 1 Hitchhiker character 2 Wyatt & Billy 3 Film score 4 Trivia

[edit] Hitchhiker character

Can someone explain how/why the hitchhiker is the leader of the commune? Perhaps this is described in some book, DVD commentary, etc. but it is not at all obvious (at least not to me) when viewing the film itself. Thanx, -- Gyrofrog (talk) 05:27, 21 February 2006 (UTC)

He is. He's a combo of various "communes" of the time, who were a "kinder" version (my words, not his)of Charles Manson. Overall, these guys were the "leaders" of a bunch of women. Any other guys just happened along. It's described in the DvD in more detail. Rsm99833

I believe Luke Askew in the "special feature" portion of the DVD/interview in 1999 indicates the no name guy is not a member of the commune, but a traveling salesmen who supplies drugs to communes. Boondocks Ranch 13:08, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Wyatt & Billy

Isn't Hopper, Wyatt and Fonda, Billy? The article has it vice versa Boondocks Ranch 13:15, 9 January 2007 (UTC)

No, the article looks correct to me. Check the imdb page also. --David Edgar 11:32, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

The article is right. Fonda's Wyatt AKA Capt. America, Hopper is Billy. I just re-watched the film plus the documentary and I also watched with the commentary, so believe me, I'm up to my ears in Easy Rider right now, and I can safely tell you the article is right.207.127.128.2 04:13, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

---

There's a howler of a slanderous misstatement in the trivia part of this article: "In the documentary, "Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage", Hopper claims he told the locals that he raped and killed a young girl outside of town in order to elicit the responses he wanted from the local men." I watched the documentary last night (it's on the DVD) and what Hopper says is, he told the local cops in the diner scene to play it AS IF Billy, Wyatt and George had raped a girl outside of town. -- EB

[edit] Film score

This article states "The score of the film was asked to be done entirely by The Band." Easy Rider Soundtrack states "... Crosby, Stills, and Nash were originally slated to do the soundtrack ..." Which is correct? Or maybe both are in some way? Neither of them appears to be referenced. --David Edgar 11:32, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Trivia

I just added a bit of worthless trivia that the title characters are both in Grand Theft Auto games. Therefore, this message of approval isnt necessary.