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This book is broken into three parts that provide different insights into the film. Written with the help of Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, the book explores the making of the film, its social aspects, and its role in the film industry. In the first part, the author discusses the decisions made for the development of the film’s plot and casting of characters. It gives a bit of background into the thought process behind the film. The next part of the book elucidates the roles of the characters in society. While Billy and Wyatt represent Billy the Kid and Wyatt Earp, George Hanson represents the straight-laced man who sees society’s faults. The section of the book also touches upon the film as an allegory for society because of its structure as a modern western. The last part of the book describes how the film affected other films made by Hopper and Fonda as well as its role in New Hollywood.
The first and third parts of the book provide a bit of background for the film and some context for the time period. The second part however, seems to be the most helpful in analysis of the film. It discusses indirect characterization and the characters’ roles in the critique of the American Dream. The part of the book provides section by section description of how the film parallels societal issues of the 1960s. It gives good analysis of how scenes in the film contribute to the overall message of the film. It also describes the use of film editing techniques in order to add to the development of the story and its affect on the viewer. The section of the book hints at moods of the film in various scenes and the effects of cinematography and editing on the film’s message.
This analysis first describes the concept of friendships in road movies. He claims that male-bonding is an integral part to the concept of road movies. The author discusses how the two new friends that join the main characters in Easy Rider represent social elements of modern culture. The hippie who joins them provides a look at counterculture, while George Hanson represents southern conservatism. The presence of conservatism is also present as non-actors really judge Wyatt and Billy for being hippies, and George for involving himself with them. The author continues on to discuss drug use in the film. He claims that the film stands alone as an avant-garde work because of its editing techniques especially in the scene where the actors are on LSD. The film includes jump cuts, juxtaposition, and varied camera positioning. The author finishes his discussion with the claim that the film is a modern classic.
The analysis of Easy Rider provides an outlook on the meaning of different elements of the film. It supplies some perspective on the film from someone who obviously holds it in great respect. The article includes some insider information about the film such as the fact that the actors actually took drugs featured in the film, and that the people who react to the characters in the diner scene were not actors. The article also describes how the film was fashioned after French New Wave films, which provides the viewer with an idea of the reasoning behind the film’s structure, and how it contributes to the message of the film.
Miller, Timothy. "Introduction." The Hippies and American Values. Knoxville: The University of Tennessee Press, 1991. 1-21.
In the first chapter of the book describes the idea of developing countercultures. It discusses bohemians and beatniks as well as hippies. The chapter claims that many countercultures in the United States grew out of black America. Elements of counterculture include escapism and vocal members. The goal of the 1960s hippie counterculture was withdrawal from society, and not so much rebellion, but act against oppressive American culture nonetheless. The chapter describes the generational gap that accounts for the counterculture. It also describes how gender, race, and class are involved in the movement. While many hippies were from the middle class, they identified with the members of society that were oppressed by the white-male dominated society. The chapter also discusses the counterculture’s disdain towards organized religion. The chapter also discusses literary resources for the counterculture, such as underground papers.
The section of the book offers historical context for the film Easy Rider. It allows the viewer to understand the ideas of counterculture that the characters epitomize, although the hippie movement has long passed. The character’s conflicts with oppressive members of society, mainly white males, are clarified through an understanding of the counterculture of the late 1960s. Religion is also present in the film. The perversion of what is traditionally a holy place occurs when the characters drop acid and have sex with whores in a graveyard amongst religious statues is explicable through the book. The chapter in the book provides an explanation for the scene, as one might see it as an attack on organized religion, and not religion itself.
The article analyses the technique of method acting from a sociological perspective. It describes how method actors are able to combine talent and an understanding of the social world to create realistic characters. The researcher looks at the techniques used by trained actors. The strategies that method actors use entail placing themselves it the shoes of the character. They must acutely observe the world, and the goal of the portrayal of characters is to include genuine emotions. The character’s interaction with the material world and the symbolism of objects with which they interact is important. Also, improvisation provides a lifelike feel to method acting. Overall, the researcher stresses the importance of the actor’s devotion to the role. Actors must use cultural resources like books and films in order to understand the part they must play. Actors can also draw upon personal experiences in order to make situations seem more realistic. Physicalization allows the actor to look the part of the character as well.
The concept of method acting helps the viewer to understand the film Easy Rider. The characters in the film often used improvisational dialogue. Also, the scenes in which the actors were on drugs were authentic. The actors were also able to identify with the characters in the film and portray them, because they were immersed in the counterculture of the 1960s. Also, because Dennis Hopper played a major role in the film making process, his investment in the ideas of the film and role as auteur enabled him to play his character, Billy. The characters also looked their parts due to costume and grooming. These elements allow the film to be more realistic and raw, which provides the viewer with a closer connection to the characters and their cause. The message of the film is that much stronger due to the use of method acting.
The article discusses the idea of soundtracks and their growth in modern film. A soundtrack is described as an album put together consisting of prerecorded music with the aim of linking ideas of the film with concepts that the audiences understands through recognized music. The article states that the concept of a rock and roll soundtrack became popular with the films The Graduate, and Easy Rider. While The Graduate features pop music that provides nostalgia, Easy Rider includes music that represents youthful rebellion. The music in Easy Rider is diegetic, while it is not in The Graduate, but it is meant to be heard and contributes to the film. In Easy Rider, the music often exists to send a message and is the focus of attention. The article also touches upon the idyllic idea of generational cohesion that is present in the music of the film. The plot of the film abnegates the concept however, as the dreams of communalism are ended with the deaths of the main characters. The article also discusses at length the nostalgic role of music in the films American Graffiti, The Big Chill, Dirty Dancing, and Baby, It’s You.
Reading this article provides acumen for Easy Rider as a complete work. The music becomes just as important as the plot, as it contributes to the message. The fact that the music in the film was all prerecorded instead of the film having a score supports the idea of auteurism because all of the music was chosen from the filmmaker's personal collection. The music also provides a way for the audience to connect to the story on a personal level. In moments when the music is the focus of the film, the viewer can feel the mood of the story and understand the message through lyrics.
The article discusses the idea of westward expansion in the United States. American westward movement originally dealt with the search for freedom from eastern United States. The expansion however leads to development in the west very similar to that in the east. The article describes how Easy Rider is a reversal of the idea of searching for freedom through westward expansion. Instead, the characters move from west to east and come upon individuals in remote areas who are living free lives. The article describes the allegorical concept of naivety that it common to the film and Don Quixote. The article outlines Wyatt’s role as “Captain American” and Billy’s role as the outlaw, Billy the Kid. The author also suggests that George’s name parallels George Washington’s role as the truth teller. The article goes on to claim that the eastern movement of the characters to Mardi Gras represents not the search for individual freedom like western movement, but the discovery of hedonism and eventually destruction. It also suggests sexual and religious symbols in the film. The article is summed up by saying that Wyatt’s statement that, “we blew it” should be the words of the modern man.
The article allows for direct analysis of the film. The allegorical elements become clearer to the viewer through this article. For instance, Wyatt’s role as “Captain America” is evident through his motorcycle design. The article gives brief insight into possible symbols in the film. It permits the viewer to look independently and more deeply into the film’s symbols as well as think about the development of modern society and its possible downfall.
The author of this article elucidates the four types of hippies from an anthropological standpoint. The four types of hippie according to the author are the visionaries, heads and freaks, midnight hippies, and plastic hippies. The article describes how hippies were against the idea of the traditional American Dream of earning money and social standing. They were against conforming, connectedness among people, and commercialism. The author critiques the hippie ideology that by doing what one thought was self help, one was working for the greater good of the hippie community. He describes the idea of unity behind the rural communes that were popular in California. He goes on to discuss drug use in the community. The article also describes plastic hippies who put on a façade as well as midnight hippies who had to be members of the straight-laced culture because of their generation, but identified with the hippie youth. Finally the article analyzes deviation from the hippie community as well as disaffiliation from society.
Easy Rider can be analyzed by looking at the development of the hippie movement. The article provides historical context for the film as well as background into the causes of the characters. It becomes clear through the article that Wyatt and Billy are visionaries trying to make sense of society and their role in it, as they travel across the country. The discussion of communal living parallels the commune that the characters visit. The article also provides some criticism of the characters’ plight. This gives another outlook on the film, as the viewer is expected to empathize with the characters who experience harsh treatment from conforming members of society.
Davis, Fred, and Laura Munoz. "Heads and Freaks: Patterns and Meanings of Drug Use Among Hippies." Journal of Health and Social Behavior 9.2 (1968): 156-164
This article outlines the use of drugs in the hippie community during the late 1960s. It claims that hippies were more accepting of their brands of drugs like marijuana and LSD because they thought they were safer than tobacco and alcohol let alone the other drugs used at the time. The article also describes the different generalizations about hippie drug use that one must avoid. It asserts that one must understand the different subcultures of the hippie movement in order to understand the use of drugs. It describes prices, appearances, grades and effects of drugs like LSD and Methamphetamine. The article highlights the difference between "heads" who use drugs for mind expansion, and "freaks" who are addicts and their sociological stances.
The discussion of drugs in the hippie community in this article provides background for drug use in Easy Rider. While drug use is not seen by most now and when the film was made as socially acceptable, the characters in the film use drugs as a way of exemplifying aspects of the 1960s counterculture. Easy Rider was geared towards a youthful audience and away from traditional Hollywood standards. Drug use was a common facet of society, so the film highlights an important historical aspect. It is important to note that drug use in the film is not used to demonize the characters, but is rather acceptable. The characters sell harmful cocaine, which is where they go wrong. They sell to an opulent man, one who is completely against their hippie standards. At the same time the take on the role of "heads." They recreationally use hippie drugs in scenes that clarify different internal struggles and their search for understanding society and themselves.
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From the perspective of the director of “road movies,” the article discusses the genre. The article explains the structure of the types of film through discussion of films like Passenger and Ten. It describes how road movies explore new places as well as the characters involved. They are not limited by traditional Hollywood plot development. The plots do not rely on quick story development, but rather give insight into the internal conflicts of characters. The author also describes how the genre of films tends to straddle the line of documentary and fiction. He goes on to say that “road movies” are about defying conformity and exploration.
The article parallels the development of Easy Rider as a quintessential road movie. It highlights key aspects to the film such as the lack of reliance on standard Hollywood methods of plot development. This concept shows how the style of Easy Rider deals partly with its genre and partly with the New Hollywood era in which it was made. Some New Hollywood directors tried to get the viewer to connect with characters because they were part of the counterculture. Easy Rider allows the viewer to do this as well as connect with them because the structure of the film gives insight into internal issues that the characters have. The silent moments that occur in many “road movies” are an important facet in Wyatt’s character in Easy Rider. As the article describes, Easy Rider seems to be slightly like a documentary as the viewer follows around the protagonists. The actors often improvise lines, which makes the film more realistic. The viewer must pick up information about the characters along the way as the characters learn about themselves and American society.
The article describes the role of auteurism in 1960s and 1970s Hollywood, and discusses New Hollywood’s relationship with the working class. The centralization of the director’s ideas caused a drift away from labor unions as directors wanted to make sure that everyone who worked on their films stood behind his vision. The article claims that may films focused on trying to get middle-class youth, specifically college students, to disaffiliate from their societal standings by highlighting counter-cultural ideas. The article mainly discusses however, New Hollywood films that elucidate the struggles of the working class and its backlash against the ideas of the counter-cultural movement. It discusses the New Hollywood films about the working class, Joe and Five Easy Pieces, and their roles in modern society and the film industry.
The article helps one to understand the film Easy Rider because it describes the popular concept of auteurism in the 1960s and 1970s. It shows the effects of the concept on the film industry and allows the reader to have some insight into the different social movements of the 1960s and 1970s. While the article mentions that many of the New Hollywood films, like Easy Rider, dealt with the idea of counterculture, it discusses two films that are somewhat adverse to the counterculture of the time. This allows the reader to understand the historical and social context of Easy Rider. While many affiliate New Hollywood with counterculture, it is important to note that auteurism is an important aspect of the movement and weighs more heavily in the vision of the director than the concepts that were popular.