Billy: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That's what it's all about. George Hanson: Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em. Billy: Well, it don't make 'em runnin' scared. George Hanson: No, it makes 'em dangerous.
But you can argue whether or not he'd have been cast in the latter if he hadn't been cast in the former.
I'm embarassed to say I never saw Easy Rider. Saw Blue Velvet once and didn't particularly care for it. My main memories of Dennis Hopper are in those Nike commercials from like a decade or two ago and as Victor Drazen in the first season of "24." Nevertheless and nearly needless to say, RIP.
Easy Rider is an interesting moment in time, with an almost documentary quality to it. Is it a "great" film? Not in the sense that Casablanca is a great film, but it serves several purposes. America has always been interested in "the journey," whether it's Kerouac or Lord of the Rings. America is also infatuated with the anti-hero. Easy Rider served as a template, as well as a cautionary tale, for a lot of people.
A few months back I'd already thought he was dead. I think I got his diagnosis confused with him being dead. Anyway, RIP.
I've never actually watched Easy Rider, but I think I will soon. One of the greatest scenes in film history
Easy Rider.....I heard al lthe hype, and finally caught it on TV a few years back. I was not impressed. It's ones of those movies you are supposed to like, and try to like, but just cannot.
Aside from the fact that I never quite bought Christopher Walken as a Sicilian, that scene is classic Hopper. In some respects, you had to be there, or else have that kind of nostalgia some people have for an era you haven't lived through. At the very least, it's a hoot to watch Nicholson playing young and crazy, as opposed to simply crazy.
Had been thinking of cranking up 24 S01 DVDs since the finale last week. Will definitely do it now. That, Hoosiers, and Speed. But no Waterworld.
Sorry, but I just couldn't get into it. Hopper was a great talent no doubt, but I like his other roles much better.
