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Easy Rider

kristov
My oldest daughter Christine found this video and since she knows how much I like the movie and the Byrds (another dinosaur band in her opinion) she was sure that I'd enjoy it. She was right! I saw Easy Rider the when it was first released and I think I was 14. After watching the film I wanted a Harley, wanted to hit the road to see America and I wanted a chance at some of that free love, although I was not exactly sure just what that was at the time [:I].

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QspVQhDfB7k
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Comments

16 comments

Date Votes
  • jimdeere
    That movie had a profound affect on me as a teenager. Wore a pair of pink shades for a year. My first motorcycle helmet was like Peter Fonda's. I ordered it from J. C. Whitney.
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  • dheffley
    I bought a new Captain America helmet last year. Movie was great, but the helmet is a classic!
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  • ljwrench
    Watched it yesterday on AMC. Been watchin AMC alot this week. Dirty Dozen, One Who Flew Over the Coo Coo Nest, ect. Been a good week for TV with the heat and all.
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  • EVILDR235
    Saw Peter Fonda doing a commerical on tv last weekend for 1960s rock and roll CDs.There was a Captain America style chopper in the background.The man has sold out to the system.
    EvilDr235
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  • Txs
    I first saw Easyrider the right way. I snuck in the back of a drive-in on my motorcycle.

    I read an interview with Peter Fonda several years ago and he mentioned some interesting details about the HD's they used. Trivia time: Anyone know where these motorcycles came from and what eventually became of them?

    One of my favorites from his Oscar nominee performance...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySgOds3bzcc
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  • kristov
    quote:Originally posted by Txs
    I first saw Easyrider the right way. I snuck in the back of a drive-in on my motorcycle.

    I read an interview with Peter Fonda several years ago and he mentioned some interesting details about the HD's they used. Trivia time: Anyone know where these motorcycles came from and what eventually became of them?

    One of my favorites from his Oscar nominee performance...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySgOds3bzcc


    They were ex-police bikes purchased at auction and (depending on which story you beleive) they were stolen.
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  • CHGOTHNDER
    C'mon with us this weekend to the fulton County M/C rodeo were going down with a big group and you can wear the helmet
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  • David Nunn
    First R-rated movie I ever saw.

    I think that the dark-haired girl in New Orleans went on to become a recording star. The other one was Karen Black, with the strange eyes. One looks at you and the other looks over yonder.

    I liked Billy's (Dennis Hopper) bike better than the Captain America (Peter Fonda) bike. It had a front brake (!) a lot less rake and less extension to the fork, and more sensible handle bars.

    I can't imagine riding across country on a hardtail bike of any description, though.
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  • Da-Tank
    Rumor back then was that they financed the film with the drugs you see in the opening scene. Don't know if its true. Loved the movie,made me mad at the end cus i'm a biker.
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  • Oklahoma223
    What does Captain America mean at the end of the movie when Billy says, "We're rich" and he says " No, we blew it Billy, we blew it." I don't know what he means by that.
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  • He Dog
    He was always part of the system. There were two choppers built for "Captain America" and used in the movie. One was destroyed in the ending, and the other was junked after. Neither original remains (not that I would want a chopper). Drugs financing the movie was part of the myth and hype, though I have no doubt profits from the movie financed a fair amount of drugs.
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  • Txs
    quote:Originally posted by kristov
    They were ex-police bikes purchased at auction and (depending on which story you beleive) they were stolen.Specifically, they started out as $500 former LAPD motorcycles and he says all but one was stolen before filming was actually completed. The last scene they shot (camped in Louisiana) had to be done without showing the motorcycles sitting by the fire. I'd never really noticed, but they are missing there.

    quote:Originally posted by Da-Tank
    Rumor back then was that they financed the film with the drugs you see in the opening scene.Fonda said it was real weed you see being smoked in the movie, but claims that powdered sugar was substituted for the coke at the beginning. He said the camp scene where they introduce Nicholson's character to weed had to be filmed in several takes and spliced together because they kept losing track, laughing inappropriately with the dialogue, etc.

    The Captain America bike used in the final scene wasn't totally destroyed, just very seriously banged up. He said their bike mechanic during filming, who also appears as one of the commune freaks, was a buddy of his and ended up with it's remains. He rebuilt it and years later sold it to a collector. This mechanic was Dan Haggerty (Grizzly Adams).
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  • sierrasam
    the film was produced by Bert Schreider and directed by Bob Rafielson.
    Both were the creators of The Monkees TV show. Thats the source of financing for its production.
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  • Queen of Swords
    quote:Originally posted by Oklahoma223
    What does Captain America mean at the end of the movie when Billy says, "We're rich" and he says " No, we blew it Billy, we blew it." I don't know what he means by that.


    They "blew it" in that they became what they were rebelling against. The went for the "easy money", thought life would be good, and in the end, it turned out to be a real bummer of a trip.

    One of my favorite movies.....
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  • Queen of Swords
    I get a kick out of the fact that Dennis Hopper is now a spokesman for Ameritrade. Just the sort of person I would chose to inspire people to feel safe enough with to invest for their retirements in.....[8D]
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  • Txs
    quote:Originally posted by sierrasam
    the film was produced by Bert Schreider and directed by Bob Rafielson.
    Both were the creators of The Monkees TV show. Thats the source of financing for its production.The Monkees/Easy Rider connection is true, but you're not entirely correct.

    Peter Fonda was actually credited as it's producer and Schreider was the executive producer (translation: big money man). He and Rafelson owned it's production company, which also produced the Monkees.

    It was directed by Dennis Hopper. Lots of stories have gone around over the years about him staying so whacked out and ranting all the time that the entire film crew walked out on him and had to be replaced.
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