The 1970s have come to be regarded as the last true golden age of american filmmaking, and this documentary, based on peter biskinds book. Easy riders, raging bulls bbc four 11 january 2004. It isnt much of a critical analysis, but it covers who got these movies made and how, and more importantly, how it all died out. As a subject, the explosion of creativity in 1970s cinema is absolutely bursting with possibility. Easy riders, raging bulls and 0 related entities entities. Easy rider, raging bulls follows the wild ride that was hollywood in the 70s an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock n roll both on screen and off and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme. At times the book feels like a bit of a gossip rag, who fucked who sections happen more than they. Easy rider, raging bulls the documentary on trio youtube. Every film mentioned in peter biskinds easy riders, raging.
Easy riders, raging bulls proved so popular that the slamdance festival had to add two more screenings, the angry jew and myself waited for two hours to see it. Easy riders, raging bulls tells the story of the rise and fall of some of americas most notable directors from the 60s and 70s. The documentary gives the viewer the bare outline one who has read the book is. At a sloma screening, kenneth bowsers documentary explores the hedonistic filmmaking era of the 70s easy writers, raging documentarians arts san luis obispo new times san luis obispo switch to the mobile version of this page. This 2dvd set is kenneth bowsers bbcproduced documentary of peter. Easy riders, raging bulls 4 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars. How the sex n drugs n rock n generation saved hollywood by peter biskind remains one of my favorite nonfiction reads. Easy riders, raging bulls begins in the late 60s as the major hollywood film studios were suffering massive losses when expensive blockbusters began to fall out of favor and a new generation of. Jul 18, 2014 easy riders, raging bulls which covers the making of such seminal films as taxi driver, the last picture show, the french connection, shampoo, heaven can wait. How the sex, drugs and rock n roll generation saved hollywood 2003. Easy riders, raging bulls is a terrific readbut more importantlyit is a highly valuable source of insights into an era of moviemaking that some call hollywoods last golden age. How the sex, drugs and rock n roll generation saved hollywood. Thanks to biskinds persistent and perceptive efforts, this chronicle lays.
From the first few frames of easy riders, raging bulls, i knew i was going to be enjoying the next few hours of tv immensely. A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in american cinema. Easy riders, raging bulls, kenneth bowsers 2003 adaptation of peter. Easy riders, raging bulls is about the 1970s hollywood, a period of american film known for the production of such films such as the godfather, the godfather part ii, chinatown. Last january, a documentary based on easy riders, raging bulls premiered at the slamdance film festival. However much is true, however much really happened that way, easy riders, raging bulls. In my mind, the ending of easy rider was to be an indictment of bluecollar america, the people i thought were responsible for the vietnam war. Michael ovitz promises a memoir, but truly great hollywood.
This was an age when talented filmmakers such as scorcese, coppola, and spielberg, along with a new breed of actors, including deniro, p. The book was the basis of a 2003 documentary film of the same name directed by kenneth bowser and narrated by actor william h. Easy riders, raging bulls by peter biskind keywords. Easy riders, raging bulls will premiere on the trio channel on march 9th, 2003. Like my theory is that everything went to hell with prohibition, because it was a law nobody could obey. For those who hear film history and think titanic, in 1967, the major american film studios were in such disarray and the counterculture seemed to. Toning down the more scabrous content of peter biskinds1998 bestseller easy riders, raging bulls, documaker kenneth bowser has. Easy riders, raging bulls, kenneth bowsers 2003 adaptation of peter biskinds deliciously trashy account of hollywoods 70sera golden age, had the misfortune of appearing around the same time as a decade under the influence, richard lagravenese and ted demmes oppressively reverent take on the same subject.
It is quite the laureate for slamdance to screen this amazing movie. Read the easy riders, raging bulls movie synopsis, view the movie trailer, get cast and crew information, see movie photos, and more on. Kenneth bowsers documentary charts hollywoods second golden age from easy rider in 1969 to raging bull in 1980 through the 70s and the era of the movie. How the sexdrugsandrocknroll generation saved hollywood peter biskind thanks a friend for teaching him the importance of the national. It is chock full of interviews and choice information about the time period 60s70s in american cinema that changed everything, for a lot better and some for not. As a movie fan, i looked forward to easy riders and raging bulls and its examination of the developments of cinema in the seventies. Much like last years the kid stays in the picture, this is a documentary that looks back on the seachange of hollywoods power structure from the late 60s through the 70s, entertaining and informing through the telling of west coast war stories, while displaying old. Toning down the more scabrous content of peter biskinds1998 bestseller easy riders, raging bulls, documaker kenneth bowser has fashioned a galloping chronicle of the sexdrugsandrock n. Biskinds book was salascious, went for the balls, found whatever it could find that might shock or amaze, delved into the dirty details of marriages and affairs. How the sexdrugsandrocknroll generation saved hollywood, peter biskinds great, scathing, newspacked history of. Easy riders raging bulls rock n roll hollywood audiobook by peter biskind part 2 duration.
But in the kind of popularized pseudohistory easy riders, raging bulls exemplifies, anecdotes are valued above all else, bitchy gossip is privileged, dysfunction is automatically more. But easy riders, raging bulls views even its heroes scorsese, coppola, ashby with considerable ambivalence. Easy riders, raging bulls begins in the late 60s as the major hollywood film studios were suffering massive losses when expensive blockbusters began to fall out of. Sep 27, 1998 one of the more curious quotes in easy riders, raging bulls comes from terry southern, the principal screenwriter of easy rider. Toning down the more scabrous content of peter biskinds1998 bestseller easy riders, raging bulls, documaker kenneth bowser has fashioned a galloping chronicle of the sexdrugsandrock n roll. Unlike the occasionally racy book, however, the documentary is rather clinical. Easy riders, raging bulls bbc four, 11 january 2004 22. Easy riders, raging bulls quotes showing 15 of 5 in order to get mean streets made i had to learn how to make a movie, says scorsese. How the sexdrugsandrock n roll generation saved hollywood. I recently read the book easy riders, raging bulls, which documents the rise of fall of the new hollywood cinematic movement of the late 60s and 70s. The overlapping documentaries essentially negated each. This documentary is based on the book by peter biskind. Macy, easy riders, raging bulls features vintage clips of the directors who defined the movement.
Based on hundreds of interviews with the directors themselves, producers, stars, agents, writers, studio. Easy riders, raging bulls, a list of films by mongoosecmr. Some of todays best filmmakers interview the influential directors of. A clip from the bbc documentary, based on the book by peter biskind.
Easy riders, raging bulls author peter biskind looks back. Easy riders, raging bulls, based on peter biskinds controversial 1998 book, succinctly captures the revolution that saved hollywood and changed it forever. Over the next ten years, hopper appeared frequently on television in guest roles, and by the end of the 1960s had. Easy riders, raging bulls by peter biskind goodreads. Ultimately, easy ridersraging bulls does what a good hollywood documentary is supposed to do.
He made his first television appearance in 1955, and appeared in two films featuring james dean, rebel without a cause 1955 and giant 1956. The overlapping documentaries essentially negated each other. Easy riders, raging bulls bbc four 11 january 2004 bbc. I have read the book that easy riders, raging bulls is based on, and i dont think that the documentary really does as good a job at conveying the feel for the story that it tells. Methodically, as thrillingly as a movie attorney, biskind builds the case that hollywood was revived by wild ones who then betrayed their own dreams, slit their own throats and destroyed an art form by producing that mindless, inhuman modern behemoth, the blockbuster. In 2004, at a time when major studio films overall have never been worse well, maybe 192829 was as bad, when talkies first came in, movies like mean streets and the last picture show.
How the sex, drugs and rock n roll generation saved hollywood 2003 connections on imdb. Easy riders, raging bulls is about the 1970s hollywood, a period of american film known for the production of such films such as the godfather, the godfather part ii, chinatown, taxi driver, jaws, star wars, the exorcist, and the. Easy ridersraging bulls 2003 kenneth bowser synopsis. Easy riders, raging bulls this bbcproduced documentary traces the rise of hollywood filmmakers that pushed boundaries. Easy riders, raging bulls meticulously outlines the advent of a new brand of iconoclastic auteurs who overthrew the big production houses to breathe new life into the biggest film industry on the planet. Dennis hopper may 17, 1936 may 29, 2010 was an american actor, director, writer, film editor, photographer and artist.
Rent easy riders, raging bulls 2003 on dvd and bluray. He spoke to you at least 15 times for easy riders, raging bulls, discussing the making of his films including bonnie and clyde along with his own directorial work. But there are a couple of problems that become inherent. At a sloma screening, kenneth bowsers documentary explores the hedonistic filmmaking era of the 70s. How the sexdrugsand rock n roll generation changed hollywood. How the sexdrugand rock n roll generation saved hollywood, a rollicking gossippropelled magiccarpet ride through the heady days of the 70s has exhibited incredible staying power as well as lasting impactand not just because several of its subjects are still active in the business. The book displays an unresolved tension between celebrating its subjects attempts to use the hollywood system for personal expression and attacking the hubris that resulted from what biskind sees as their opportunistic embrace of. When the lowbudget biker movie easy rider shocked hollywood with its success in 1969, a new hollywood era was born.
The program rushes through its subjects and would benefit from a substantially longer running time, but for what it attempts, it mostly succeeds. Easy writers, raging documentarians arts san luis obispo. A juicy documentary that chronicles probably the most exciting, energetic and exceptional decade of hollywood. Then came vietnam, and marijuana, which clearly shouldnt be illegal, but is. Easy riders, raging bulls tells of some of the great american movies of the 20th century. Easy riders, raging bulls audiobook by peter biskind. Easy riders, raging bulls author peter biskind looks. And since most of the principal players are not only still alive but still working, there should be a fantastic documentary to be made about the period. Easy riders, raging bulls is also more than a fistful of dazzling anecdotes. Easy riders, raging bulls follows the wild ride that was hollywood in the 70s an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock n roll both onscreen and off and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme. How the sexdrugsandrock n roll generation saved hollywood biskind, peter on. Every film mentioned in peter biskinds easy riders. Nov 19, 2019 easy riders, raging bulls is as much about failure as it is about success, as much about insecurities and jealousies as egos, as much about weaknesses as arrogance, its about work and talent as much as it is about coincidence and sheer good or bad luck.
Nov, 2003 easy riders, raging bulls 4 5 stars 4 out of 5 stars. A look at 1970s hollywood when it was known as new hollywood, and the director was the star of the movie. How the sexdrugsand rock n roll generation changed hollywood biskind, peter on. Focusing mostly on the new hollywood movement of the 70s, it also mentions quite a number of films surrounding the movement. Macy, easy riders, raging bulls follows a timeline from the late 60s to the mid70s, interspersing footage of films with both old and new interviews with stars like dennis. Rent easy riders, raging bulls 2003 starring arthur penn and john milius on dvd and bluray. A documentary like easy riders, raging bulls should be the kind of documentary i should like more. Theres enough detail in biskinds book for a whole series, but this lengthy documentary, co. With martin scorsese, dennis hopper, peter bogdanovich, sam peckinpah. So the whole concept of the rule of law was corrupted at that moment.
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