Ride On, "Easy Rider"
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Peter Fonda riding, in the summer of '09, the actual chopper from "Easy Rider"; peace.
If you haven't had 1969 percolating in the brain lately, you will. That major moment in history/music festivals/movies/moon-walking has been much in the news as of late, what with all of those things turning 40.
"Forty" was a figure that probably seemed far, far away when pals Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson, and Dennis Hopper hopped on their choppers for a big ol' celebrate-youth, celebrate-freedom, stick-it-to-The-Man, we're-dropping-out ride across the good ol' U.S. of A. The film -- "Easy Rider" -- was a fiction, and yet not; it succinctly, and colorfully, captured the spirit of all the crazy change and happenings and question of values going down at the close of the 1960s.
Whatever happened to happenings? Are they still happening? They should.
We were heartened to see Mr. Fonda back on the chopper used in the movie, sporting the same patriotic helmet and the same peace sign and shaggy-handsome smile, earlier this summer. Is the dream over? Certainly not. And that all the major players of the film went onto more movies that broke further ground is only a tribute to "Rider" and what is heralded.
It's playing at ArcLight Hollywood on Wednesday, August 5th at 8PM. Arriving in suede fringe or with a daisy painted on your cheek is up to you. Keeping the flame of freedom, man, of those asphalt aspirations, deep in your heart, is encouraged.
