Easy Rider is a 1969 film which has become an anthem to the hippie lifestyle. It tells the story of two young hippies (Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper) who set out on their Harley-Davidson motorcycles to "see America" and encounter several American types, including Jack Nicholson in his breakthrough role.
The movie was written by Fonda, Hopper and Terry Southern, and was directed by Hopper. It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Jack Nicholson) and Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Material Not Previously Published or Produced.
The film was #88 on American Film Institute's list of 100 Years, 100 Movies, and has been selected for preservation in the United States' National Film Registry.
Trivia: The scenes playing on a New Orleans cemetery towards the end of the film were shot first. During the shooting, Dennis Hopper, legendary at the time for drug excesses, tyrannized the crew so much that everyone quit. The rest of the film had to be shot with an entirely new crew.
