At the beginning of the film, we are told that Hells Angels had participated in the making of the film. This is a surprise, as the film seems to be a denouncement of this kind of lifestyle. This was a surprise to me, as I was thinking that we would be rooting for the motorcycle people against "the man". Perhaps however, 1966, when the film was made, would be different from 1968.
The first time we should realize that we should not be for Heavenly Blues (Peter Fonda) and his gang is when they attack some Mexican youths in a garage. Roger Coorman emphasizes the size differences between the two groups, the all white gang being much bigger than the Mexicans, with Heavenly Blues using racially derogatory comments towards the Mexicans. Later, one of his gang members will try to rape an African American nurse, with Heaveny Blues intervening not out of honorable reasons, but just to get the hell out of the hospital and not get caught.
The police in the film are portrayed rather decently. In the hospital, the officer guarding the Loser (Played by Bruce Dern) is portrayed as a caring person, polite to the African American nurse, and concerned about the so called Sister of the Loser (Played by Nancy Sinatra). The police are never shown as being brutal authority figures, but just as people trying to keep things in a peaceful way.
Bruce Derns name in the film (The loser) is apt for the whole group. They are in fact portrayed as losers. They're only goal In life is to ride free, and get stoned. They are shown to be able to be exploited by unscrupulous people, such as the Funeral arranger. When at the end the police are on the way, Nancy Sinatra tells Fonda's character, lets get away, He responds for the first time with any real sense of his own life, "there is no where to go". They all leave, but he continues to dig the grave for "The loser", he could be actually digging his own grave.
It is during the church scene, where the audience will find these characters repugnant. You don't have to be religious to do so. At the end of the film, you are going to be rooting for the townspeople, watching the ridiculous funeral procession, to attack the motor cycle gang. Coorman bookends the film interesting here. At the beginning, we saw a young boy on a tricycle. At the end of the film, as I recall, it is a young boy who throws an object at the motor cycle gang in the cemetery.
I happened to watch the film by chance, on one of those on demand free cable stations. I can't say I was totally entertained by the film. It seems somewhat dated now. But it did surprise me, and I would have to suggest that their was a message in the film, and a rather strong one.
The first time we should realize that we should not be for Heavenly Blues (Peter Fonda) and his gang is when they attack some Mexican youths in a garage. Roger Coorman emphasizes the size differences between the two groups, the all white gang being much bigger than the Mexicans, with Heavenly Blues using racially derogatory comments towards the Mexicans. Later, one of his gang members will try to rape an African American nurse, with Heaveny Blues intervening not out of honorable reasons, but just to get the hell out of the hospital and not get caught.
The police in the film are portrayed rather decently. In the hospital, the officer guarding the Loser (Played by Bruce Dern) is portrayed as a caring person, polite to the African American nurse, and concerned about the so called Sister of the Loser (Played by Nancy Sinatra). The police are never shown as being brutal authority figures, but just as people trying to keep things in a peaceful way.
Bruce Derns name in the film (The loser) is apt for the whole group. They are in fact portrayed as losers. They're only goal In life is to ride free, and get stoned. They are shown to be able to be exploited by unscrupulous people, such as the Funeral arranger. When at the end the police are on the way, Nancy Sinatra tells Fonda's character, lets get away, He responds for the first time with any real sense of his own life, "there is no where to go". They all leave, but he continues to dig the grave for "The loser", he could be actually digging his own grave.
It is during the church scene, where the audience will find these characters repugnant. You don't have to be religious to do so. At the end of the film, you are going to be rooting for the townspeople, watching the ridiculous funeral procession, to attack the motor cycle gang. Coorman bookends the film interesting here. At the beginning, we saw a young boy on a tricycle. At the end of the film, as I recall, it is a young boy who throws an object at the motor cycle gang in the cemetery.
I happened to watch the film by chance, on one of those on demand free cable stations. I can't say I was totally entertained by the film. It seems somewhat dated now. But it did surprise me, and I would have to suggest that their was a message in the film, and a rather strong one.