Review of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex 'n' Drugs 'n' Rock 'n' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood (2003) by Dave A — 22 Jun 2009

Frank Francis and Steve Nowell, you must read this...

The term "the book was much better than the movie" certainly applies to Kenneth Bowser's documentary, which to be honest, is a trifle unnecessary, given the material provided and detailed in Peter Biskind's scathing book. The book follows the burgeoning New Hollywood movement from it's inception with Arthur Penn's taboo-breaking Bonnie & Clyde to the decade ending disaster that would be Heaven's Gate. Set against the backdrop of a coke-fueled, libidinous Hollywood, the subjects are the main characters with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, Warren Beatty and Jack Nicholson just a few of the many acclaimed directors, actors, producers, studio executives and screenwriters that would emerge from New Hollywood, only to see it all end in Deer Hunter director Michael Cimino. Cimino would kill his directing career with excess when he produced Heaven's Gate, a major box office disaster. Biskind's book details the makings of Jaws, Star Wars and The Godfather with their assorted troubles and breakout success, turning it's directors into overnight successes but also spelling the end for others. For Spielberg's success, came the box office bomb 1941; for bombastic Exorcist director William Friedkin and his Oscar wins would be the remake of Wages of Fear coming out at the worst possible time when Star Wars was released in theaters.

The documentary however, could have been a lot better. But given such touchy material and unflattering portrayals of said subjects above, naturally they didn't want to participate in the film. Unfortunately that takes the wind out of the movie's sails, subtracting the intrigue and controversy that came with such characters and films. Bowser goes for as much material as he can, but given that he's doing a documentary based on a book, it really doesn't work as a film but a companion piece that could've been summed up in 10 minutes instead of a feature length film.