Task One: Easy Rider (1969) - Textual Analysis

Easy Rider (1969) - Textual Analysis

   Easy Rider (1969) is an independent road drama film directed by Dennis Hopper. This particular scene follows the two protagonists: Wyatt and Billy, as they undergo an acid trip. Hopper utilises various film editing techniques in order to emphasise the strong element of 60s counterculture displayed by the protagonists.  The scene begins with a mid-shot of four people, the clothing worn by the characters in the mise-en-scene is stereotypical of the 60s counterculture era, evident from the likes of the American flag adorned leather jacket with tassels and psychedelic patterned neckerchief worn by the two men. This was done to convey to the audience the time era in which the film is set, but also to represent the characters’ free spirit and refusal to conform to the mainstream. The cinematography in this scene is constructed in a way that makes the audience feel like they are joining the characters on the acid trip, therefore highlighting to an extent the effects of LSD. Throughout the scene, Hopper uses a variety of point-of-view shots from the tripping characters.  For example, one shot displaying the sky and trees is continuously spinning, and is incorporated to disorient the audience in order to convey the confusion the character is experiencing. A constant and rhythmic non-diegetic sound is also continuously playing throughout the scene, creating a feeling of suspense, and may represent the paranoia of the characters due to the drugs; this is also emphasised by the use of quick-cuts in the editing, used to again to portray the effects of hard drugs through the user’s eyes, as it instills a similar type of paranoia throughout the audience that the character is feeling. Throughout the trip, quick cut-away shots and fast editing reveals that the scene is taking place in a cemetery, evident from shots of statues of the virgin Mary and religious crosses. This is to emphasise the struggle of our troubled protagonists and the dark, twisted reality of drugs as the two men bring drugs, alcohol and prostitutes into a religious place. During this montage of clips, some shots are shown as if looking through a camera lens, evident from the black border and raindrops on the lens; one example of this is when we see one of the female characters stripping off her clothing and lying naked over a grave. The effect of this is to portray the characters as trapped in this state, and the use of this particular type of shot allows the audience to focus on the subject and also empathise with the characters. As the characters begin to trip, non-diegetic dialogue of a woman in the background is reading a prayer, this is accompanied by various quick cuts to a low angle shot of a building. As the camera pans up a lens flare seems as light is shining down from above as if it represents the heavens. As this/s happens the woman recites from the prayer: “ascended into heaven”, which may symbolise the characters ‘seeing the light’.