This week’s TCM pick is a film that I’m not particularly fond of, but since it was directed by the recently departed Dennis Hopper, I figured it was a good time to give him and his film their due respect. Easy Rider is long, rambling, drug-fueled film without much of a story. All things that made it a huge success in 1969.

Famous for its portrayal of real drug use, to say Easy Rider was counterculture is an understatement. For better or worse, its success ushered in a new era of Hollywood films that dealt with difficult subject matter and had content that would have been unthinkable just 10 years earlier. For that reason it’s essential viewing if you’re looking to understand the films of the 70s. Easy Rider does have a fantastic soundtrack and some fine performances by Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, and a young Jack Nicholson.

Easy Rider (1969) Wednesday, June 9 at 12:30am EST
A cross-country trip to sell drugs puts two hippie bikers on a collision course with small-town prejudices.
Cast: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Antonio Mendoza, Phil Spector Dir: Dennis Hopper C-96 mins, TV-MA