WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Easy Rider
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 17 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Luana Anders, Luke Askew, Toni Basil, Karen Black, Warren Finnerty, Sabrina Scharf, Robert Walker & Jack Nicholson

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 10866
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $$59.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 95
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1969
(LD Release Date): 11/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Dennis Hopper
(Screenplay/Written By): Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper & Terry Southern
(Story): NA
(Music): Various Artists
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Jerry Kay
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): NA
(Editor): Donn Cambern
(Supervising Sound Editors): NA
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Bert Schneider
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Peter Fonda

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Mono Sound
(Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The cross-country motorcycle trip that made history, Easy Rider is Peter Fonda’s and Dennis Hopper’s classic story of two pot smoking, drug dealing social dropouts who embark on a quest to find their souls and experience the “ultimate freedom.” The film boasts a soundtrack full of the 60’s best music and beautiful scenes of wide open spaces on the highways of America. The pair set out from Los Angeles for Mardi Gras in New Orleans. They witness communal life in the deserts of the Southwest and wind up in a small town jail, where they are joined by an alcoholic southern lawyer (Jack Nicholson) who explains to them the nature of UFO’s before encountering hatred and bigotry in the Deep South.

LaserDisc Picture:
The matted1.85:1 picture is dated in color fidelity and inconsistent in terms of sharpness and softness, and fleshtone accuracy. Overall the appearance is natural with no artifacts, except for minor noise in the darker scenes.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is undistinguished mono with poor fidelity and brightness.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield):
(Aggressive Split Surround):
(Center Back Surround Imaging):
(Directionalized Dialogue):
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: