Easy Riders, Raging Bulls (original) (raw)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

1998 book by Peter Biskind

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls
Author Peter Biskind
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Publication date 1998
ISBN 978-0684857084

Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N Roll Generation Saved Hollywood is a book by Peter Biskind, published by Simon & Schuster in 1998,[1] about ostensibly the 1960s and 1970s Hollywood, a period of American film known for the production of such films such as The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, The French Connection, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, Jaws, Star Wars, The Exorcist, and The Last Picture Show. The title is taken from films which bookend the era: Easy Rider (1969) and Raging Bull (1980).

The book was the basis of a 2003 documentary film of the same title, directed by Kenneth Bowser and narrated by actor William H. Macy. The documentary was screened out of competition at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival.[2] Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 100%, aggregated from the input of eight contributors.[3]

Profiles and interviews

[edit]

Profiled in the book

[edit]

Interviewed in the film

[edit]

Several of the film-makers profiled in the book have criticized Biskind, many rather harshly. Robert Altman denounced both the book and Biskind's methods, saying "It was hate mail. We were all lured into talking to this guy because people thought he was a straight guy but he was filling a commission from the publisher for a hatchet job. He's the worst kind of human being I know."[4]

Francis Ford Coppola was highly critical, alleging that Biskind interviewed only people with negative opinions of him.[5]

The Sundance festival came under heavy criticism in Biskind's book. He describes it as "little more than a means to save a land deal that was going wrong, by dragging some punters up to his [Robert Redford's] failing ski resort." The author bemoans Redford as "untouchable in America" where he's considered "as pure as the driven snow," having "the best press of any Hollywood figure ever."[4] Biskind claims Sundance "has failed" if judged by its "original, loftier goal" to be "an institute to help outsiders."[6] Redford responded by saying that he'd never seen Biskind at Sundance and that the festival's success speaks for itself.[4]

Critic Roger Ebert reported Steven Spielberg saying of Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: "Every single word in that book about me is either erroneous or a lie."[7] Ebert himself remarked that "Biskind has a way of massaging his stories to suit his agenda."[7]

When asked about Biskind's portrayal of him as "a womanizer, a tyrant and a bully," director William Friedkin said: "I've actually never read the book, but I've talked to some of my friends who are portrayed in it, and we all share the opinion that it is partial truth, partial myth and partial out-and-out lies by mostly rejected girlfriends and wives."[8] Peter Bogdanovich was "furious," saying: "I spent seven hours with that guy over a period of days, and he got it all wrong".[9]

In a 2014 interview, Biskind stated he found the negative responses "very upsetting," saying, "Coppola...made three great movies, the two Godfathers and The Conversation. His place in film history is secure. If I had made those films, I wouldn’t give a damn what anyone wrote about me." He offered as a counterpoint Willian Friedkins' alleged reaction: "It's only a book." Biskind claimed he and Coppola made amends on a cruise in 2000,[5] though eye witnesses in the cruise stated that Coppola "grilled" and "needled" Biskind with "hostile questions," rendering the author "visibly uncomfortable," and that the director concluded with the words "I forgive [you]" in the manner that, in Godfather II, Michael Corleone forgives his brother Fredo right before he has him murdered.[10]

  1. ^ Biskind, Peter (1998). Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and Rock 'n Roll Generation Saved Hollywood. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0-684-80996-0. OCLC 38389788.
  2. ^ "Festival de Cannes: Easy Riders, Raging Bulls". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-11-08.
  3. ^ "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls". Rotten Tomatoes.
  4. ^ a b c Adams, Tim (22 August 2004). "Full exposure". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b Wloszczyna, Susan (18 July 2014). "'Easy Riders, Raging Bulls' Author Peter Biskind Looks Back at the New Hollywood". IndieWire. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  6. ^ "Redford disappointed by criticism". Today. Reuters. 20 January 2004. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  7. ^ a b Ebert, Roger (22 February 2004). "Tinseltown Author Gets 'Down and Dirty,' Indeed". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  8. ^ Teetor, Paul (11 April 2013). "The Exorcist Director William Friedkin Tells All in His No-Bullshit Memoir". LA Weekly. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  9. ^ Poland, David (14 February 2006). "Bogdanovich Epilogue: A Word About Biskind And Cher". Movie City News. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  10. ^ DiGiacomo, Frank (21 February 2000). "One From the Spleen: Coppola Battles Biskind on the High Seas". Observer Media. Retrieved 3 November 2024.