Easy Riders, Raging Bulls

How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood

By: Peter Biskind

Narrated by: Dick Hill

Length: 23 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

When the low-budget biker movie Easy Rider shocked Hollywood with its success in 1969, a new Hollywood era was born. This was an age when talented filmmakers such as Scorcese, Coppola, and Spielberg, along with a new breed of actors, including DeNiro, Pacino, and Nicholson, became the powerful figures who would make such modern classics as The Godfather, Chinatown, Taxi Driver, and Jaws.

Easy Rider, Raging Bulls follows the wild ride that was Hollywood in the 70s - an unabashed celebration of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll (both on screen and off) and a climate where innovation and experimentation reigned supreme.

©1999 Peter Biskind (P)2008 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Peter Biskind's great, scathing, news-packed history...is one hell of an elixir - salty with flavorsome gossip, sour with the aftertaste of misspent careers, intoxicating with one revelation after another...an 'A.'" ( Entertainment Weekly)

Smart, Detailed and Hilariously Funny

A terrifically entertaining history of Hollywood from the late sixties to early eighties, Wonderful in it’s messy, silly political incorrectness. Highly recommended.

Good but not great

Some very interesting looks into the industry at that time, but the author gets a bit bogged down in the personal lives of the filmmakers at times instead of focusing on their films and the impact those films had on Hollywood.

Hurray for Hollywood?

A fascinating story about the filmmakers that arrived in the 60s and 70s who tried to recreate Hollywood. At the end what they were able to do was put the power back to the studios by creating the blockbuster movie.

History for Cinephiles

As incredible as one would hope it'd be, just buy it and listen. Great narration, excellent content, fascinating subject matter. Wholeheartedly enjoyed it.

A in-depth look at Hollywood in the late 60s to ea

Would you listen to Easy Riders, Raging Bulls again? Why?

Yes, I've listened to this about 5 times now, and overtime is as good as the first.

What other book might you compare Easy Riders, Raging Bulls to and why?

Well, I think Peter Biskind's books are in a league of their own, very informative and interesting.

What about Dick Hill’s performance did you like?

He did a great narration and is very enthralling

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

I don't think you could make a film of this book, there is way too much to be conveyed. It's so in-depth, I really enjoyed it

Any additional comments?

Please more Peter Biskind books!

Great

It's great and essential book, with amazing detail and a perfect blend of art and gossip.

A remarkable era in show business

Great book; very easy to listen to and very interesting subject; they could have discussed woody Allen, Stallone and Kubrick a little more though.

What a crazy decade for film!

What a crazy decade for film! All the greats thrived and crashed under their own ambition. See how art transformed into commerce and studio vs creative battles shaped the modern entertainment industry.

One of my favorites

This is really one of the few must haves , great performance by Dick Hill makes the colorful stories come to life

In my Top 20 list

I am 40, too young to have been around during the times this book references. But I know every movie mentioned and dissected, nearly every director, producer, actor mentioned because my father is a huge movie aficionado. This book is amazing. I actually recommended it to my dad right after I finished it, and he's reading it now.

It does lean to the tabloid feel with the stories told, but I get the impression the entire era was a series of tabloid exploits. These people lived tabloid lives, and they are fascinating.

Anyone who enjoys the politics and personas of film making will thoroughly enjoy this listen. And you will wonder how the heck these people made it out of the 70's alive.