I learned the "Meaning Of Life" by watching "Easy Rider"

The BBQ Pit
1

I pondered where to place this “thread” for at least four minutes, twenty seconds…

Mentioning a movie might have made it Cafe Society, but I also mentioned the meaning of life, so I thought Great Debates might be an option. But NO! I’ve started at least two really stupid threads there that got zero replies…

I put “thread” in “quotes” because I saw a “sign” written on “paper” in “magic marker”, outside a Mississippi “liquor store” tonight, that said:

But we’ve been over that too…

I think the purpose of this thead is to say, “It’s only 1:34 but I’m drunk and my wife is asleep, yet I wish to rant on nothing and open myself up to criticism.”

So we watched “Easy Rider” again tonight. Approximately 797 times for me, twice for her.

I taught her how “God damn, god damn, the preacher man” led to the “GOD DAMN GOD DAMN” bathroom coke quote in Pulp Fiction.

And how Easy Rider is probably the saddest fucking movie ever.

And how even though I disdain most modern-day drum-bangin’ wing-nut stinky-assed what’s-a-shower dreadlocked hippies, I can still respect the characters that Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper played in that movie.

And how, “Yes, that’s the same Dennis Hopper from True Romance, who made the speech about Sicilians and the moors.” (wrong, I know… I’ve read the threads)
But the point was, and here I open myself up for criticism:

The meaning of life is…: Life is short. Try to see beauty and try to be beauty.

My wife and I, and our three cats have almost become a hippy commune, at least in my intoxicated mind, and it’s scary.

2

Is that you, Homer? Your OP is slightly incoherent yet strangely entrancing, and it still manages to make a point somehow.

Why, it’s almost poetic. :slight_smile:

You have yourself a nice night, because in your attempt to get us to see beauty you have succeeded beyond your wildest dreams with such beautiful prose.

[sub]PS. Thanks for the laugh.[/sub]

3

I think one of the best lines ever comes from that movie. As I remember it, it goes something like this: Some people talk a lot about individual freedom, but when they meet a free individual, they sure don’t like it much.

4

It must be that Mississippi air that they breathe down there.

Sweet dreams Eleusis.

:smiley:

5

Who was it that said something along the line of, “I must study war, so that my son can study architecture and engineering, so that his son can study art and beauty”?

You are fortunate. I never saw that movie and it took me roughly to the age of 45 to come to the same conclusion (I’m 56 now). Do you mean to say that if I had only seen Easy Rider in 1969 I could have known it all along? Aaauuugggghhh!!!

6

When I was just a young lad shortly after the release of the movie, I won a poster of it, the famous shot depicting Dennis riding next to Peter and flipping the bird right toward the camera, that apparently being what the pick-up truck passenger must have seen. I proudly displayed the poster on my bedroom wall where it lasted all of a day before my parents made me take it down. If only I’d thought to bargain with them, perhaps to let the poster remain if only I’d cover the offending finger with some item.

What do you think, Eleusis, would a large watch perhaps have been appropriate?

Man, we should all be so insightful after a couple of glasses.

7

It looks like it was John Adams:

Uuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhh… porcelain.

8

Porcelain.

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Eleusis…I’m hep! My wife’s from Laurel, Miss, bro… I go back twice a year. I still tryin to get my sea legs back there, I’m no freakin’ Yankee but I guess I talk funny. I’ve Got one more movie for ya. Filmed in 1969, Captain Milkshake! you gotta see this movie! Same vane as Rider just no big stars. it is now on DVD.Go to their website and order it, captain milkshake dotcom have fun and go catch some catfish!

10

Jack Nicholson’s line: “They’ll talk to ya and talk to ya and talk to ya about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it’s gonna scare 'em.”

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That’s it. Thank you. :slight_smile:

12

My favorite exchange from the movie:

“Didja ever talk to bullfrogs in the middle of the night?”

“Not generally, no.”

“You know what I used to do?”

“What?”
[Long pause]
“Well, one thing I didn’t used to do is talk to bullfrogs in the middle of the night.”

13

Please don’t post while you’re drunk.

Lynn
For the Straight Dope