Project Christmas Joy (TV Special 2019)

Project Christmas Joy: Directed by Matthew Bellamy. With Carrie Beesley, Nick Beesley, Riley Belcher, Jim Cardwell.

“Dennis Hopperu0026#39;s Easy Rider is often cited as being an all time classic, and while I donu0026#39;t think this is a great film in terms of technical brilliance, it sums up the era it was made and the tongue in cheek, cynical take on the u0026#39;American dreamu0026#39; is both potent and well done. This film is very much a product of the sixties and, like many things from the decade, will always be fondly remembered. Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda, men of substance and substance abuse, wrote the film together and Hopper directed it. These two were obviously in the thick of what was cool in the sixties, and that gives the film an element of authenticity as we feel like what weu0026#39;re seeing isnu0026#39;t too far away from the things really going on at that time. The plot is simple and more just a base for the film to deliver itu0026#39;s real sting than anything else. It follows two motorbike riders on their way from Los Angeles to the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. We follow their exploits as they travel the country meeting various people including, most notably, George Hanson; an offbeat lawyer, played by the great Jack Nicholson.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe American Dream has always been about freedom. But like George Hanson says; itu0026#39;s one thing to talk about being free, but something else entirely to actually be it. Thatu0026#39;s the theme of the entire movie, and the way that it plays out, and the ending especially, aptly portray the difference between saying something and actually doing it. The acting performances are a big part of the movie, and the two leads; Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper stick out the most. The two actors brilliantly get into their characters, and after a while you forget that youu0026#39;re watching actors and start to think that these people really are these characters. Jack Nicholson turns up halfway through and steals the show. Itu0026#39;s not hard to see why this actor went on to become one of the best of all time. Even here, he shows his charisma and ability to steal the show and that is what he would go on to become famous for doing later in his career. Last but not least, another great thing about Easy Rider is the music. Music was, of course, a big thing in the sixties; and itu0026#39;s a big thing about this movie. Classic rock accompanies the pictures of the two men rider their bikes, and itu0026#39;s very cool indeed. On the whole, this film is an out and out classic.”