hrkepler
'The Wild Angels' was start of AIP's and Roger Corman's counterculture and biker films that itself grew into popular sub-genre in late '60s and early '70s.Screenplay of 'The Wild Angels' is as empty as it's characters. I have no idea how accurately the film depicts the life of biker gang, but I can imagine that there are quite many boneheads in that subculture. We are introduced to Blues (Peter Fonda) and Loser (Bruce Dern) and their girlfriends Mike (Nancy Sinatra) and Gaysh (Diane Ladd). At first it seems that Blues has more substance than some of his fellow gang members as he stays cool and thoughtful guy at the beginning. He is a criminal like everyone else with no respect towards the law, but his quiet posture gives him somewhat intelligent appearance, but it starts to wear off as the story moves along, until near the end in the funeral scene when the pastor asks him, what it is you want to do? And Blues says (after stuttering), that he wants to be free, to do what we want and all that empty talk. With this immature answer he proves that he has no idea what he wants from life. Add to Fonda's wooden acting and you get a laughable scene with laughable speech that only some (naive) teenagers might find cool. Peter Fonda is terrible, he oozes coolness sitting on his bike and wearing sunglasses but when he opens his mouth that illusion washes away.Although the screenplay is shallow and acting is passable at best, the direction by Corman is smooth and the pacing is perfect that the film doesn't feel dragging. Smooth bike riding scenes accompanied with cool soundtrack make 'The Wild Angels' one of the best examples of style over substance.Recommended to everyone who are interested where the biker movie craze started. The direct inspiration to 'Easy Rider'.
Uriah43
"Heavenly Blues" (Peter Fonda) is the leader of a motorcycle gang known simply as "the Angels" and has as his girlfriend the beautiful "Mike" (Nancy Sinatra). One day he makes the fateful decision to help his best friend "Loser Kearns" (Bruce Dern) get his stolen motorcycle back and that's when things begin to take a turn for the worse. Now as far as this picture is concerned it is somewhat typical of most "biker films" made during this period with the addition of the notable actors just mentioned. Admittedly, the movie loses focus toward the end with nothing to offer other than a large segment of mindless chaos--which all too often isn't that unusual for this kind of film. Having said that, let me just add that this movie isn't for everyone. Those who like biker films, or movies from this particular period of time, will probably enjoy it. Conversely, those who don't may want to steer clear. In any case, I rate it as slightly above average.
rasmushistoriker
No one like Roger Corman has been able to get into the zeitgeist of any particular time, but that doesn't mean he comes out on top with every movie. This one, in particular, is not bi-winning, it's just a bi-polar mess. Does the movie glorify Hells Angels? If so, it definitely succeeds, with the iconic looking characters on their bikes. Does the movie vilify Hells Angels? If so, it definitely succeeds, with some pretty appalling (though not less famous) scenes of racist violence, rape and sacrilege. There's more to it, but long story short, their characters aren't complex - they're just written all over the place. Peter Fondas character has a famous speech where he yells that he just wants the freedom to do whatever he wants to do, but by the end of the movie, it's obvious that he doesn't know what to make of it all! You can argue that it's actually a pretty clever point, and that it's deliberate that these unlikable characters can't live up to their own ideals. That may in fact be so - but I still can't shake the feeling that we were supposed to sympathize with them, but that it just doesn't work.
copper1963
Bad. Wretched. Depressing. Shame! And it's racist to boot. If Peter Fonda had any political ambitions, this film would torpedo them in a hurry. I found myself rooting for "The Man." Or just anyone to come along and kick their rear ends. Fonda has one good non-conformist speech during "Losers" funeral, which is then ruined by the subsequent trashing of the church--all because the minister had the nerve to invoke the name of god in his eulogy. Go figure. This poor display of social grace is reminiscent of the juvenile delinquents in Blackboard Jungle: when they trash the teacher's priceless blues collection. I had the same sick feeling after that. Just then I looked over at my girl friend and saw a scowl creased in her face. She was in total disbelief at the way these nihilistic nitwits treated the minister. So was I. And she likes The Born Losers and "Billy Jack." It's truly amazing that Fonda, Dern, Ladd and the others survived this debacle. I know Frank Sinatra must have been appalled that his daughter would appear in such cinematic rubbish. I had a devil of a time collecting my thoughts in writing this review. I needed a long shower afterward. Or a drink stiffer than "Loser."
AD
