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An enthralling look at a footnote to Hollywood history, this is essentially a straightforward overview of the phenomenal rise and fall of the American independent film production company B.B.S., the creative force behind the making of such 'alternative' milestones as Easy Rider, 69, Five Easy Pieces, '70, Drive He Said, '71, Two Lane Blacktop, ‘71, The Last Picture Show, '71, The King Of Marvin Gardens, '72, Henry Jaglom's A Safe Place '71 and the Vietnam doco Hearts and Minds, ‘75.
Steve Blauner describes how B.B.S. (first name of Bert Schneider, director Bob Rafelson and Blauner) developed from Schneider's success with TVs The Monkees. As Blauner points out, "If it wasn't for The Beatles, there would have been no Monkees, if it wasn't for The Monkees there would have been no Easy Rider, there would have been no B.B.S. and if it wasn't for B.B.S. there would have been no Hearts and Minds'. The latter Oscar winning documentary about the Vietnam War is considered by Blauner to have possibly been the most worthwhile B.B.S project. 'If there was anything we contributed to the cinema industry, it was that. When Hollywood refused to release it (the) dream was over'
If you've ever wondered how a string of such extraordinary films were made within Hollywood in such a short period of time, here is the explanation.
”The things that I made glamorous in Easy Rider, these were the very things that destroyed the picture, destroyed the people. The alcoholism is no longer fun, the drugs are no longer fun, the child had nowhere to go, and there was only a totally destructive meaning.” - Dennis Hopper.