Sonny Barger Movies
Best known for his pivotal role in founding the notorious "Hell's Angels" biker club, Ralph "Sonny" Barger made headlines for his participation in the infamous Rolling Stones-Jefferson Airplane concert at Altamont Speedway in Southern California (in December 1969), where at least four were killed and hundreds were injured thanks to the Stones' decision to hire the Angels as "security guards." (As a result, he appears in the masterful accompanying film, Gimme Shelter, by Albert and David Maysles.) Numerous years of turmoil and legal complications followed for Barger, not because of Altamont per se, but thanks to an arrest for narcotics possession in 1972 (which landed him in Folsom Prison for four and a half years) and a trial in 1980 for allegations of extensive racketeering. Many associate Barger, however, with his appearances in gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson's "inside" account of the Angels: the tome Hell's Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of the Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs. As a product of his brief interaction with Thompson, Barger participated in Alex Gibney's documentary Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. The motorcyclist's resumé includes roles in the AIP biker films Hell's Angels on Wheels (1967, where he is also credited as technical advisor) and Hell's Angels '69 (1969). ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
- 2007
- R
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Alex Gibney (director of (Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) turns his attention from corporate scandal to Gonzo journalism with this tribute to the libido-driven, Wild Turkey-swilling writer who never knew the meaning of the word "excess." Comprised largely of never-before-seen archival materials, Gibney's film focuses on the years between 1965 and 1975, when Hunter S. Thompson was truly firing on all cylinders. Rare home movies, audiotapes, and excerpts from unpublished manuscripts combine to paint an affectionate portrait to the wild-eyed father of Gonzo journalism. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Hunter S. Thompson
- 1970
- R
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This musical documentary concerns the Rolling Stones and their tragic free concert at Altamont Speedway near San Francisco in early December 1969. The event was all but destroyed by violence that marked the end of the peace and love euphoria of the 1960s. The night began smoothly, with the supercharged Flying Burrito Brothers opening up for the Rolling Stones and performing the truck-driving classic "Six Days on the Road" and Tina Turner giving a sensually charged performance. But on this particular evening, the Stones made the fateful (and disastrous) decision to hire the Oakland chapter of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang as bodyguards and bouncers. It was a foolhardy, careless choice that turned the night into an unmitigated disaster; halfway through the Stones' act, the Angels killed one black spectator, and injured several others who were present (including Jefferson Airplane's lead singer Marty Balin). In the film, we watch Mick Jagger -- ere an ebullient, charismatic performer of bisexual charm -- reduced to standing on stage like a frightened child with his finger in his mouth in wake of the violence. Unsurprisingly, the Grateful Dead refused to perform after the violence erupted; the picture ends on a despairing note, with the Stones repeatedly watching a film of the murder. Celebrated documentarians Albert and David Maysles directed and Haskell Wexler shot the film, with heightened instinct and control; as a result, this film is considered one of the greatest rock documentaries ever made. Stones songs performed include "Brown Sugar," "Under My Thumb," and "Sympathy for the Devil." ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
Chuck (Tom Stern) and his brother Wes (Jeremy Slate) are the wealthy siblings who plan to rob Caesar's Palace more for fun than profit. They ingratiate themselves to the Hell's Angels of Oakland, lead by Sonny Barger (himself). The brothers plan to use the gang as a diversion during the staging of the planned heist. When Betsy the biker babe (Conny Van Dyke) mistakenly reveals the plan, the brothers are forced to take other measures when they become separated in this boring biker movie that features real Hell's Angels gang members. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Stern, Jeremy Slate, (more)
A bunch of hairy guys on Harleys are causing trouble again in this, one of the best-remembered examples of the biker flicks of the 1960's. Poet (Jack Nicholson) is a moody gas station attendant who is looking for more excitement in his life. When a gang of bikers roars through town, Poet is intrigued, and after he pitches in to help the Hell's Angels in a bar fight (and pulls a well-timed stick up), one of the gang's higher-ups, Buddy (Adam Roarke) asks Poet to join. Soon Poet is riding with the Angels and living their lifestyle of violent debauchery, but Poet begins to tire of their rootless decadence, and Buddy is none too happy with Poet when he learns they're both in love with the same woman. Hell's Angels On Wheels won a cult following for its agressive but languid atmosphere and the fluid camerawork of cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs (at this point still billed as "Leslie Kovacs"). Richard Rush directed, and legendary Hell's Angels leader Sonny Barger appears as himself. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jack Nicholson, Adam Roarke, (more)
