15 Best Movies About Drugs And Addiction In Cinema History

6. Easy Rider

The quintessential drug film of the 1960's, Easy Rider marked a trend of experimentation that was easing through American society at the time; a pattern of open intoxication, drug infatuation, and sexual liberation. It exemplified the adult themes that had been banging on Hollywood's door for years, only to be shut out by the Production Code that cited all films be suitable for every audience. But the American audience was changing, and Easy Rider remains one of the key films of this period that reflected Hollywood's eventual acceptance of the desires of audiences to experience controversial themes. Created and starred-in by the legendary Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper, Easy Rider tells the tale of two free spirited bikers who travel around America discovering new experiences. Popular with audiences for its daring nature, Easy Rider is particularly famous for the scene in which we see LSD fizzling through the bikers' brains - few filmmakers had previously dared to venture into exploring the point-of-view of a drug consumer. But perhaps the film's greatest achievement is its discovery of iconic Hollywood star Jack Nicholson. Cast as an alcoholic town drunk named George, Nicholson got his big break with Easy Rider, demonstrating his energetic acting panache in one notable scene with a comical burst of incoherent noises after guzzling from his hip-flask. The rest, as they say, is history.