HWY

This is an extract from the experimental film HWY-An American Pastoral. Jim Morrison is in the lead role, playing a murderous hitchhiker on his lone journey through the desert.

Stafford P. Lansman wrote the following lines about that piece, which are very suitable, i think:

"..HWY is considered By some ( including myself of course) to be the first American Indie movie. The movie predates the movie Easy Rider by two years and the quality is almost on par with that film. Jim Morrison made this film in the void following the demise of the Hollywood studio system and was aware that a change was happening. He realized that anyone could now make and distribute their own films. Morrison and his film "HWY An American Pastoral" were right on the edge of what seems like the exact moment our culture of mass media kicked in.."

The Scene that strikes me the most (i watched it at least one hundred times already), is about in the middle of the film. You can watch it here.

There is a coyote lying on the highway. It got strucked by a car and is obviously dying.

It is the whining of the dying animal that i can’t forget. As i saw this I thought that this is how death must sound.
This is the moment of truth. We are exactly between the borders of life and death. There is strong electricity in the air, you can feel it physically.
And its neither sad nor joyful, neither good nor bad. Its just authoritative. The most truthful moment in existence.

The People standing around notice this and also the other animals.

The coyote finally dies. Morrison, the hitchhiker, drives on. He just has killed his driver...

The whole movie can be watched here.