Jack Nicholson: You know, this used to be a helluva good country. I can't understand what's gone wrong with it.

Dennis Hopper: Man, everybody got chicken, that's what happened. Hey, we can't even get into like, a second-rate hotel, I mean, a second-rate motel, you dig? They think we're gonna cut their throat or somethin'. They're scared, man.

Jack Nicholson: They're not scared of you. They're scared of what you represent to 'em.

Dennis Hopper: Hey, man. All we represent to them, man, is somebody who needs a haircut.

Jack Nicholson: Oh, no. What you represent to them is freedom.

Dennis Hopper: What the hell is wrong with freedom? That's what it's all about.

Jack Nicholson: Oh, yeah, that's right. That's what's it's all about, all right. But talkin' about it and bein' it, that's two different things. I mean, it's real hard to be free when you are bought and sold in the marketplace. Of course, don't ever tell anybody that they're not free, 'cause then they're gonna get real busy killin' and maimin' to prove to you that they are. Oh, yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom. But they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em.

Dennis Hopper: Well, it don't make 'em runnin' scared.

Jack Nicholson: No, it makes 'em dangerous.