The Vintagent Classics: Duck, You Sucker!

https://youtu.be/ljOWgFW0rhg

The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us. 

DUCK, YOU SUCKER! (1971)

Run Time: 2:37:00
Director: Sergio Leone
Writer: Sergio Leone, Sergio Donati
Music: Ennio Morricone
Key Cast: Rod Steiger, James Coburn, Romolo Valli

FILM MAKERS

Duck, You Sucker! (Italian: Giù la testa, lit. "Duck Your Head"), also known as A Fistful of Dynamite and Once Upon a Time... The Revolution, is a 1971 epic Zapata Western film directed and co-written by Sergio Leone and starring Rod Steiger, James Coburn and Romolo Valli.

It is the second film of Leone's Once Upon a Time Trilogy, which includes the previous Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) and the subsequent Once Upon a Time in America (1984). The last western film directed by Leone, it is considered by some to be one of his most overlooked films.

The musical score was composed by Ennio Morricone, who collaborated with Leone in all his previous projects as a director with the exception of his debut, The Colossus of Rhodes. Elvis Mitchell, former film critic for The New York Times, considered it as one of Morricone's "most glorious and unforgettable scores". He also sees "Invention for John", which plays over the opening credits and is essentially the film's theme, "as epic and truly wondrous as anything Morricone ever did".

SUMMARY

The revolution is not a social dinner, a literary event, a drawing or an embroidery; it cannot be done with...elegance and courtesy. The revolution is an act of violence... - Mao Tse-Tung

Set during the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s, the film tells the story of Juan Miranda, an amoral Mexican outlaw, and John Mallory, a motorcycle riding ex-Irish Republican Army revolutionary. After they accidentally meet under less-than-friendly circumstances, Juan and John involuntarily become heroes of the Revolution despite being forced to make heavy sacrifices.

RELATED MEDIA

Watch the film online for FREE

RIP Ennio Morricone. Read his obituary HERE

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema 7: Juneteenth Edition

The Black Biker Experience

At The Vintagent, we're interested in the stories we haven't seen or heard before, and film is an ideal medium for telling stories.  Today, on Juneteenth (June 19th), we celebrate films about the experience of African-American motorcyclists, although we lament they are few.  There are almost no films about the early experience and deep history of African-American riders, like the board track racers we featured in the 'Black Streaks' article, or Bessie Stringfield, the cross-country rider and founding figure in the Motor Maids, or the story of Cliff Vaughs, the Civil Rights activist and filmmaker who played a seminal role in the creation of 'Easy Rider.'

Via our parent organization the Motorcycle Arts Foundation we are actively laying the foundation to tell the Cliff Vaughs story on film: it's production will be our focus starting Autumn 2020.  We would also like to encourage filmmakers with such a story to tell: if you've got an idea for a motorcycle-related film about black history or any other under-shared narrative with a social justice angle, we'd like to hear about it, because that's what our non-profit was created to do.  Give us a shout.

Even when films are made about black motorcyclists, they are vexed with the problem of distribution.  Websites like TheVintagent are one way to get the word out, but are limited in how we can compensate the producers for the high cost of creating a film.  It's our hope that the current climate of support for social justice stories will reach the decision-making rooms at the major online media channels, the Netflix/Prime/AppleTV nexus that now dominate film distribution. It's a whole new scene today, so let's see some new stories.

1. Sugar & Spade
"When I got my name, there was nobody around riding these bikes." - 'Spade' George

'Spade' George in San Francisco in the early 1970s with his girlfriend and his landlady(!) on his front porch. [Sugar&Spade]
‘Spade’ George and Austin ‘Brown Sugar’ are two life-long friends, brought together in the late 1960s by their mutual love for powerful custom built motorcycles. From Brooklyn, NY to San Francisco, CA, they’ve been front and center in the fast-paced biker world of guns, girls, gas, and the occasional run-in with the law. Even though they found themselves living on opposite coasts, their deep bond has been constant. These early iconoclasts have given their lives to the unique American chopper culture, with Austin’s phenomenal photos and sensational stories to prove it. Each exemplifies in his own way what’s best about these exotic machine builders and their way of life. Being among the first African-American chopper riders in NYC, and inspiring the next generation is only part of the story. 'Sugar & Spade' is the moving document of their reunion after 30 years apart, in the city where it all began. Watch the 'Sugar & Spade' trailer on The Vintagent.

Austin 'Brown Sugar' Johnston on one of his many Harley-Davidson choppers built since the early 1970s. [Sugar&Spade]
Where can I watch the full film?  We're working on that with the filmmakers: currently there's no portal for Pay Per View and no commercial host for this terrific film.

2. Take None Give None (2015)
"It's an organization that might have some criminals.  But it's the same with the police.  It's the same with Google."

A classic shot of the Chosen Few MC taken in the early 1970s. [Take None Give None]
'Take None Give None' follows the story of the outlaw motorcycle club the Chosen Few MC. Based in South Central Los Angeles it is the oldest explicitly interracial 1% club. After a series of raids by the LAPD in 2011 the club is at odds with itself, the city of Los Angeles and a local news media set on defaming their reputation. It tells the story of a complex family on the verge of change and takes a nostalgic look into the history of a motorcycle club through the eyes of some of its founding members.  Watch the trailer on TheVintagent here.

A Chosen Few MC club member rides past Watts Towers in LA. [Take None Give None]
Where can I watch the full film?  As with many indie productions, distribution has proved impossible to date. As Mark Gardiner said in a review, "It’s basically 'Sons of Anarchy' crossed with Black Lives Matter. Surely there’s a cable channel that can sell that to its viewers."

3. Outcast Forever
"They keep their tradition of being all black, wearing all black, and riding all black motorcycles."

A 6 year project, 'Outcast Forever' gives an inside look at the oldest all-black 1%er MC in the USA. [Outsiders Forever]
"In 1969 a group of rebellious black bikers in Detroit decided that freedom, non-conformity and brotherhood were not exclusive to whites only. At the time (and still today) blacks were not permitted to join most white outlaw biker clubs, so out of necessity the Outcast M.C. was born.  This documentary is an in-depth look into their world and the unapologetic lifestyle they live. Filmed over the course of six years, Outcast Forever is a raw visual exploration that rips through the mystique and presents a unfiltered experience of a subculture within a subculture."  [From the filmmakers]. Watch the trailer on TheVintagent here.

You'll have to watch the movie to discover the rituals and entertainments of the Outcast MC... [Outcast Forever]
Watch 'Outcast Forever' on Vimeo for $5.99.

4. 12 O’Clock Boys
"I've been on this earth for a decade and a coupla years.  That makes me a grown-ass man."

12 O'Clock means a vertical wheelie, which Baltimore riders perfect in an illegal dance with the police. [12 O'Clock Boys]
'12 O'Clock Boys' is an amazing 2013 documentary film directed by Lotfy Nathan, and is a must-watch. The documentary focuses on urban dirt-bike riders in Baltimore, Maryland and one boy's fascination with the group, dirt bikes, and his desire to join the 12 O'Clock Boys. The boy, Pug, was filmed over a three-year period starting when he was 13. The film also includes interviews with several members of the 12 O'Clock Boys as well as Pug's mother, Coco. The 12 O'Clock Boys are a notorious urban dirt bike pack in Baltimore -- popping wheelies and weaving at excessive speeds through traffic, the group impressively evades the hamstrung police. Their stunning antics are envisioned through the eyes of young adolescent Pug - a bright kid from the Westside obsessed with the riders and willing to do anything to join their ranks.  Watch the trailer on TheVintagent here.

Trouble with police are part of the enterrainment, or at least, part of the action. [12 O'Clock Boys]
Watch '12 O'Clock Boys' FREE on Tubi here.

 

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Classics: The Black Six

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvE1uds-_VQ&feature=youtu.be

The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us. 

THE BLACK SIX (1974)

Run Time: 1:34:00
Director: Matt Cimber
Writer: Mikel Angel (as George Theakos), Matt Cimber
Cast: Robert Howard, Cindy Daly, Mikel Angel

FILM MAKERS

"See the 6 biggest, baddest and best waste 150 motorcycle dudes!"

The Black Six is a 1974 American blaxploitation and outlaw biker flick written by Mikel Angel and directed by Matt Cimber. The "Black Six" was played by six then-current National Football League stars, and was one of the first all-black biker films.

Filmed on location in Frazier Park, CA. Several of the football players were disappointed with elements in the original script, especially that the black motorcyclists would be killed in the end, despite the fact that they stood for truth, justice and the American way. As a result of their protests, an inconclusive ending was shot.

SUMMARY

"Six Times Tougher Than 'Shaft'! Six Times Rougher Than 'Superfly'!"

An African American veteran of the Vietnam War (played by Gene Washington) returns home to find that his brother (played by Robert Howard) has been killed. The killing was done by a white supremacist motorcycle gang, led by Ben "Thor" Davidson, who objected to the fact that Howard had been dating Thor's sister. Washington and his motorcycle gang, known as the Black Six, vow to avenge his brother's death.

Veterans of the Vietnam War, they have rejected putting themselves into situations where they might be forced to resort to violence. But as six black men riding around the country on motorcycles—not surprisingly—they find themselves in tense situations quite a bit more than most other people.

The Six encounter a number of obstacles, including hostile motorcycle gangs (particularly Thor's), and racist policemen. The movie climaxes with an inconclusive battle royal between the Six and Thor's Caucasian-supremacist biker gang, in which Thor (apparently) blows them and himself up by igniting the gas tank of his own motorcycle. The film concludes with the caption 'Honky, look out...Hassle a brother, and the Black 6 will return!'.

RELATED MEDIA

Watch the full film on CINE MECCANICA

by Corinna Mantlo

12 O'Clock Boys

https://vimeo.com/426533140

The Vintagent Trailers: A preview of our favorite feature films out there.

12 O'CLOCK BOYS (2013)

Run Time: 1:16:00
Producer: Mission Films
Director: Lotfy Nathan
Writer: Eric Blair
Key Cast: Coco, Pug, Funmi Sodipo

FILM MAKERS

12 O'Clock Boys is a 2013 documentary film directed by Lotfy Nathan. The documentary focuses on urban dirt-bike riders in Baltimore, Maryland and one boy's fascination with the group, dirt bikes, and his desire to join the 12 O'Clock Boys.

The boy, Pug, was filmed over a three-year period starting when he was 13. The film also includes interviews with several members of the 12 O'Clock Boys as well as Pug's mother, Coco.

SUMMARY

The 12 O'Clock Boys are a notorious urban dirt bike pack in Baltimore -- popping wheelies and weaving at excessive speeds through traffic, the group impressively evades the hamstrung police. Their stunning antics are envisioned through the eyes of young adolescent Pug - a bright kid from the Westside obsessed with the riders and willing to do anything to join their ranks.

RELATED MEDIA

Watch on Tubi for FREE

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Trailers: One Crazy Ride

https://vimeo.com/426056225

The Vintagent Trailers : A preview of our favorite feature films out there.

ONE CRAZY RIDE (2009)

Run Time: 1:27:00
Producer: Dirt Track Productions
Director: Gaurav Jani
Editor: Kishore Jadhav
KEY Cast: Nicolitta Pereira, Vinod Panicker, Sanjeev Sharma, Gursaurabh Singh Toor, Gaurav Jani

FILM MAKERS

Mumbai-based filmmaker and adventure rider Gaurav Jani passed on May 24th 2020. Famous for his self-made films Riding To The Top Of The World Solo and One Crazy Ride about riding in remote areas of the Himalayas, Jani inspired a generation of adventure riders to self-document their own travels.

SUMMARY

A motorcycle expedition on uncharted roads across the Himalayan state
of Arunachal Pradesh, situated in North-east India. But more than an expedition, it's a film on friendship, camaraderie and the "never say die" attitude of five motorcyclists in the face of unforgiving terrain.

Shot in the same format as "Riding Solo To The Top Of The World" with no back-up vehicle or film crew, in parts of India hardly seen, filmed or explored, the documentary captures the interactions and experiences of the riders who are trying to chart a route, which according to everyone does not exist.

RELATED MEDIA

Buy the DVD or buy to STREAM ONLINE

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Trailers: Riding Solo To The Top Of The World

https://vimeo.com/426054194

The Vintagent Trailers : A preview of our favorite feature films out there.

RIDING SOLO TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD (2006)

Run Time: 1:34:00
Producer: Dirt Track Productions
Director: Gaurav Jani
Editor: Sankalp Meshram
Key Cast: Gaurav Jani

FILM MAKERS

Mumbai-based filmmaker and adventure rider Gaurav Jani passed on May 24th 2020. Famous for his self-made films Riding To The Top Of The World Solo and One Crazy Ride about riding in remote areas of the Himalayas, Jani inspired a generation of adventure riders to self-document their own travels.

SUMMARY

"A poem about the traveling life. For someone who feels that call to adventure, it's much more. In such a person this film could plant a deeper seed."

Riding Solo... is a film about filmmaker Gaurav Jani's solo motorcycle journey from Mumbai to one of the remotest places in the world, the Changthang Plateau in Ladakh, bordering China. As a one-man film unit, he astonishes you, filming the landscape he passes by and the people he interacts with, capturing moments of beauty, pain, love, hardship, self doubt and spiritual triumphs.

RELATED MEDIA

Watch the FULL FILM free on Youtube
Buy The DVD

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Selects: A Chat With Stanley

https://vimeo.com/423660103

The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.

A CHAT WITH STANLEY (1990)

Run Time: 59:13
A Film By: Woods  for the BBC
Key Cast: Stanley Woods

FILM MAKERS

Spend an unforgettable hour in the company of the legendary Stanley Woods.

BBC's Nick Harris asked Stanley Woods for a few anecdotes from his racing career. What followed has now become a piece of history itself.

SUMMARY

For an hour Stanley recalled the magic moments from a racing career starting in 1921 on a Harley Davidson and finishing in 1939 on Velocette. In between were ten TT victories; twenty nine Grand Prix wins; great battles with riders like Guthrie, Simpson, Bennett, Dodson, Daniels, Frith, Handley and many incidents recalled with much humour by the greatest storyteller in Motorcycling - Stanley Woods.

Stanley Woods (1903 – 28 July 1993) was an Irish motorcycle racer famous for 29 motorcycle Grand Prix wins in the 1920s and 1930s, winning the Isle of Man TT races ten times in his career, plus wins at Assen and elsewhere. He was also a skilled trials rider, competing in the 1940s.

RELATED MEDIA

Stanley Woods and 'Patricia'

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Selects: Ducati Imola 750 Riding The Legend

https://vimeo.com/421893494

The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.

DUCATI IMOLA 750 RIDING THE LEGEND (2020)

Run Time: 7:22
Producer: John L. Stein
Director: Seth DeDoes
Cinematographer: Seth DeDoes
Writer: John L. Stein
Key Cast: John L. Stein

FILM MAKERS

John L. Stein is a motorcycle and automotive journalist, editor and racer
Seth DeDoes is a motorsports and location photographer, videographer and editor

SUMMARY

It's the star of our 'Silver Shotgun' exhibit at the Petersen Museum, and the only original-paint, running factory racing Ducati from the famous Imola 200 race in 1972.  “Riding the Legend” puts viewers onboard — at racing speeds — one of the few surviving 1972 Ducati 750 Imola factory racers at Willow Springs International Raceway.
Just seven of these desmodromic V-twins were built for the 1972 Imola 200, known as “the Daytona of Europe," making them among the rarest of racing Ducatis and launching the Italian company as a superbike builder. This example is the featured machine of 'Silver Shotgun', and its owner John L. Stein, along with filmmaker Seth DeDeos, were gracious to share the film of this remarkable machine with The Vintagent.

RELATED MEDIA

www.dedoesphoto.com

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema 6: The Dystopian Future

You might be feeling we've already arrived at a dystopian present, but take heart!  Things could be worse - much worse - as the films of Quarantine Cinema 6 prove.  We start with the original dystian biker films of the 1970s and 80s: Mad Max, Tron, The Bronx Warriors, and Akira, all magnificent.  We follow up with a contemporary film from our own friend Eric Ristau, which is so present-day it hurts - 'The Last Motorcycle on Earth.'  It's just come out, and oh dear the timing...

1. Mad Max (1979)

"You don't wanna make Max mad!"

The original and best? Hard to say with so many sequels, but there's no arguing with the original Mad Max. [Studio poster]

George Miller's boisterous take on a dystopian future, inspired half by the injuries he witnessed as an emergency room doctor, and half by the effect of the '73 Oil Crisis on Australians. 'Mad Max', (Mel Gibson before his nutso transformation into an anti-Semitic ultra-Catholic) is a brutal highway patrolman cruising the outback, in a world full of particularly harsh criminal gangs.  A motorcycle gang in particular comes in for Max's attention, and the sadistic tension between Max and his charismatic nemesis is a kinetic masterpiece, inspired, believe it or not, by the silent film antics of Buster Keaton!  It helps to keep a sense of humor, well, in all things. Watch the trailer on The Vintagent here.

Amazing feats of filmmaking! We love this shot of the gonzo filming of Mad Max. [Imdb]

Watch 'Mad Max' on YouTube for $3.99.

2. TRON (1982)

The Electronic Gladiator

The original Tron pandered shamelessly to video gamers and arcade kids, but managed to be something more than fluff. [Studio poster]

Ten years after his debut performance in 'The Last Picture Show', the Dude himself (Jeff Bridges) plays a computer/video game hacker and arcade owner, who is digitized and trapped inside a computer game by the evil Master Control.  The gorgeous early '80s vision of the neon-dark world of computers is made so much better by the first iteration of the Light Cycle, the original electro-future motorcycle used in a gladiatorial combat game. Will Bridges' character Flynn outwit Master Control's computer program?  Man fighting the Machine is an old trope, going all the way back to masterworks like Fritz Lang's 'Metropolis' and Jean-Luc Godard's 'Alphaville', but 'Tron' is the first to incorporate the specific appearance of computer games, and is a real classic. Watch the trailer on The Vintagent here. 

Lightcycles! At the time, these were the cutting edge of computer-to-film renditions, and they did the trick. [Imdb]

Watch 'Tron' for $2.99 on Youtube here.

 

3. 1990: The Bronx Warriors (1982)

"City authorities declare the wasteland of the South Bronx a high-risk area."

Rock band or B-movie? You tell us, could be either! A forgotten gem from a rough era in NYC history. [Studio poster]

It's the future - 1990!  Let's face it, only a small stretch of imagination was required for this one in 1982, when NYC was bankrupt, and the Bronx was burning  and half destroyed.  The borough was a ready-made set for a Mad Max-style anarcho-brutalist dystopian film, with The Riders a dominant gang led by a dead ringer for a metal band singer.  The Riders are constantly challenged by cops, clowns, and roller skating hockey players who kill. The film hired a few Hells Angels as riders, and the bikes include a fab selection of late '70s machines...but the sorriest examples. It's a scream!  Watch the trailer on The Vintagent here.

The cast included local riders and Hells Angels, of course. Don't ask us where to get those skull lamps - we want them too! [Imdb]

Watch 'The Bronx Warriors' FREE on Cine Meccanica here.

 

4. Akira (1988)

"The end of the world was only the beginning."

Before the West understood anime, Akira broke new ground in making a popular feature cartoon about a dystopian future. [Studio poster]

OMG, it's 2019!  We had such high expectations for The Future, but sadly, only disease has stepped up to the plate to fulfill our dark dreams of the nasty world we think we deserve.  After all, nobody's making Utopian films: ask your therapist for confirmation. Set in 2019 (last year!), Akira is set in a world of flying cars, and tells the story of Shōtarō Kaneda, a leader of a biker gang whose childhood friend, Tetsuo Shima, acquires incredible telekinetic abilities after a motorcycle accident.   Tokyo was destroyed in WW3, and Tetsuo's abilities threaten an entire military complex, setting off chaos and rebellion in Neo-Tokyo.  In the best tradition of anime films, Akira is a classic, and worth adding to your list of faves.  Watch the trailer on The Vintagent here.

Often copied, never bettered, Akira's motorcycle is something special. [Imdb]

Watch 'Akira'  FREE on Tubi.

 

5. The Last Motorcycle On Earth: Episode 1 (2020)

"Could motorcycles be outlawed?"

It's a question we often ask ourselves, and one Eric Ristau and his talented team are exploring. [Eric Ristau]

In a world of Self-Driving cars, motorcycles are outlawed: that premise seems so likely I'm already getting chills. In the very near future, gasoline is $20 per gallon, and self-driving cars are taking over. Silicon Valley and the United States Government have collaborated to push society toward a fully-autonomous transportation system. Motorcycles and riders are an easy first target in the drive to ban human-operated vehicles. Impossible, you say? Not so fast.  Watch the trailer on The Vintagent here.

How the world sees us. Especially our moms. [Eric Ristau]

Watch 'The Last Motorcycle on Earth' for $1.99 on Amazon here. 

 

Bonus Films: Sooooo many sequels - dig in!

Watch Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1982) $3.99 on YouTube.

Watch Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985) $2.99 on YouTube. 

Watch Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) $3.99 on YouTube.

Watch TRON: Legacy (2010) $2.99 on YouTube. 

Corinna Mantlo is the Editor for Film at The Vintagent. She is also the owner / lead designer at custom seat maker Via Meccanica. She is also the founder of both Cine Meccanica and the Motorcycle Film Festival. She has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by Paul d’Orleans. In her spare time, Corinna travels as a professional daredevil with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall Of Death.

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema: Part 5

The Bud Ekins & Steve McQueen Edition
Best friends: Bud and Steve were desert riding buddies, and as they got older, collected vintage motorcycles together. [Bud Ekins]
Everybody knows Steve McQueen, but how many know the amazing story of his best riding pal, Bud Ekins?  Bud (along with his brother Dave Ekins) was an incredible dirt racer an ISDT medalist, and taught Steve all he knew about racing motorcycles.  Steve also took up Bud's hobby of collecting motorcycles, although as Bud says in this interview, "It wasn't as much fun after Steve died."  You have to read between the lines on this short interview with Bud from the 1990s, as he's full of stories, but doesn't reveal a lot of the emotion behind his impressive career as a racer, stunt man, and friend of the King of Cool.  Bud was something special, and a unique character.  Watch the short interview with Bud Ekins here.

1: The Great Escape

"Steve could have done it himself."

Steve + motorcycle + WW2 movie = big box office success. [Studio promo]

So said Bob Hoy, a stuntman friend of Ekins: “He did the lead-up to it and rode the bike wherever he was running in that escape, but Bud did the jump. It was a tough jump. You only can do that kind of thing once; you either make it or you don’t make it.”  It was a start of a great friendship: Steve McQueen was a bike nut, and a regular visitor to Bud Ekins' LA shop (remember when motorcycle shops were someplace to hang out?).  When Steve was hired for 'The Great Escape', he asked Bud to join him in Germany as a stunt rider: Ekins remained in Germany more than four months working on the film.  Towards the end of production, McQueen and Ekins came up with the now-famous jump scene where prisoner of war McQueen escapes by motorcycle and attempts an impossible jump over a barbed-wire fence. Ekins acted as stunt double for McQueen, as the risk of injury was high and the studio refused to allow their star to endanger himself.  Ekins thus performed what is perhaps the most famous movie motorcycle stunt ever. That launched Ekins' career as a stunt man,  and he continued doing stunt work until he was in his mid-60s, an incredible career of 30 years. Read more about the amazing Bud Ekins on the AMA Hall of Fame.

While Bud did the big jump, Steve was perfectly capable of making the jump himself. But the studio said no way... the bike is a Triumph TR6 with a Speed Twin front fender. [Studio promo]

Watch 'The Great Escape' for $2.99 on YouTube. 

2: Bullitt

"Bullshit."

Love the period graphics on this 1968 poster. [Studio promo]

In the 1968 crime drama “Bullitt,” Bud Ekins again did stunt work for McQueen when his character, detective Frank Bullitt in his green Mustang, catches up with murderous bad guys driving a black Dodge Charger, and a high-speed chase all over the hills of San Francisco (and Brisbane) ensues. Bud Ekins drove, did motorcycle stunts, and helped lay out the car stunts in the film: “One of the great things Bud did in the picture, he laid a motorcycle down on the blacktop during the chase. It was a hell of a shot. Anything mechanical -- cars, motorcycles -- Bud was a perfectionist doing stunts. He could blueprint an accident and make it look real.”  For more info, read up on Cinemeccanica here.

Steve with the famous Mustang, which recently sold for $3.74M at Mecum Auctions. [Studio promo]

Watch 'Bullitt' for $3.99 on YouTube here.

3: On Any Sunday

"Don't forget to catch the ride!"

Amazingly, Steve McQueen is barely credited in the film, but dirt riding stars Mert Lawill and Malcolm Smith are! [Bruce Brown]

OK, Bud Ekins did not appear in this film, but  one could pose the question: would it have even happened without him?  Bud taught Steve McQueen the tricks of desert racing, and while Mert Lawill and Malcolm Smith are the putative starts of the film (Steve isn't even credited in the this trailer!), it was McQueen's presence that ramped up the sex appeal and boosted the film into new territory.  'On Any Sunday' was an ad for California, for motocross, for flat track, and for motorcycling in general, and the masses followed, making the 1970s the most exciting period for motorcycling in the USA, with the largest rise in ridership that was never to be repeated.  Read more about 'On Any Sunday' here.

Kids on BMX bikes...inspiration for a generation. [Bruce Brown]

Watch 'On Any Sunday for $2.99 on Youtube here. 

4: The Cincinnati Kid

"I don't need marked cards to beat you, pal."

Gambling, wild women, New Orleans, cool card sharks: trendy stuff in the mid-60s. [Getty]

No motorcycles, but plenty of tension: Steve Mcqueen plays a Depression-era card shark in New Orleans, whose ambition is the beat The Man (Edmund G. Robinson), in a swirl of hot women (Anne-Margret!), shady dudes, second line brass bands, cockfights, gambling dens, and a chase scene where Ekins doubles for McQueen. Adapted from Richard Jessup's hard boiled novel, it's a classic bit of period Americana.

...And Tuesday Weld with Anne-Margret make it easy to watch too. [Getty]

Watch 'The Cincinnati Kid' for $2.99 on Youtube. 

5: Beach Blanket Bingo

After 'The Great Escape', it wasn't another macho war film that beckoned for Bud Ekins, it was a slapstick surf comedy that launched his professional Hollywood stunt riding carrier.  The motorcycle gang 'The Ratz' are always lurking on the edges of the fun in the sun, and Bud did the riding and stunts for the gang.  Yes, it's silly, but we can use some of that too.

Bud Ekins stunt doubled for the Ratz cycle club, and their fearless leader Eric von Zipper - on his Honda Dream with crashbars! [Studio promo]

Watch 'Beach Blanket Bingo' for $3.99 on iTunes here.

Corinna Mantlo is the Editor for Film at The Vintagent. She is also the owner / lead designer at custom seat maker Via Meccanica. She is also the founder of both Cine Meccanica and the Motorcycle Film Festival. She has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by Paul d’Orleans. In her spare time, Corinna travels as a professional daredevil with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall Of Death.

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Premier: BE

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/bethemovie/411077380

The Vintagent Premier: A new film shown here for the first time!

BE (2020)

Run Time: 1:09:00
NO BULLSHIT PROD presents BE
A film By: Brice Renoux.

FILM MAKERS

Brice Renoux is  50 years old, from Palavas les Flots -  a popular seaside resort in the South Of France, along the Mediterranean coast.  He's worked 20 years as creative in several famous advertising agencies in Paris.

Brice is the Founder and Creative Director of Voix Publique (Advertising Agency) and of No Bullshit Production (Films) located at Montpellier  in the South of France.

He was born in the Rock and Roll and Psychobilly culture, and is a guitarist and author. He's been riding motorcycles for 14 years.

SUMMARY

This film is a malicious punk’s testimonial.  Brice decided, one day in 2017, without being asked, to gather 'the best of the best' at the Wheels&Waves festival, hunting images and  to offer them as a slightly crazy, blurry project.

Six days in Biarritz were spent in a huge house facing the ocean, with all the necessary gear.  Brice used total improvisation, putting himself in the heart of a event, without a VIP pass or an appointment, to capture all the soul of a phenomenon: Ride Culture.

Without sponsors or patrons, Brice Renoux maintained full independence to provide a curious and inexperienced point of view. At the right distance, with kindness and without falling into cliché, he offers with BE a unique document of this universe of passion. With original music composed and performed live at a screening of BE in the recording studio by Son Of a Gun.

A must see on the big screen.

WATCH THE FILM FOR FREE UNTIL MAY 1ST
Just enter the promo code : befree

RELATED MEDIA

BE on Vimeo

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Selects: LOV(ED)

https://vimeo.com/249737487

The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.

LOV(ED) (2018)

Run Time: 27:00
A Film By: Paolo Asuncion
Sound: Frank Pascual

FILM MAKERS

Vargas Films is Paolo Asuncion (director, editor) and Rattler Productions is Luis Baptista, Frank Pascual, and Erik Pascual (producers). They have been making moto-centric films and documentaries for almost 10 years. It started with their fascination with motorcycles and the motorcycle culture and the desire to capture the events around them as sort of a video diary – something to watch and look back at when they got older. In many ways, this is still the case as evidenced by their web series – The Handsome Asians Motorcycle Club – where they feature builds, rides, and individuals in the motorcycle community and their stories about life on two wheels.

On a more personal note, there is one reason that Paolo likes to present these films in public. At the beginning of the films, the audience sees a quick montage of a certain person that fades and becomes a logo that says “Vargas Films.” Paolo’s dad was an actor in the Philippines, and his screen name was “Vic Vargas.” Paolo grew up on movie sets but he never really caught the film bug until after his dad passed away. Getting their films screened in theaters is Paolo’s way of putting his dad’s image and his name up on a big screen again. It’s an homage and a thank you, and a way of making Vic Vargas live forever.

SUMMARY

In some cultures, one truly dies only when one is forgotten. If that's true, then Ed Cavanaugh has achieved immortality.

RELATED MEDIA

In These difficult times, the filmmakers would like to suggest making a donation to the SF Marin Foodbank. Stay Safe.

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema: Part 4

The Independents 

This week's films are all made (or restored) by small teams of very independent film enthusiasts who are crazy about motorcycles.  These are the cutting edge of moto-culture in the 21st Century, exploring their unique place in the contemporary world, and common love for two wheels.  These are not grand narratives with Hollywood trappings, but were made or restored as passion projects, and gifts to their motorcycling family.

All of the proceeds of these sales go directly to the filmmakers - except those who have made them available for the duration of the Pandemic!  Many thanks!

1. Greasy Hands Preachers (2014)

“The bikes I produce should be a part of me. This is why I must improve my inner self, to make my bikes better.” - Shinya Kimura

Shinya Kimura features prominently in 'GHP': here he pushes the Spike across the Bonneville Salt Flats. [Greasy Hands Preachers]

Clement Beauvais & Arthur de Kersauson's alt-custom documentary film explores the passion for craft among motorcycle enthusiasts who have found their way to a happy life. Shot in 16mm in California, Utah, Indonesia, Spain, Scotland and France, the team  spent time with mechanics and custom shop founders, trying to understand the difference between manual work and intellectual work.  The film includes interviews with Shinya Kimura, Deus X Machina, Roland Sands, El Solitario, and Blitz Motorcycles, who discuss the unique satisfactions of doing something tangible, including a unique sense of time, the relation between the form and the function, the joy of riding in a beautiful landscape and the community and friendship that motorcycle creates. Watch 'Greasy Hands Preachers' FREE during The Pandemic. 

2. I Fidanzeati Della Morte (Engaged To Death)

"I've had enough of slowing down during races - slowing down and letting others win!"

With the finest racing motorcycles in the world from the 1950s captured on the big screen, you have NO EXCUSE to miss this incredible film! [Rodaggio Films]
A tale of love, rivalry and passion set in the 50s, in the madcap world of motorcycle speed races, shot on the occasion of the main competitions of that time, such as Monza’s Moto GP and the last edition of the legendary Milano-Taranto race. With also very rare footage of the Moto Guzzi wind tunnel and factories. The film features, alongside popular actors Rik Battaglia and Sylva Koscina, many of the most important champions of those years: Geoffrey Duke, Libero Liberati, Bill Lomas, Enrico Lorenzetti, Reg Armstrong, Stanley Woods, Ken Cavanagh, Dickie Dale, Thomas Campbell, Pierre Monneret, Albino Milani, Walter Zeller, Bruno Francisci, all of them riding amazing Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Mondial and Norton bikes with the so charming and dangerous dustbin fairings that were going to be banned in 1958.

Beautiful color, beautiful bikes, beautiful shots. [Rodaggio Films]
“I fidanzati della morte” is a movie shot in the motorcycle racing world by Romolo Marcellini, famous for his Oscar nomineé 1960 documentary “The Great Olympics”. The film has been forgotten for nearly 60 years. After its first release in 1957 it literally vanished without leaving a trace, except from some books and articles reminding of it as the “first great motorcycling movie”. It took the Rodaggio Film two years to recover the reels and to retrace the film rights history. The restoration started on a positive copy coming from the main italian film archive. After some time the precious original negative, once thought lost in a fire, has been found in laboratory in Rome. Unluckily the film material was partially burned, but most of it was in good condition and has been used as the main reference for the restoration process. The film has been first phisically repaired, then digitally scanned, cleaned frame by frame and color corrected. The sound has been digitally restored and improved as well. All the restoration process has been completed in the world famous Immagine Ritrovata Laboratory, in Bologna.

Gilera Quattro versus Moto Guzzi factory single...amazing footage! [Rodaggio Film]
A movie like no other in its genre, recovered and restored after 60 years from its release thanks to a successful crowdfunding campaign with donors from 22 Countries, which bears unique witness to the international motorcycling’s golden age and to an exceptional season of Italian excellence, innovations and challenges in the thrilling world of two wheels. Watch 'I Fidanzeati Della Morte' for $7.99 on Vimeo.

3. Fast & Left

"As soon as they got a motor on a set of bicycle wheels, racing was on!"

'Fast and Left' captures the spirit of flat track racers in the USA. [Evan Senn]
Evan H. Senn is a camera-operator and film editor residing in Wichita, Kansas. His love for flat-track racing inspired this project, following American Flat Track and Hooligan racing and producing spectacular shots of the racers and the action.  Senn dedicates the film to " the riders who keep this wonderful sport alive."  'Fast&Left' is a unique film on a unique sport, and was entirely self-funded. Watch 'Fast & Left' for $3.00 on Vimeo.

4. Dirtbag 

“Can you build a chopper in under a month for under a thousand dollars?

The event that lives up to the hype, the Dirtbag Challenge is rough and ready. [Rattler Productions]
Paolo Asuncion and his team at Rattler Productions (Luis Baptista, Frank Pascual, and Erik Pascual) have been making moto-centric home movies and documentaries 10 years in San Francisco. Their fascination with the local motorcycle culture inspired them to capture local events as sort of a video diary.   Their web-based series 'The Handsome Asians Motorcycle Club' features builds, rides, and individuals in the motorcycle community and  stories about life on two wheels.

If you paid $5 for a used tire, I suppose there's no harm in ruining it in a spectacular display...the chaos of the Dirtbag Challenge. [Rattler Productions]
'Dirtbag' explores the question, 'Can you build a chopper in under a month for under a thousand dollars?' The Dirtbag Challenge is an annual San Francisco motorcycle contest,  and means different things to different people who participate or spectate.  In 'Dirtbag', we meet the builders participating in the Dirtbag Challenge, and witness the talent and passion that goes into the birth of their one of a kind creations. Get an inside look at their motivations, their machines, and the event. Find out what makes these Dirtbags… anything but. Watch 'Dirtbag' FREE during The Pandemic Thanks to the filmmaker!

5. Dirtbag II: The Return Of The Rattler

Come for the bikes, stay for the outrageous musical sequence! 

The Rattler team move in front of the camera: embedded Gonzo journalism? [Rattler Productions]
The sequel to 'Dirtbag' follows four men with no motorcycle-building experience who decide to participate in the Dirtbag Challenge in San Francisco. Contestants in the challenge have one month to build a working and rideable chopper for less than $1000. Contestants must then ride their beast 100 miles without it breaking down. Seems like a simple enough task for seasoned bike builders… But what if one group of contestants had zero experience bike building? What would happen?

Too good to miss, the Rattler team takes to the stage as their alter-ego rock stars. [Rattler Productions]
The movie is a hilarious look into four inexperienced bike builders as they construct their ‘Rattler’, their custom chopper that started as a beat up Yamaha XS650. Watch as the protagonists cuss, laugh, and argue their way through a unique and fresh learning experience. This movie is not necessarily about the Dirtbag Challenge, but the teamwork and creativity that goes into building a bike. Dirtbag II features builds from other contestants in the challenge – a Honda CM400 with modified beer bottles for headlamps, a 750 Monster with a girder front end – and encourages viewers to get out there are start creating, regardless of prior experience. It's a punk rock ethos, with a punk rock soundtrack. Watch 'Dirtbag II' FREE during The Pandemic thanks to the filmmakers!  

Corinna Mantlo is the Editor for Film at The Vintagent. She is also the owner / lead designer at custom seat maker Via Meccanica. She is also the founder of both Cine Meccanica and the Motorcycle Film Festival. She has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by Paul d’Orleans. In her spare time, Corinna travels as a professional daredevil with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall Of Death.

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema: Part 3

From Europe With Love

Filmmakers from 'other than America' have always had a different take on two wheels.  They simply didn't experience the same vilification of motorcyclists as boogeymen as in the USA post-WW2.  Many words have been written on why bikers (and teenagers) became the bete noir of  American society during the Cold War: suffice it to say our cultural fascination with outlaw culture led to the 'threat' of biker gangs being blown all out of proportion to their numbers.  How could a few hundred 1% club bikers threaten the capitalist behemoth in its heyday?

European filmmakers were thus free to focus on sex, adventure, and crazy dreams on two wheels, which is what most people want from bikes, right? Here are a few classics to keep you entertained for this week's Quarantine Cinema:

1. Girl On A Motorcycle (1968)

The poster says it all: we're a zip-tug away from the grand prize. [Studio promo]
Newly-married Rebecca leaves her husband’s Alsatian bed on the Harley-Davidson given to her by a former lover.   Her early-morning ride (escape) to visit her lover is accompanied by reveries about her conflicting desires; her stable husband versus her passionate motorcyclist lover.  As she nears her destination, Rebecca’s excitement over this sexual reunion becomes an extended motorcycle masturbation, with the vibration of her V-twin bringing her to a frenzy of erotic speed. (See our article ‘The Sex Machine’ here)

Marianne Faithful and Alain Delon, reason enough to watch the film. [Studio promo]
Rebecca’s character is based (visually) on Anke-Eve Goldmann, a real-life German motorcycle rider and competitor, who invented a one-piece leather riding suit for women, which she had made at Harro Leathers.  Anke-Eve bucked societal norms by daring to ride a powerful motorcycle in post-war Germany, and faced considerable condemnation initially, but became famous as a journalist writing for magazines around the world by the 1950s.  She was friends with author André Pieyre de Mandiargues, who wrote his novella ‘The Motorcycle’ with a central character resembling Anke-Eve, who was then married to a German television producer, but had a passionate affair with a dashing Swiss motorcyclist.  Rebecca bears no real resemblance to Anke-Eve, who was confident and strong, although her leather catsuit ‘inspired’ a generation of European men…as did Marianne Faithful’s reverse strip-tease in this film!

The real 'Girl on a Motorcycle', and the clear inspiration for the book 'The Motorcycle' on which the film is based: Anke Eve Goldmann. Read all about her here! [Vintagent Archive]
‘Girl on a Motorcycle’ (called ‘Naked Under Leather’ in Europe…a more exact representation of the film’s intentions) is part of a long tradition of eroticized girl+motorcycle films, beginning in 1928 with ‘Impatience’ (watch it here!), and continuing with such films as ‘Barb Wire’, etc.  The motorcycle as a totem of erotic power, combined with a beautiful woman, is a one-two punch for both filmmaker and audience, and has become an irresistibly enduring subject for films.  Watch 'Girl on a Motorcycle' free on Cine Meccanica!

2. The Leather Boys (1964)

"Follow me, and wait and see!"

Boys, bikes, and boys! And cafe racers, and the Ace Cafe, and Rita Tushingham - it's the real deal, and mostly a very accurate picture of the Ace Cafe scene. [Studio promo]
Gillian Freeman, whose 1961 novel “The Leather Boys” was made into the seminal Rocker/Ace Cafe/Cafe Racer movie of the same name, died in 2019 at age 89. The novel was commissioned by the London publisher Anthony Blond, who reputedly suggested she write a novel depicting ‘Romeo and Romeo in the South London suburbs’.  Freeman wrote the book under the pen name Eliot George, an inversion of 19th Century writer Mary Ann Evan’s nom de plume George Eliot, used to conceal her identity as the female author of the astounding “Middlemarch”, and the equally famous “Silas Marner”. Freeman’s novels were not literature in the same league as George Eliot’s, and “The Leather Boys” is a one-night read, and a pulpy novella that was nevertheless groundbreaking for its frank depiction of a homosexual relationship as spontaneous and free of even the consideration of shame.  Read more about The Leather Boys here.

The Ace Cafe is the perfect setting for this tale of cafe racer pals in London. [Studio promo]

Watch 'The Leather Boys' free on YouTube!

3. La Strada (1954)

“Here he is – Zampano!”

Anthony Quinn as the original Overland camper-biker, in Fellini's classic 'La Strada' [Studio promo]
In poverty-stricken postwar Italy, Federico Fellini depicted what was probably the only example of an adapted, personalised ‘chopper trike’ in his 1954 masterpiece, ‘La Strada’. Anthony Quinn played Zampanò, a proud, irascible rebel and individualist, who earned a living as an itinerant clown/ strongman around Italy. His three-wheeler motorcycle van was built from an Italian Sertum 500cc single-cylinder bike, which Fellini unearthed from a mechanic’s garage. The old mechanic had resuscitated a wreck of a Sertum, and converted to 3 wheels for his everyday transport. Fellini was inspired by its great character and used it in the film, but because Anthony Quinn was such a large man it ‘became’ a Harley, and was passed off as such by Zampanò in the movie, thanks to a larger handlebar and headlight. Zampanò has such affection for his trike, he decides to live in it! The extreme character of the motorcycle represents something of the man’s essence; a nomadic spirit, a wild nature, and an unsociable personality. [from Paul d'Orléans' 'The Chopper: the Real Story' (2015)]

Anthony Quinn and Giulietta Masina and their Moto Guzzi Falcone motor home. [Studio promo]

Rent 'La Strada' for £3.49 on iTunes UK.

4. Eat The Peach (1986)

"Nothing was going to stop them: it was time to Eat the Peach"

A truly undersung film, and it's about a Wall of Death! [Studio promo]

'Eat the Peach' is a 1986 British-Irish comedy film, directed by Peter Ormrod. The title is derived from the T.S.Eliot poem ‘The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock’. The story takes place in an Irish village a few miles from the border with Northern Ireland. When the local Japanese-owned computer factory closes, the principal employer is a mob-rum smuggling operation. One day out-of-work Vinnie (Stephen Brennan), and his brother-in-law Arthur (Eamon Morissey), watch the 1964 Elvis Presley film Roustabout, in the village bar.  Seeing a cyclist in the film ride a Wall of Death, Vinnie is inspired to make his own: he draws up  plans and clears a patch of land near his house.

Can you stand up to the G-forces? One way to check it out... [Studio promo]
Vinnie’s wife Nora (Catherine Byrne) protests and goes back to her mother with their daughter Vicky. It’s a new kitchen she wants, not a Wall of Death. The men however, continue with the work and sinking tree posts into the ground and putting up a huge cylindrical construction. They become energetic and resourceful. Vinnie believes his Wall of Death will be a source of income – that people will buy tickets to stand on a gallery around the top of the rink and watch him and Arthur give their daring performances. Nora returns.

Give it a watch! [Studio promo]
The film is based on the true story of brothers-in-law Connie Kiernan and Michael Donoghue, living in County Longford (Ireland), who built a wall of death in their back garden for fun. The director, Peter Ormrod, happened to see their huge wooden barrel just off the road when he was looking for items for Irish television.

Watch 'Eat the Peach' free on YouTube!

Corinna Mantlo is the Editor for Film at The Vintagent. She is also the owner / lead designer at custom seat maker Via Meccanica. She is also the founder of both Cine Meccanica and the Motorcycle Film Festival. She has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by Paul d’Orleans. In her spare time, Corinna travels as a professional daredevil with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall Of Death.

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Selects: The Greasy Hands Preachers

https://vimeo.com/404587233

The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.

THE GREASY HANDS PREACHERS (2015)

Run Time: 1:27:00
Producer: Arthur de Kersauson
A Film By: Clement Beauvais & Arthur de kersauson
Writer: Clément Beauvais, Arthur de Kersauson
Key Cast: Shinya Kimura, Deus X Machina, Roland Sands, El Solitario, Blitz Motorcycles

FILM MAKERS

WATCH THE FILM FOR FREE DURING THE LOCKDOWN
We wanted to make the film available for free and share it with you during the lockdown. We hope it will inspire and entertain you while waiting for better days.
Stay home., Stay safe and stay home.
Arthur and Clement

SUMMARY

"The bikes I produce should be a part of me. This is why I must improve my inner self, to make my bikes better." - Shinya Kimura

This documentary film explores the revival of manual work through the passion of motorcycle enthusiasts who have found their way to a happy life. Shot in 16mm in California, Utah, Indonesia, Spain, Scotland and France, we have spent time with mechanics and custom shop founders trying to understand the difference between manual work and intellectual work. The unique satisfaction that result from doing something tangible, the sense of time, the relation between the form and the function, the joy of riding in a beautiful landscape and the community and friendship that motorcycle creates.

RELATED MEDIA

Website

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Classics: Mini-Skirt Mob

https://youtu.be/443rpBCrluo

The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us. 

MINI-SKIRT MOB (1968)

Run Time: 1:22:00
Director: Maury Dexter
Writer: James Gordon White
Key Cast: Jeremy Slate, Diane McBain, Sherry Jackson, Harry Dean Stanton |

FILM MAKERS

Driven by jealousy, the jilted leader of a female motorcycle gang instigates a sadistic reign of terror against her ex-lover and his new bride.

SUMMARY

Shayne, the leader of a Honda-riding biker gang known as the Mini-Skirt Mob, has been jilted by her lover, cowboy star Jeff Logan who has married straight-laced Connie. Shayne enlists the rest of her gang to help her break up the newlyweds and get Jeff back - even if that means killing him in the process. Her revenge escalates until her sister Edie is killed by a Molotov cocktail and Shayne finds herself hanging by one hand over a deadly chasm. Should Connie let go before Jeff returns with the police?

RELATED MEDIA

Quarantine Cinema: Part 2

Cine Meccanica

by Corinna Mantlo

The Vintagent Classics: Rebel Rousers

https://youtu.be/Z9Dbvtc_-JE

The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us. 

REBEL ROUSERS (1970)

Run Time: 1:18:00
Director: Martin B. Cohen
Writer: Martin B. Cohen, Michael Kars, Abe Polsky
Key Cast: Cameron Mitchell, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Jack Nicholson, Harry Dean Stanton

FILM MAKERS

Shot in 1967, but shelved and not released until 1970 after Jack’s career took off with easy Rider.

SUMMARY

In a small, U.S. costal town, with many Spanish speakers, a motorcycle gang arrives on vacation. Also in town to try to reconnect with his pregnant girlfriend, Karen, is businessman Paul Collier. Paul and a leader of the bikers, J.J., knew each other years before, so when the gang comes upon the couple and, led by the menacing Bunny, beats up Paul and begins to sexually assault Karen. J.J. tries to intervene: he suggests they hold cycle-riding contests, with the winner claiming Karen (he promises, sotto voce, to set her free if he wins). After the contests commence, Paul crawls away to look for help. He meets with a shrug from a cowardly Sheriff's Deputy; where can he turn?

RELATED MEDIA

Quarantine Cinema: Part 2

Cine Meccanica

by Corinna Mantlo

Quarantine Cinema: Part 2

The Deluge of ‘60s Biker Flicks: Roger Corman Perfects the Biker Flick

“There’s nowhere to go” – Heavenly Blues, ‘The Wild Angels’ (1966)

From Paul d'Orléans' seminal 2015 book 'The Chopper: the Real Story':  While Russ Myer, that worshipper of the mighty mammary, gave us ‘Motor Psycho’ (1965) featuring maniacal mods on mopeds as a follow up to ‘Faster Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill!’, there wasn’t a formula for a feature-length chopper film until Roger Corman solidified the Biker Flick in 1966 with ‘The Wild Angels’.  Corman observed the emergence of the ‘outlaw biker’ as the new front-page threat to civil society, and the ‘problem’ being featured in LIFE magazine, countless newspapers, and Hunter S. Thompson’s book ‘Hell’s Angels’ (1967).

Roger Corman coaching Peter Fonda on the set of 'The Wild Angels' [AIP promotional shot]
Thus, bikers became the perfect subject for Corman, the B-movie titan; “AIP (American International Pictures) wanted a contemporary film. I had seen a picture in Time magazine of a funeral of a member of the Hell’s Angels and been really struck by the graphics of it. The Hell’s Angels were in the news media all the time then. So I wanted to do a picture about the Hell’s Angels. AIP said fine. It was really that fast. As for the cast we used the Hell’s Angels themselves to play the members of the gang. I used professional actors only for the leads. One thing I insisted upon – all the professional actors had to ride the bikes themselves. I wanted to be as authentic as possible.”

Yes, Peter Fonda looks good on a motorcycle, even in full sun in the Mojave desert. [Sorry, forgot who sent this one!]
Peter Fonda’s first motorcycle film opens with him rolling down a street with a modified 1957 Harley Panhead, and nearly running over a little boy escaping his mother on a tricycle…no subtle psychological cues here. During the opening credits with the soundtrack blaring, we don’t need a verbal explanation that he’s a typical biker, a lone rider moving through a landscape, packing only his ideals. With its crude dragon tank graphic (painted by Von Dutch), sky high sissy bar, ape hangers, and fishtail exhaust, Fonda’s ‘Dragon Bike’ was a typical ‘1%er’ bike of that date, using a stock steering geometry for fast street performance. The bike had plenty of style, with sharpened axle nuts poking out two inches from its springer forks, creating the illusion of a modified front end. Fonda oozed attitude on the machine, rakish himself on ‘the Dragon’s’ un-raked forks. Fonda said, “In some ways, the Dragon is even more of a biker’s bike; it’s the granddaddy of all choppers and it cemented my role as the original, in chopper history. The bike was built from the ground up to ride. It handles pretty well, feels comfortable, has good power, and you hardly ever run over lil’ kids on tricycles.” If Marlon Brando was the king of cool, unknowingly launching traditional biker fashion as we know it, Peter Fonda became the king of custom, the poster boy for a new type of badass biker, in chopper style.

Hot on the heels of Fonda's success comes his future co-star in 'Easy Rider', none other than Jack Nicholson, on a modified Harley-Davidson flathead - dig those pipes and pants, man! [AIP promo photo]
‘The Wild Angels’ notably allows Fonda to become the mouthpiece of the entire chopper generation during the film’s most memorable scene, where he takes the podium at a church and delivers a sermon, after being asked ‘What do you want?’ To paraphrase, he answers, ‘We wanna be free! Free to ride our machines! And not be hassled by the man! And we wanna party!’ As a summary of the chopper generation’s ideology, this is hardly the Communist Manifesto, or Mein Kampf, or any number of underground political rant sheets passed around the universities and coffee shops during the late 1960s. It’s a knee-jerk statement, free of analysis or any particular ideology, and probably the most honest possible ‘mission statement’ of post-Beatnik chopper enthusiasts. Yes, riding a chopper meant something in the 1960s, and different things to different riders, but Fonda’s oratory distills that meaning to its essence; this isn’t about politics per se, although some riders were political, and it isn’t merely fashion, as riding a chopper required commitment, and dedication to an ideal of being ‘different’ as well as ‘free’. What riding a chopper was about was as simple, and as threatening to the status quo, as the declaration ‘we want to be free’.

This Week's Quarantine Cinema Picks:

1. The Wild Angels (1966)
“The most terrifying film of your time!”

Peter Fonda and Nancy Sinatra add star power to what looks like a pretty fun party at this juncture... [AIP promo photo]
The Angels are a San Pedro-based motorcycle gang, roving through the Coachella Valley and creating friction with police and locals, with whom they eventually face a reckoning.  This film made Peter Fonda a star, and was Nancy Sinatra's first film role (on the heels of her hit song 'These Boots Were Made for Walking').  Bruce Dern plays Fonda's best pal, Loser, and his real-world wife Diane Ladd also appears (their daughter is Laura Dern).  An impromptu funeral for Loser at a commandeered chapel is the setting for the film's most famous scene and monologue.  Read more on CineMeccanica.

'The Wild Angels' trailer:

Watch the full film for $3.99 on Vudu.

2. Devil's Angels (1967)
"Get out of their way…if you can!"

Promotional poster for 'The Devil's Angels' [AIP]
Corman's follow-up to his hit film 'The Wild Angels' dives once again into the clash between a biker gang (the Skulls) and police/townspeople.  There's a reference to a notorious case of the Hell's Angels in Monterey, who were accused of gang-raping an underage girl on the beach, which proved to be false, yet provoked a shitstorm of negative press attention.  'Devil's Angels' mirrors that event (and its exploitation by law enforcement), and blows it further out of proportion when the Skulls join up with the 200-strong Stompers MC to wreak havoc on the town as revenge for their leader Cody (John Cassavetes!) in jail, albeit briefly.  Read more on Cinemeccanica.

The 'Devil's Angels' trailer:

Watch the full movie free on Cine Meccanica youtube: 

Or, you can pay $5.99 on Amazon. 

3. Rebel Rousers (1970)
“Their creed: "If it feels good, do it!"

The bikes in 'The Rebel Rousers' were pretty special, and excellent examples of LA custom style in the mid-1960s. [AIP promo photo]
Disclaimer: This one sneaks into this list as it was shot in 1967, but shelved and not released until 1970 after Jack’s career took off with easy Rider. However it plays an important role in the chronological evolution of the biker flick genre and the actors who came up in it.

Rebel Rousers is not the greatest film ever made [well, none of these films are! - ed]. It’s raunchy and silly and features a cast of gringos playing Mexicans sporting accents verging on offensive, but the thing that saves this film and makes it worth a look is the cast. Cameron Mitchell, Bruce Dern, Diane Ladd, Jack Nicholson, plus Harry Dean Stanton playing a gang member whose wacky getup screams used car salesman on acid.  Read more on Cinemeccanica.

The 'Rebel Rousers' trailer:

Watch the full film for $3.99 on YouTube. 

4. Mini-Skirt Mob (1968)
“They ride hard...no matter what they’re mounted on!”

Mini-skirted Honda CL riders...but killers at heart, proving it doesn't matter what you ride, it's that you ride that makes you a menace to society. Right? [API Promo Photo]
This time it's an all-girl motorcycle gang, in a two-wheeled iteration of Roger Corman's amazing 'Faster Pussycat: Kill! Kill!'  The leader of the gang is wild with jealousy that her ex (Ross Hagan) is on his honeymoon with someone else. The film veers from biker to horror flick as the gang terrorizes the honeymooning couple.  People die!  Read more on Cinemeccanica.

The 'Mini-Skirt Mob' trailer:

Watch the full film for $3.99 on Amazon.

 

Corinna Mantlo is the Editor for Film at The Vintagent. She is also the owner / lead designer at custom seat maker Via Meccanica. She is also the founder of both Cine Meccanica and the Motorcycle Film Festival. She has contributed to several books, including “The Chopper; The Real Story” (Gestalten 2014) by Paul d’Orleans. In her spare time, Corinna travels as a professional daredevil with the American Motor Drome Co. Wall Of Death.

by Corinna Mantlo