The Vintagent Selects: Road To Paloma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLcueCRRtjY
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
ROAD TO PALOMA (2014)
Run Time: 1:31:00
Producer: Boss Media, Pride of Gypsies
Director: Jason Momoa
Writer: Jason Momoa, Robert Homer Mollohan, Jonathan Hirschbein
Key Cast: Jason Momoa, Robert Homer Mollohan, Jonathan Hirschbein
FILM MAKERS
Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times said that "though there's nothing terribly profound or unique about actor Jason Momoa's feature writing-directing debut, 'Road to Paloma', it does prove an effective throwback to the loose-limbed, my-way-or-the-highway road movies of the Easy Rider era". - Los Angeles Times
Motorcycle enthusiast Jason Momoa uses his celebrity to be an ambassador of the antique motorcycle community. In 2024 he produced the TV series 'On The Roam' that can be watched on MAX. In it, he travels across the country by motorcycle to meet "the extraordinary individuals blazing their own path - from craftsmen, to motorcycle fabricators, musicians to athletes". This passion project is not the pinnacle of cinematic brilliance, but the two episodes in the first season dedicated to motorcycles are worth the watch for Vintagent readers. More on this next week!
SUMMARY
On the road. On the run.
Wolf, a Native American on the run after avenging his mother's murder, flees across the desolate American West on his motorcycle, where he'll discover that justice has a cost.
After murdering his mother's rapist, (who died from her injuries) Wolf, a Native American, flees from the law. Six months later he meets up with a drifter called Cash and heads north to his sister's property where he intends to go spread his mother's ashes, but with the law right behind him his dream to lay his mother to peace may come at a price.
On their way up north to spread his mother’s ashes, Wolf and Cash are approached by a little boy covered in blood begging for help. They race into the desert brush to find a young woman being raped by a white male. Robert Wolf murders the man and he and Cash run to a nearby police station on foot carrying woman and child. The police officer stops them from running away and is about to call in that the two suspects are being arrested.
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The Vintagent Classics: Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8K34N604Iw
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
HARLEY DAVIDSON AND THE MARLBORO MAN (1991)
Run Time: 1:38:00
Producer: MGM
Director: Simon Wincer
Writer: Don Michael Paul
Key Cast: Mickey Rourke, Don Johnson, Chelsea Field
FILM MAKERS
Who says there are no more heroes?
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man is a Neo-Western set in the near future of 1996, starring Mickey Rourke and Don Johnson. The film was a critical and financial failure, grossing only $7 million at the box office, with a budget of $23 million. In numerous interviews, Mickey Rourke has said that he signed on purely for financial reasons, after Bruse Willis turned down the roll. The film he said, made him feel "like a sell-out" and fueled his descent into self-loathing.
Decades later, the film has found a cult following for it's portrayal of archetypal American symbols of rebellion and masculinity, represented by the titular characters "Harley Davidson" (a biker) and "the Marlboro Man" (a cowboy), two rugged individuals fighting against corporate power, while simultaneously critiquing the superficiality and potentially dangerous connotations of such idealized identities. A theme perhaps more socially relevant to audiences today.
Rumors are circulating online of a 2025 reboot directed by David Leitch and starring Tom Hardy and Jason Mamoa, though no official or credible confirmation exists. It's just wishful/wistful dreaming with a flashy poster... for now.
SUMMARY
It's better to be dead and cool, than alive and uncool.
Two lone riders hold up a bank's armoured car to save their friend's bar from imminent foreclosure. Soon, the mission goes awry when they discover the vehicle's unexpected cargo.
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The Vintagent Selects: Hell Riders: The Wall Of Death
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQLewiOlxU8
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
HELL RIDERS: THE WALL OF DEATH (2024)
Run Time: 5:59
A Film By: Ali White
Cinematography: Crusoe Weston, Rio Redwood-Sawyerr, Ali White
Post Production: Drift
Original Score: Fred Baty
Key Cast: Luke Fox, Kerri Cameron, Captain Donald
FILM MAKERS
Step into the world of the Hell Riders, one of the last traditional side shows in the UK.
Hell Riders: Wall Of Death is the first film Ali White has uploaded to his new YouTube channel Earth House Sessions which will include live sessions, short films, and interviews.
SUMMARY
The Wall of Death has been synonymous with speed and danger since it's conception back in the early part of the 20th century. The Original Wall of Death harks back to those early days, with the Wall being constructed in 1928, and the bikes, Indian Scouts, made in 1921. All those who see the show will remember it for the rest of their life. The noise, the speed, the smell, the proximity of the bikes ridden to the top of the wall, barely 6 inches from the audience - an experience never to be forgotten!
The Original Wall of Death was one of the early walls built by Orton and Spooner at Burton on Trent - they were, of course, famous manufacturers of fairground rides of all types but only made Walls of Death for a short period, although, according to records held at The National Fairground Archive, they actually made fourteen in total. The Wall of Death had been adopted in it’s early years by two great showmen, Billy Butlin and Pat Collins. Butlin was rumoured to have had as many as ten built up along the sea front at Skegness for training riders before they went into his holiday camps and other enterprises.
The Wall of Death was an instant hit and many popped up in and around the UK. Because there was so many appearing on the scene competition became fierce! Showmen had to think up new ideas to attract customers. Ladies started to ride and animals such as lions, monkeys and bears were introduced, often riding along side the drivers in sidecars or on the tanks of the Indian Scouts.
Sadly the war brought the Wall of Death hey day to a stand still and the animals disappeared along with it.
Only a few survived, including this one to rise from the ashes and entertain once more!
Generations passed until eventually it landed in the hands of Ken Fox and his two sons, Luke and Alex Fox. The Fox family continue to preserve the history of the Wall by keeping her touring and doing restoration work in the winter months.
Although the lion and old riders have gone, their memories and distinctive markings can be seen on the old panels and with the help of the Fox family this old girl will see many more years to come. - Ken Fox Wall Of Death / Original Wall Of Death
Search "Wall Of Death" on The Vintagent to watch more films and read more about this unique tradition.
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The Vintagent Classics: The Kilometer Eater
https://vimeo.com/1037497161?share=copy
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
THE KILOMETER EATER aka DER KILOMETERFRESSER (1925)
Run Time: 1:22:00
A Film By: Karl Imelski
Key Cast: Ernst Ganauser, Karl Imelski
FILM MAKERS
Der Kilometerfresser is an Austrian cultural film with a feature film plot. It was shot in the summer of 1923 and premiered in June 1925 in the Urania in Vienna . This silent film takes the title character on his motorcycle from Austria through Italy, Switzerland, the Balkans and Czechoslovakia are shown.
The adult education center in Vienna Urania wanted to use film as a medium for adult education, after having already had success with slide shows. Purely documentary cultural films did not bring the desired response from the audience, so an attempt was made to combine the documentary content with a feature film plot. In the style of Around the World in 80 Days , a bet in this film also provides the reason for describing a longer journey. The film shows landscapes, cities, monuments and customs along the route through Austria, Italy, the Balkans and Czechoslovakia.
The director of the film, Karl Imelski, had already made the cultural film King Dachstein in 1922 with the leading actor, the sportsman Ernst Ganauser. The Kilometerfresser is, according to its own statement, “a film from five countries in six acts (Austria 1923/24)”.
The film was thought to be lost for decades, but was discovered by chance in the warehouse of a Viennese antique dealer and identified as The Kilometer Eater. The tinted film was restored by the Filmarchiv Austria in 2004. No original music has been preserved for this film. The first orchestral score was composed in 2007 by Florian C. Reithner on behalf of the Orchester Filmharmonie. - read more
SUMMARY
New Year's Eve 1923 in the sports club: club moderator and sportsman Ernest follows the old tradition of pouring lead, and an indefinable lead oracle emerges. His friend, a journalist, interprets the oracle as follows: an oar! an ice pick! a motorcycle! For Ernest, this means that he has to complete a tour of 6,000 kilometers on land, on water and in the mountains. A few months later, the route and conditions are determined. The starting point of the 15-day tour is to be Lucerne and the end point is Vienna. And so Ernest starts his adventure on August 15th at 10:00 a.m. He has previously bet with his club colleagues that he could cover the set route across Central Europe within the set time on his Norton motorcycle and that he would also climb the Großvenediger and, as the crowning glory, row on the Danube through the Wachau to Vienna.
Of course, the sports friends demand that the travel route through the Balkans, through Styria to Pilsen, into the high mountains on the Grossvenediger and then rowing through the Wachau to Vienna is monitored and controlled so that Ernest does not take any unauthorized shortcuts. This task falls to Ernest's journalist friend, who is supposed to make sure that everything is above board. Since there is also plenty of fun to be had, the two men play little pranks on each other. Nevertheless, Ernest completes all of the agreed points on the journey and reaches Vienna on time, thus winning the bet. - read more
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Buy the DVD with extras including: 100 minutes of bonus material (documentation, trailer for the Filmharmonie film concerts, etc.) and numerous original documents in a Digipak, 28-page booklet.
The Vintagent Selects: Motorcycle Mary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T70yHLeDhug
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
Motorcycle Mary (2024)
Run Time: 22:00
Producer: Rachel Greenwald, Breakwater Studios
Director: Haley Watson
Editor: Cody Wilson
Key Cast: Mary McGee
FILM MAKERS
In June we shared the trailer for the 22-minute documentary short 'Motorcycle Mary' as it was premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film was directed by Haley Watson and was acquired by ESPN as part of their 30 for 30 Shorts catalog. Mary McGee died on November 27, 2024 at the age of 87. The film was released online a day later. Her legacy will not be forgotten.
SUMMARY
Drinks gas. Spits nails.
Motorcycle Mary' tells the untold story of legendary motorsports pioneer Mary McGee a.k.a. “Motorcycle Mary”, whose racing career spanned thirty years and saw her shatter gender norms while mastering multiple racing disciplines. The documentary short will feature stunning never-before-seen archival footage and photographs from McGee’s life.
In the 1950s, Mary McGee found her sense of freedom when she became the first American woman to race motorcycles. Mary’s pioneering journey of conquering sexism and her own fears paved the way for the next chapter in motorsports. The untold story of legendary motorsports pioneer Mary McGee a.k.a. MOTORCYCLE MARY whose racing career spanned thirty years and saw Mary shatter gender norms while mastering multiple racing disciplines. Born in Alaska on the eve of World War II, McGee’s early life is riddled with fear but, with her older brother Jim’s guidance, she conquers her apprehensive nature and discovers the art of composure—a skill that serves her to take on the racetrack. Following in her brother’s footsteps, her remarkable racing odyssey begins in the world of cars, where she outshines her male competitors, only to later discover her greatest sense of freedom racing motorcycles. She was the first woman to race motorcycles in the United States. Confronted by sexism and personal tragedy, Mary perseveres, pushing herself to greater and greater heights—culminating in her most hair-raising challenge: Becoming the first person ever to solo the grueling Baja 500 on a motorcycle.
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The Vintagent Classics: Space Riders
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1tWXnUI65E&feature=youtu.be
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
SPACE RIDERS (1984)
Run Time: 1:39:00
Producer: Condor Film Productions
Director: Joe Massot
Writer: Felicity Hibberdine, Joe Massot
Key Cast: Barry Sheene, Gavan O'Herlihy, Toshiya Ito
FILM MAKERS
"Roger Gilbert is an adrenaline junkie who leads an otherwise ordinary life until one day he rides where no man had ridden before. On his ride to the planet Stardust 420, he meets an Aupian named Flou-krepto." - IMDB
Recently, while researching science fiction movies featuring motorcycles, I came across several listicles that included a film I'd never heard of. Fair enough, I find forgotten treasures this way all the time as dedicated cinephiles unearth and upload them to YouTube. But this one made me pause. Space Riders is a great name, and the poster was very Tron. In this line of work a promising poster lead is exciting, but can mean a long wait before I actually see the film. It takes time to track down a copy from a network of "collectors", have it shipped sometimes from across the globe, and transferred to a viewable format just to find out that the motorcycle in the poster only actually appeared in the film momentarily, but they led with it 'cause motorcycles are cool. But, this time I got lucky. Thanks to 'Troll Theatre' I was able to watch Space Riders instantly on YouTube (in classically bad VHS bootleg quality). Right from the get go the premise seemed odd for a sci-fi, but after 40 minutes of following a Japanese motorcycle road racing team manage the track as well as office politics, I started wondering when the hell we were leaving planet Earth. Spoiler alert! No one goes to space.
Now having seen the film, I gave the poster a second look. The etherial figure is in fact a Samarai, and the "space" cycles are just state of the art, early '80s racing machines in all their aerodynamic glory. I then found an alternate poster which reads more accurately like the dramatized biopic that the film in fact is. Which is lucky for earthbound Vintagent race enthusiasts who will appreciate this British sports drama staring Grand Prix motorcycle racing world champion Barry Sheene as himself. In the end, Space Riders tells the story of Sheene's pursuit of the world title, including his recovery from a near-fatal accident at Silverstone. The original soundtrack featuring Duran Duran, Simple Minds, and Queen is also A+.
Maybe it was the Atari pinball game of the same name from 1978 with its futuristic motorcycle theme and an objective of spelling out the words BIKE CITY that led to the name of the 1984 film and began the genre confusion? But who wrote the IMDB "stardust 420" hoax entry that has been republished on film databases across the internet?? I have no idea, but the moral of the story is to not judge a film by its can, clamshell, or jewel box and to always actually watch a film and fully research it before promoting. Enjoy!
SUMMARY
The film begins with Barry having a bad crash during the 1982 British Grand Prix. Suzuki rider Anton Mang crashes and Barry crashes into his bike. Barry is then hit by Honda rider Takazumi Katayama. One year later, chairman Asama Nakamura of Asama Motorbikes decides to hire the three fastest riders in the world to race for them. He ends up hiring Barry, American Ron Harris, who won the '82 title after Barry crashed, and Japanese rider Masao Yamashta.
Leading up to the race, Masao practices Japanese stick fighting and talks to his wife Mika. Ron rides on his 1983 Honda VF750F and meets a girl driving a 1978 Porsche 911 SC Targa. The two end up dating for about a week until she friend zones him. Some time later, the British Grand Prix begins and Barry ends up winning ahead of Ron and his archenemy Mike Lockwood. Soon the sidecar race begins, and Mika and her passenger Bruce win. Some time later, the South African Grand Prix begins. Masao wins ahead of Lockwood and Ron, with Barry dropping out after his bike has Ignition trouble. As time passes, Barry wins Brazil, Ron wins Spain and the Daytona 200, Lockwood wins Germany, Masao wins France, Ron wins the Dutch Grand Prix, Lockwood beats Masao in a photo finish at Sweden after Barry drops out after his transmission seizes, and Lockwood wins at Italy after Barry crashes.
Masao finds out there will only be two bikes for next season. In a desperate attempt to renew his contract, he wins Argentina and Venezuela. Masao takes the lead in Yugoslavia until he has visions of the devil on Lockwood's bike. His life flashes before his eyes, causing him to become airborne and his bike to explode. He goes flying through the air on fire and dies. After his wife Mika deals with the crash by doing wheelies up and down the pit lane while sobbing uncontrollably, the San Marino Grand Prix begins. Barry wins with Ron second and Lockwood dropping out after his bike throws a Connecting rod. Barry and Ron celebrate on the podium drinking champagne, and Barry is interviewed about his win by ABC Sports.
- Wikipedia
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The Vintagent Classics: Chrome Soldiers
https://youtu.be/gYbohrqjIxQ
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
CHROME SOLDIERS (TV 1992)
Run Time: 1:31:00
Producer: USA Network
Director: Thomas J. Wright
Writer: Ross LaManna, John McCormick, Nick Randall
Key Cast: Gary Busey, Ray Sharkey, William Atherton
FILM MAKERS
Thomas J. Wright is a prolific American television director, who has worked on more than 50 screen projects. Wright started out in show business in 1966 as a production illustrator, working as a sketch artist, storyboard artist and production illustrator. His most memorable credits include The Andromeda Strain (1971), Jaws (1975), Apocalypse Now (1979), Pennies From Heaven (1981). He also created all of the gallery paintings for Rod Serling's horror anthology series Night Gallery (TV series 1969-1973). In the mid-'80s, Wright transitioned into directing, helming episodes of The Twilight Zone, Max Headroom, and Beauty and the Beast. Although he directed the 1989 Hulk Hogan feature film, No Holds Barre, Wright has primarily worked in the TV field, most notably contributing heavily to the late-'90s supernatural series Millennium as both a director and producer. Other TV shows to list Wright as a director include The X-Files, Highlander, Dark Angel, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Firefly, and The Wire.
SUMMARY
Jim "Flash" Gordon (Gary Busey) is returning to his hometown after a tour in Desert Storm. Before he arrives, his brother Stoney is murdered by local thugs. The murder is reported as an accident. Jim phones his friend Beach (Yaphet Kotto) who rolls into town with several of their old biker buddies. Jim begins to believe that perhaps Stoney was murdered, but his investigation is not appreciated by the local sheriff and his deputy.
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The Vintagent Classics: Viva Knievel!
https://youtu.be/V-_7x9xvKsM
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
VIVA KNIEVEL! (1977)
Run Time: 1:46:00
Producer: Warner Bros
Director: Gordon Douglas
Writer: Antonio Santean, Norman Katkov
Key Cast: Evel Knievel, Gene Kelly, Lauren Hutton
FILM MAKERS
"In the same year that Star Wars was shattering box office records and shifting the culture to a new dimension of merchandising, special effects, and unending Mark Hamill mania, an old icon was inhaling the fumes of a once proud career. That man was Evel Knievel. With the infamous Snake River Canyon jump three years behind him, Knievel was dying for a hit; a new enterprise by which to recapture the country with his unparalleled flair for the dramatic, as well as one of the world’s most enviable heads of hair. Thankfully, Hollywood was coked-up just enough to throw a few million his way, and what resulted was Viva Knievel!, a film so legendary that it was quickly disowned by everyone within earshot. A film so incompetent, so dreadful, and so uniquely embarrassing that co-star Gene Kelly would sign on for Xanadu as a cleansing ritual. A movie so egregious it would think nothing of asking Leslie Nielsen to play a drug kingpin, or worse, that Frank Gifford be paraded before incredulous eyes wearing the same mustard sport coat and ketchup shirt on three separate occasions. It’s the sort of clueless action-adventure with precious little by way of actual motorcycle stunts, but enough out-of-control semi-trucks to satisfy even the most hardened veteran. And without a sense of humor in sight, it’s just about all we can take when Dabney Coleman shows up as the head doctor of a ritzy Mexican sanitarium." - Read more of this fantastic, hilarious review at Ruthless Reviews
Viva Knievel premiered in June 1977, three months before Evel Knievel and his associates attacked promoter Shelly Saltman with an aluminum baseball bat on September 21, 1977. With Knievel losing most of his sponsorship and marketing deals as a result of the bad publicity, the film became much less commercially attractive, only opening in four further international markets after Knievel's conviction. In addition, the wholesome image of Knievel the movie promoted and the plot point concerning Knievel's promoter being corrupt seemed ill-judged in the light of the events that saw Knievel imprisoned. As a result, the film fell into comparative obscurity until the DVD release.
SUMMARY
Ruthless drug smugglers plot the cold-blooded murder of celebrated motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel as he tours Mexico. They aim to use his truck to sneak a consignment of narcotics back across the United States border. When Knievel learns of this appalling scheme, he hatches a daring and spectacular plan.
*The more difficult stunts in the film were performed by stunt man Gary Lee Davis, though that fact was kept under wraps during the original release of the film.
*Many of the jump motorcycles used in the film were 1976 Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster XLCH 1000s customized by Bud Ekins to look like Evel's much more expensive Harley-Davidson XR-750 bikes. One of the cycles used in the film was valued at $80-100,000 in 2016. The restored "Stratocycle" used in the picture, also customized from a XLCH was offered at auction in 2021 with a reserve of $125,000.
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Watch Evel Knievel (1971)
The Vintagent Classics: Evel Knievel
https://youtu.be/CwCARmQakZo
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
EVEL KNIEVEL (1971)
Run Time: 1:28:00
Producer: The Fanfare Corporation
Director: Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer: Alan Caillou, John Milius
Key Cast: George Hamilton, Sue Lyon, Bert Freed
FILM MAKERS
"Hell, I'm the best...the last of the daredevils...and my death - IT WILL BE GLORIOUS!"
George Hamilton was writing a screenplay about a bronco rider who became a motorcycle rider. While preparing to film it, he interviewed various stunt men for the lead role and learned about Knievel. Hamilton visited Knievel in a San Francisco hospital and found Knievel's story more fascinating than what he was writing. In December 1969 he announced he was working on a film about Knievel. The screenplay was originally written by Alan Caillou who had written the screenplay for Jack Starrett's The Losers (1970) also for Joe Solomon's Fanfare Films. However George Hamilton was not happy with it. He offered to pay John Milius $5,000 to write some lines in the script. Milius says he went to Hamilton's home at Palm Springs to read the script "and it was terrible. So I threw the script in the pool and beat on it with an oar. And of course the script was waterlogged, so I just wrote another one. He later told me he knew that if I got down there with that script I'd write another one." Milius says Knievel "saw himself as the new gladiator of the new Rome, something larger than a daredevil. He saw the whole spectacle of civilization and the absurdity of what it's turned into, and he fit into that."
Much of the film was shot in Butte, Montana. Actual footage of Knievel jumping his motorcycle was used throughout the film. Additionally, Knievel performed a series of new jumps at the Ontario Motor Speedway for the production, including a spectacular record jump of 129 feet over 19 cars that was included in the film (Knievel held the record for jumping a Harley-Davidson motorcycle over 19 cars for 27 years, until broken by Bubba Blackwell in 1998). Knievel received a flat rate of $25,000 for his rights and the consulting fee.
SUMMARY
"LIVE HARD. RIDE FAST. REGRET NOTHING"
The story is a biography, with fictionalized events, of the famed motorcycle daredevil, who grew up in Butte, Montana. The film depicts Knievel reflecting on major events in his life, particularly his relationship with his girlfriend/wife, Linda. The film opens with Knievel (Hamilton) at the Ontario Motor Speedway in Ontario, California. Knievel is speaking directly to the camera describing his upcoming daredevil motorcycle jump:
"Ladies and gentlemen, you have no idea how good it makes me feel to be here today. It is truly an honor to risk my life for you. An honor. Before I jump this motorcycle over these 19 cars — and I want you to know there's not a Volkswagen or a Datsun in the row — before I sail cleanly over that last truck, I want to tell you that last night a kid came up to me and he said, "Mr Knievel, are you crazy? That jump you're going to make is impossible, but I already have my tickets because I want to see you splatter." That's right, that's what he said. And I told that boy last night that nothing is impossible. Now they told Columbus to sail across the ocean was impossible. They told the settlers to live in a wild land was impossible. They told the Wright Brothers to fly was impossible. And they probably told Neil Armstrong a walk on the moon was impossible. They tell Evel Knievel to jump a motorcycle across the Grand Canyon is impossible, and they say that every day. A Roman General in the time of Caesar had the motto: "If it is possible, it is done. If it is impossible, it will be done." And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I live by."
Following his introduction, the story follows a flashback narrative through Knievel's life.
The film ends with Knievel successfully completing the February 1971 jump at the Ontario Motor Speedway (129 feet) and riding off onto a dirt road which leads to the edge of the Grand Canyon (at the time of production, Evel Knievel was hyping a jump over the Grand Canyon, a jump which never got beyond the early planning stage).
As the movie closes over the Grand Canyon, George Hamilton delivers a voice-over monologue in the Knievel character. In the monologue, he describes himself as the "last gladiator", which would later be used by the real Evel Knievel in his 1998 documentary, The Last of the Gladiators.
Below is a transcript of the monologue from the movie:
"Important people in this country, celebrities like myself — Elvis, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne — we have a responsibility. There are millions of people that look at our lives and it gives theirs some meaning. People come out from their jobs, most of which are meaningless to them, and they watch me jump 20 cars, maybe get splattered. It means something to them. They jump right alongside of me — they take the bars in their hands, and for one split second, they’re all daredevils. I am the last gladiator in the new Rome. I go into the arena and I compete against destruction and I win. And next week, I go out there and I do it again. And this time — civilization being what it is and all — we have very little choice about our life. The only thing really left to us is a choice about our death. And mine will be — glorious."
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The Vintagent Trailers: Pit boy And The Silver Eagle
https://vimeo.com/747790432
The Vintagent Trailers: A preview of our favorite feature films out there.
PIT BOY AND THE SILVER EAGLE (2022)
Run Time: 1:36:00
Producer: Differential Films
A Film By: Steve Keller
Key Cast: David Harto, Delvene Reber, Dan Schmalle, Jason Wallace
FILM MAKERS
Steve Keller has been writing, producing, and directing in the film industry for over 30 years. He believes in the beauty and power of cinematic storytelling and brought this passion into every element of Pit Boy And The Silver Eagle.
SUMMARY
Pit Boy and the Silver Eagle is a touching profile of one artist’s relentless determination and thirteen year-long pursuit in metal, mechanics and speed. In 2008, Seattle artist and motor sports enthusiast David Harto took his grandfather’s 1952 motor scooter and began to transform it into a work of rolling art and lean muscle. Four record-setting attempts and thirteen years later he ventured to Utah’s storied Bonneville salt flats in the hopes of joining a short list of legends in the annals of land speed racing glory. Read More.
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The Vintagent Selects: Halfway to Nowhere
https://vimeo.com/ondemand/halfway2nowhere
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
HALFWAY TO NOWHERE (2018)
Run Time: 50:00
A Film By: Tim Caraco
Voice Over: Dog Williams
Key Cast: Tim Caraco, Nicholas Agius
FILM MAKERS
Tim Caraco is a well-known Gold Coast photographer and film maker who has travelled extensively capturing images and video footage on various road trips often in remote and distant regions for projects around the world. Tim has been able to combine his love of photography and travel to capture diverse landscape imagery and videography of exceptional terrains especially with his work in the vintage motorcycle world.
Tim’s ability to capture his experiences through a lens is truly special, with a natural talent that cannot be learned overnight. Tim’s journey started in 2006 where he attended AICA Art College and he has been working professionally in the industry since 2007 but his passion for photography and videography can be traced all the way back to his early teenage years filming skateboarding.
He is a regular contributor to LA based Dice Magazine and locally has held two exhibitions of his work and produced a hard cover book called “Freedom Machines”. His specialty and passion lies in videography as it creatively enables the story to be told through Visual imagery and sound.
Tim Caraco passed away in 2018 in a tragic motorcycle accident.
SUMMARY
In September 2016 Tim "Timmo" Caraco and some friends traveled from the Gold Coast of Australia to Tasmania on 50 year old choppers, in a failed attempt to find the most picturesque roads in Australia. The weather was menacing and it was soon realized quite quickly it was not in the comfort and protection of the Mainland. They were greeted with piercing torrential rain, roaring winds and even snow.
Fast Forward to February 2017 and with some better planning the 2nd trip to Tasmania turns into an epic success. Matty South and Timo traveled from the top of Tasmania to the most western road leading into the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, one of the last untouched regions on Earth. From there they rode to the most southern beach in Tasmania, all the while witnessing the beauty of this great land from the Aurora Australis, to the Rugged mining mountains of Zheehan, and up the eastern coast of Tasmania.
There’s nothing like traveling this untouched land on a vintage Harley Davidson with your swag tied to the back. There’s a certain freedom in setting up camp wherever you decide to pull over for the day. 1500km’s on these old motorcycles, Tasmania is Australia’s best kept secret and there’s only 1 true way to experience it… on an old chopper!
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The Vintagent Selects: California Dreams
https://vimeo.com/235092765
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
CALIFORNIA DREAMS (2017)
Run Time: 20:37
A Film By: Tim Caraco
FILM MAKERS
Tim Caraco is a well-known Gold Coast photographer and film maker who has travelled extensively capturing images and video footage on various road trips often in remote and distant regions for projects around the world. Tim has been able to combine his love of photography and travel to capture diverse landscape imagery and videography of exceptional terrains especially with his work in the vintage motorcycle world.
Tim’s ability to capture his experiences through a lens is truly special, with a natural talent that cannot be learned overnight. Tim’s journey started in 2006 where he attended AICA Art College and he has been working professionally in the industry since 2007 but his passion for photography and videography can be traced all the way back to his early teenage years filming skateboarding.
He is a regular contributor to LA based Dice Magazine and locally has held two exhibitions of his work and produced a hard cover book called “Freedom Machines”. His specialty and passion lies in videography as it creatively enables the story to be told through Visual imagery and sound.
Tim Caraco passed away in 2018 in a tragic motorcycle accident.
SUMMARY
This is the story of three mates who shipped there old Harley Davidson Panheads from Australia to California via plane. Travelling through some of the most picturesque and sometimes desolate terrain. All the while meeting new and old friends along the road. Keeping these old motorcycles rubber side up and running was a task in itself.
From the rolling hills of Hollywood, the sandy stretches of Pismo Beach, up through the coast of San Fransisco, down through the windy roads of Grimes Canyon, the desolate desert of Joshua tree to the beat up streets of Mexico, this is their journey!
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Tim Caraco: website
The Vintagent Trailers: Daredevil In Training
https://vimeo.com/1016920479
The Vintagent Trailers: A preview of our favorite feature films out there.
DAREDEVIL IN TRAINING (TBD)
Run Time: TBD
Director & Producer & Still Photographer: Heidi Zumbrun
Director of Photography & Co-Producer: Sean Madden
Editor: Frank Gregory
Line Producer: Rebecca Stern
Key Cast: Jay Lightnin’, Hobo Bill, Ariell Flight, JR Sparks, Miss Corinna
FILM MAKERS
In 2021 Los Angeles photographer & director Heidi Zumbrun packed up her van and drove from California to Tennessee with an invitation from one of the daredevils in training, Corinna Mantlo, to live with and document the American Motor Drome Co. Wall of Death. Heidi traveled with them for 32 days 800 miles and 3 states soon to be joined the following year by the talented cinematographer Sean Madden. Heidi & Sean then joined up and spent the last few years documenting these trick riders & daredevils in training. This is the first teaser of the film coming out in early 2025.
SUMMARY
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The vintagent Classics: Deathsport
https://youtu.be/StGWcZfQv_Q
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
DEATHSPORT (1978)
Run Time: 1:22:00
Producer: New World Pictures
Director: Allan Arkush, Nicholas Niciphor, Roger Corman
Writer: Nicholas Niciphor, Donald E. Stewart, Frances Doel
Key Cast: David Carradine, Claudia Jennings, Richard Lynch
FILM MAKERS
Futuristic Science Fiction about a sport to the death, using "destructocycles"
Deathsport is a 1978 sci-fi B-film produced by Roger Corman, who coined the term "Biker Flick" for The Wild Angels (1966) and his production company New World Pictures, whose titles litter The Vintagent Film Archive, starting with Angels Die Hard (1970). The film was a sequel to Death Race 2000 (1975) set in the year 3000 and with motorcycles instead of cars. A third film 'Deathworld' was also planned but unfortunately Deathsport's failure at the box office was the death of Deathworld before its inception.
Failure at the box office was probably inevitable, as the film was troubled from the start. The film's original director Nicholas Niciphor was fired after repeated clashes with its stars, David Carradine and Claudia Jennings. Niciphor said that it became "hell" from the third day of shooting. "The script was too ambitious, the shooting schedule too tight and... the crew and the cast were largely sodden with drugs." At one point, Carradine broke Niciphor's nose, and Niciphor was fired. Allan Arkush was brought in to complete the film, and later recalled "By the time I got there, David Carradine had done one of his karate kicks and sent Nick flying through the air." On another occasion, Jennings had to be physically removed from a motorcycle and the set, as she was drunk and high on cocaine. Jennings had a well-documented cocaine addiction at the time, and the film was one of the last before her death.
Carradine later recounted that "Nicholas was unable to overcome the madness of the shoot". He called the film "terrible" and claimed that "my career never really fully recovered from that blunder." In an interview from 2005, he said that Corman (who had Carradine signed to a five-picture contract) had advised him not to do Deathsport: "He was right too. I knew it the moment I saw the picture. He warned me and I didn’t listen. Asked about his own time finishing the film, Arkush said "Mostly we just blew up motorcycles. Lots of them. We also set some mutants on fire. And the stunning Claudia Jennings got naked. David Carradine...smoked a lot of high-grade weed and helped us to blow stuff up...Sad to say, I couldn't save the picture."
The fire scenes (there are many) are impressive, but they didn't come without peril. During the cave scenes (shot at Bronson Caves in Bronson Canyon), a stuntman playing a mutant was set on fire, but also another actor portraying a mutant was accidentally set on fire. sadly, in the end, the film's tagline "The ultimate ride for survival" may have lent itself more to the filming than the film. Yikes!
*Stunt performer Debbie Evans got her first job on Deathsport and never looked back. A few Women had been stunting on screen since the silent era, ut they were still rare in 1977, and Evans was a pioneer of the industry. Today she is still performing, and is considered one of the best in the world and has appeared in "The Matrix Reloaded" and several of "The Fast and the Furious" films. Hear Debbie in her own words HERE.
SUMMARY
In the year 3000 there'll be no more Olympic Games, World Series, or Superbowl. There'll be only... Deathsport
One thousand years into the future (from Death Race 2000), after the Neutron Wars, the world is divided into a barbaric collection of city states surrounded by wastelands where only mutant cannibals and independent warriors, known as Range Guides, can live. Led by Lord Zirpola, the city state of Helix is planning war on another city state, Tritan, for their fuel supply. Hoping to prove the superiority of their newest weapons, the Death Machines (laser-equipped dirt bikes), they create a new pastime - Deathsport.
The death penalty has been replaced by Deathsport, where criminals battle each other to the death in return for gaining their freedom. Lord Zirpola has managed to capture legendary Range Guide Kaz Oshay (Carradine) and he wants to add a female Range Guide for an upcoming Deathsport event. A female Range Guide, Deneer (Jennings), is captured while leading a group of Tritans across the desert. A child, Tara, is taken by the mutant group during the attack to capture Deneer. In a Helix jail, Kaz Oshay bonds with Deneer and vows to escape with her and find the group's child.
After enduring torture and facing his mother's killer, Ankar Moor, Oshay and Deneer are forced onto the Deathsport motocross field, which is mined with explosives. They easily defeat the other riders and escape from Helix with two other prisoners, Dr. Karl and his son Marcus. During the escape, though, the doctor is killed.
Eventually, they rescue Tara from the mutant cannibals and battle the other Death Machine riders who followed them. Finally safe, Deneer delivers Marcus to Tritan, while Oshay faces Ankar Moor in "honorable" combat, using Whistlers (swords that make a sound like music). After a bloody battle, Oshay decapitates Ankar Moor, thus becoming the greatest Range Guide alive. The film ends with Oshay, Deneer and Tara riding their horses off into the sunset.
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Watch the FULL FILM free!
The Vintagent Selects: Quarter Milestones
https://vimeo.com/347179834
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
Quarter Milestones (2019)
Run Time: 52:00
Producer: John Stein
Director & Editor: Agusta Einarsdottir
Writer: John Stein
Key Cast: Sonny Routt, Ray Price, Terry Vance, Larry “Spiderman” McBride
FILM MAKERS
As some of you probably know, I wrote a book a number of years ago (2011) on the history of motorcycle drag racing. Thousands of copies have been sold in dozens of countries - many of which I’d have trouble finding on a map. Because of the reception the book received, it was suggested that I follow up with a documentary on the same subject. After 5 years, and with help from my extraordinary director and editor Agusta Einsarsdottir - the film is completed. - John Stein
Get your copy of Motorcycle Drag Racing: A History on Abe Books.
SUMMARY
The history of motorcycle drag racing is a fascinating one, and in an effort to tell the complete story, never before-seen film was gathered and interviews with 17 of the sports icons (including Sonny Routt, Ray Price, Terry Vance, and Larry “Spiderman” McBride) were conducted. While a book provides one type of experience, a film goes well beyond that by providing dramatic action shots of machines from the earliest days of the sport to the present, along with their unforgettable sounds. Most of the footage has never been seen publicly. Now it will be. The result: A highly informative and totally unforgettable film for anyone who loves motorsports, and a fascinating one-hour film!
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The Vintagent Classics: Pray For The Wildcats
https://youtu.be/1-90OC7qjWg
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
PRAY FOR THE WILDCATS (TV 1974)
Run Time: 1:40:00
Producer: American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
Director: Robert Michael Lewis
Writer: Jack Turley
Key Cast: Andy Griffith, William Shatner, Robert Reed
FILM MAKERS
Pray for the Wildcats is a 1974 American made for TV thriller about a psychopathic business executive chasing his workers on dirt bikes through the desert after he killed a young man. The film was directed by Robert Michael Lewis and starred William Shatner and Andy Griffith, Robert Reed, Marjoe Gortner, Angie Dickinson, and Lorraine Gary. It originally aired as an ABC Movie of the Week on January 23, 1974.
With the stars of four popular TV series cast against type, the film has since gained a cult following, especially due to Griffith's performance as the sadistic villain, a drastic departure following his long run on The Andy Griffith Show. The film would lead Griffith to pursue more villainous roles over the next few years.
Trivia: The shirts the group wears in Baja are almost exact copies of the uniforms from Star Trek (1966). William Shatner and Andy Griffith wear command gold, while Robert Reed has a red security shirt.
SUMMARY
When a power-mad tycoon (Andy Griffith) challenges three advertising executives to a motorcycle trip down Mexico’s Baja Peninsula, their weekend getaway turns into a nightmare of desert warfare. For the trio (William Shatner, Robert Reed and Marjoe Gortner), the initial lure is a multi-million-dollar account, but a sudden terrifying incident along the ride reveals their unpredictable client’s real intentions: to test just how far the men will go to save their careers and their families. As the action intensifies, so do the fascinating character dynamics, driving this engrossing thriller to its startling climax.
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Watch the FULL MOVIE on Cine Meccanica Youtube
The Vintagent Selects: The Rider
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItxUmimzF_s&t=14s
The Vintagent Selects: A collection of our favorite films by artists around the world.
THE RIDER (2024)
Run Time: 29:43
Producer: Greg Moore & Adam Fitzgerald
Director: Roberto Serrini
Key Cast: Matias Corea, Yve Assad, Chris Myott
FILM MAKERS
Roberto Serrini is no stranger to The Vintagent. His film Moto Borgotaro (2015) made a distinct impression on the motorcycle industry at large, and his following work continued to impress. American Wall Of Death (2016), Norton Commando at 50 (2018), Earned: The Story Of Keith Hale's Ducati 750SS (2021), All The Pretty Things (2021) can all be watched in the Archive. Serrini's newest film, a three part series he directed for BMW’s centennial films collectively called 'The Rider' was made in collaboration with Greg Moore and Adam Fitzgerald, the two luminaries behind the quintessential motomag Iron and Air, who were tasked by BMW with telling the 100 year story of Motorrad.
Roberto says "Greg and Adam had just formed The Simple Machine and this would be their first project as a creative automotive production company. They chose Yve Assad, Chris Myott and Matias Corea as their subjects. Everyone had a very different origin story, character, and philosophy, and this was really what I was wanting to capture; that while each of them was a staunch BMW rider, it wasn’t about the brand so much as it was about the person. I don’t think we ride because we love bikes, it’s because we love the ride, and being a rider."
SUMMARY
"In the absence of a rider, a motorcycle is just a bloated gas can. The rider is really what makes a bike a bike, and what brings it to life. Twisting the throttle on your machine is akin to tugging on the strings of a marionette - except these puppets can do burnouts."
In this triptych featuring Yve, Chris, and Matias, we are also introduced in a deeper way to the Director, despite this not being his first time appearing in his own films. Which seems fitting because Serrini also loves BMW’s. "I bought my first bike, a very beat up R65 with a seat made from torn up old leather motorcycle jackets, off some guy in Harlem for 800 bucks. That bike is the reason I first met Peter Boggia (Moto Borgotaro), which eventually led to me making one of my most important films about bikes, which led me to meeting Greg and Adam and doing this project. It’s rare to find clear lineage in our life’s journeys, but not with motorcycles, and that’s really what all these stories are about, which BMW to their credit understood from the conception."
"I give BMW a lot of praise for letting them (Greg & Adam) freely create these pieces. I have fortunately been able to work with most of the top brands in my career, launching iconic machines like the Honda Goldwing and the reincarnation of the Indian Scout. These projects have huge crews, budgets, and creativity behind them, and take months to complete and launch. BMW understood the power in these stories, these films have won some amazing industry awards, film festivals, and contributed to the largest amount of sales on record for BMW, proving you don’t have to show the product to sell it."
The Rider (2024) is proudly sponsored by BMW and is currently on the festival tour. Be sure to stay tuned, as we know we'll be featuring more of Roberto's work here soon.
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The Vintagent Classics: Dutch TT Assen 1954
https://youtu.be/-g18a0Nkehc?si=sKDVXTrYmDUao4hK
The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
DUTCH TT ASSEN 1954 (1954)
Run Time: 36:35
Producer: Shell Film Unit
Director: Bill Mason
Animation: Archie Shaw
Key Cast: Rod Coleman, Geoff Duke, Phil Heath
FILM MAKER
As a boom in car ownership in the 1930s stoked competition between oil companies, so Shell looked to make documentary films as a way of raising its profile. The company created its Shell Film Unit 80 years ago under the guidance of the UK’s most influential documentary film-maker of the time, John Grierson (1898 – 1972). One of the first to see the power of motion pictures to educate and shape opinion, Grierson is still widely regarded as the father of the documentary today.
The films Shell produced set out to inform and entertain, using action and animation to explain the mechanical marvels of the age to a wide audience. They demonstrated how people around the world could overcome challenges in health, food and transport. The intention was not to advertise Shell’s brands: the film-makers consciously took a journalistic approach, and the company name and pecten logo appeared only at the end of films.
SUMMARY
The iconic 1954 Dutch TT, where the legendary English rider Geoff Duke stole the show with a historic victory in the 500cc category on an Italian machine. This film captures the essence of the event, as riders raced past serene pastures with grazing cows and horses, while spectators eagerly watched from behind rustic straw bales.
Assen, a charming town in the northern Netherlands, served as the perfect backdrop for this unforgettable race day. Over a hundred motorcycles gathered at the ten-mile circuit, showcasing the latest models from renowned factory teams and privately owned machines. These motorcycles weren't just about winning races; they were also a testing ground for new ideas and designs.
With a crowd of 150,000 spectators, the day featured four separate races for motorcycles of various capacities, ranging from 125cc to 500cc.
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