Jeff Nichols had dreamt of making a film about a 1960s motorcycle clubs for over 20 years.
The obsession started when he first cracked open Danny Lyon香蕉视频直播檚 book 香蕉视频直播淭he Bikeriders,香蕉视频直播� a New Journalism-style account of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club in the mid-1960s. He saw it as a story about rebels, romantics, frauds and the end of an era.
But he didn香蕉视频直播檛 quite realize just how terrifying it would be to film the motorcycles in motion.
The bikes were vintage. The actors, including and Tom Hardy, would be riding at high speeds. And there would be no helmets. At some point, one of his stunt coordinators just came out with it: 香蕉视频直播淭here is no way to make this 100% safe.香蕉视频直播�
They went for it. The danger was kind of the point. And everyone made it out unscathed.
香蕉视频直播淭he Bikeriders香蕉视频直播� ( ) is a rare summer gem: An original film with stars (including Jodie Comer, Michael Shannon, and Mike Faist), cool cred, pathos and a clear-eyed wistfulness for a brief moment and a type of guy.
香蕉视频直播淭his is a film that香蕉视频直播檚 really about nostalgia,香蕉视频直播� Nichols said. There is a sadness that comes with that. But there香蕉视频直播檚 also a joy in remembering it.香蕉视频直播�
Catching a star on the rise
Nichols has always had luck with casting, getting movie stars in his films right as they香蕉视频直播檙e about to break big (like Jessica Chastain in 香蕉视频直播淭ake Shelter香蕉视频直播�).
For 香蕉视频直播淭he Bikeriders,香蕉视频直播� it was Butler. 香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� had yet to come out, but when he met him, he was certain: This is a movie star.
香蕉视频直播淚 read a lot of scripts and this one just felt different,香蕉视频直播� Butler said. 香蕉视频直播淚t felt full of humanity and these cinematic moments香蕉视频直播 felt like I was being invited into this other world. And he was one of the coolest characters I香蕉视频直播檝e ever read.香蕉视频直播�
Butler香蕉视频直播檚 Benny is also the most enigmatic of the bunch: A guy whose face is never shown in Lyon香蕉视频直播檚 book and who is never interviewed 香蕉视频直播� just talked about.
香蕉视频直播淚 love how Jeff talks about him as being this empty cup that everybody wants to fill with their own expectations and their own responsibilities. He doesn香蕉视频直播檛 want any of that,香蕉视频直播� Butler said. 香蕉视频直播淭hat香蕉视频直播檚 when he wants to cut loose and be free.香蕉视频直播�
Nichols wanted Benny to be bottled up until the end and remembered telling his star to 香蕉视频直播減ull it back香蕉视频直播� a few times.
香蕉视频直播淟ike, stop smiling,香蕉视频直播� Nichols laughed. 香蕉视频直播淲hen that kid smiles the whole world smiles.香蕉视频直播�
But he soon realized that was missing the point of casting someone like Butler 香蕉视频直播� an emotive actor with a big heart.
香蕉视频直播淭hat character got better because of him,香蕉视频直播� Nichols said.
A different point of view
One of Nichols香蕉视频直播� biggest breakthroughs was when he realized the narrator should be Kathy, who falls for Benny at first sight and gets wrapped up in the club.
香蕉视频直播淪he just pops off the page,香蕉视频直播� Nichols said. 香蕉视频直播淪he香蕉视频直播檚 witty, she香蕉视频直播檚 introspective, she香蕉视频直播檚 self-deprecating, she香蕉视频直播檚 infuriating at times. She is a real person.香蕉视频直播�
Comer saw in her a fascinating character, an 香蕉视频直播渙rdinary香蕉视频直播� but still extraordinary person that reminded her of women she knew growing up in Liverpool. She worked tirelessly to nail Kathy香蕉视频直播檚 very specific working-class Chicago accent.
But on another level, she was just a better voice for what he wanted to say.
香蕉视频直播淭he ultimate truth, and a subtext of the film, is that men are really bad at sharing their emotions,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淥bserving this group in the hands of a male narrator I think would be really boring.香蕉视频直播�
Fact, fiction and telling a good story
香蕉视频直播淭he Bikeriders香蕉视频直播� is a work of fiction. Nichols didn香蕉视频直播檛 want to be the historian of the Outlaws, a group which still exists. He mostly wanted to capture this time and culture and evoke the feeling he got when he opened that book so many years ago.
But he also draws heavily on Lyon香蕉视频直播檚 images, some of which are recreated, and reporting. Much of Kathy香蕉视频直播檚 dialogue are things the real Kathy, who was married to Benny, said. Hardy香蕉视频直播檚 character Johnny was also apparently inspired by the Marlon Brando film 香蕉视频直播淭he Wild One香蕉视频直播� to start the club. He was the leader and also a bit of a fraud 香蕉视频直播� a suburban dad with a real job on the side.
Nichols chose to make the film in color, instead of mimicking Lyon香蕉视频直播檚 famous use of black-and-white photography.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檙e beautiful, but they are romanticized,香蕉视频直播� Nichols said. 香蕉视频直播淚 think when you put them in color, they become less affected. They become more realistic.香蕉视频直播�
The joys and pains of riding those bikes
Like Butler, Hardy came into the film with some motorcycle know-how. But neither would describe it as a leg up 香蕉视频直播� antique bikes are a different beast.
香蕉视频直播淚t just happens to be a convenience because I can ride as opposed to lying about skiing,香蕉视频直播� Hardy said.
Still, once they got it down it could be rather exciting.
香蕉视频直播淚t was exhilarating riding in a giant group,香蕉视频直播� Butler said. 香蕉视频直播淵ou feel the energy of every motorcycle coming together.香蕉视频直播�
Comer said riding on the back of Benny香蕉视频直播檚 bike, in the Cincinnati night with engines roaring and street lights twinkling, was 香蕉视频直播渁 really magical kind of movie moment.香蕉视频直播�
And the danger was ever-present. But it also resulted in some real movie magic, like the near-impossible recreation of one of Lyon香蕉视频直播檚 most famous photographs with a single rider speeding across the Ohio Bridge.
In the film, Butler is the rider. They had shut down a bridge. They couldn香蕉视频直播檛 do it more than twice (both logistically and because they couldn香蕉视频直播檛 risk anything with their star). They had a 35mm film camera mounted on a car with a moving crane, attempting to speed alongside Butler.
香蕉视频直播淎ll of a sudden we lock in the cameras in the right spot, the bridge is in the right spot, Austin looks back, then he drives off,香蕉视频直播� Nichols said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd you香蕉视频直播檙e like holy (expletive): 香蕉视频直播榃e got it.香蕉视频直播櫹憬妒悠抵辈
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