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害羞草研究所檚 book 害羞草研究所淭he Bikeriders,害羞草研究所� 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害羞草研究所檛 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: 害羞草研究所淭here is no way to make this 100% safe.害羞草研究所�
They went for it. The danger was kind of the point. And everyone made it out unscathed.
害羞草研究所淭he Bikeriders害羞草研究所� ( ) 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.
害羞草研究所淭his is a film that害羞草研究所檚 really about nostalgia,害羞草研究所� Nichols said. There is a sadness that comes with that. But there害羞草研究所檚 also a joy in remembering it.害羞草研究所�
Catching a star on the rise
Nichols has always had luck with casting, getting movie stars in his films right as they害羞草研究所檙e about to break big (like Jessica Chastain in 害羞草研究所淭ake Shelter害羞草研究所�).
For 害羞草研究所淭he Bikeriders,害羞草研究所� it was Butler. 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� had yet to come out, but when he met him, he was certain: This is a movie star.
害羞草研究所淚 read a lot of scripts and this one just felt different,害羞草研究所� Butler said. 害羞草研究所淚t felt full of humanity and these cinematic moments害羞草研究所 felt like I was being invited into this other world. And he was one of the coolest characters I害羞草研究所檝e ever read.害羞草研究所�
Butler害羞草研究所檚 Benny is also the most enigmatic of the bunch: A guy whose face is never shown in Lyon害羞草研究所檚 book and who is never interviewed 害羞草研究所� just talked about.
害羞草研究所淚 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害羞草研究所檛 want any of that,害羞草研究所� Butler said. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 when he wants to cut loose and be free.害羞草研究所�
Nichols wanted Benny to be bottled up until the end and remembered telling his star to 害羞草研究所減ull it back害羞草研究所� a few times.
害羞草研究所淟ike, stop smiling,害羞草研究所� Nichols laughed. 害羞草研究所淲hen that kid smiles the whole world smiles.害羞草研究所�
But he soon realized that was missing the point of casting someone like Butler 害羞草研究所� an emotive actor with a big heart.
害羞草研究所淭hat character got better because of him,害羞草研究所� Nichols said.
A different point of view
One of Nichols害羞草研究所� 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.
害羞草研究所淪he just pops off the page,害羞草研究所� Nichols said. 害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 witty, she害羞草研究所檚 introspective, she害羞草研究所檚 self-deprecating, she害羞草研究所檚 infuriating at times. She is a real person.害羞草研究所�
Comer saw in her a fascinating character, an 害羞草研究所渙rdinary害羞草研究所� but still extraordinary person that reminded her of women she knew growing up in Liverpool. She worked tirelessly to nail Kathy害羞草研究所檚 very specific working-class Chicago accent.
But on another level, she was just a better voice for what he wanted to say.
害羞草研究所淭he ultimate truth, and a subtext of the film, is that men are really bad at sharing their emotions,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淥bserving this group in the hands of a male narrator I think would be really boring.害羞草研究所�
Fact, fiction and telling a good story
害羞草研究所淭he Bikeriders害羞草研究所� is a work of fiction. Nichols didn害羞草研究所檛 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害羞草研究所檚 images, some of which are recreated, and reporting. Much of Kathy害羞草研究所檚 dialogue are things the real Kathy, who was married to Benny, said. Hardy害羞草研究所檚 character Johnny was also apparently inspired by the Marlon Brando film 害羞草研究所淭he Wild One害羞草研究所� to start the club. He was the leader and also a bit of a fraud 害羞草研究所� a suburban dad with a real job on the side.
Nichols chose to make the film in color, instead of mimicking Lyon害羞草研究所檚 famous use of black-and-white photography.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e beautiful, but they are romanticized,害羞草研究所� Nichols said. 害羞草研究所淚 think when you put them in color, they become less affected. They become more realistic.害羞草研究所�
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 害羞草研究所� antique bikes are a different beast.
害羞草研究所淚t just happens to be a convenience because I can ride as opposed to lying about skiing,害羞草研究所� Hardy said.
Still, once they got it down it could be rather exciting.
害羞草研究所淚t was exhilarating riding in a giant group,害羞草研究所� Butler said. 害羞草研究所淵ou feel the energy of every motorcycle coming together.害羞草研究所�
Comer said riding on the back of Benny害羞草研究所檚 bike, in the Cincinnati night with engines roaring and street lights twinkling, was 害羞草研究所渁 really magical kind of movie moment.害羞草研究所�
And the danger was ever-present. But it also resulted in some real movie magic, like the near-impossible recreation of one of Lyon害羞草研究所檚 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害羞草研究所檛 do it more than twice (both logistically and because they couldn害羞草研究所檛 risk anything with their star). They had a 35mm film camera mounted on a car with a moving crane, attempting to speed alongside Butler.
害羞草研究所淎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,害羞草研究所� Nichols said. 害羞草研究所淎nd you害羞草研究所檙e like holy (expletive): 害羞草研究所榃e got it.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
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