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