Hell Ride
Encyclopedia
Hell Ride is a 2008 American feature film from Larry Bishop
released under the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner.
’s Desperado
) the leader, or "Pres" of the Victors, a Southern California motorcycle gang. He has two faithful lieutenants, The Gent (Michael Madsen
) and Comanche (Eric Balfour
).
In 1976, Cherokee Kisum (Julia Jones
), the girlfriend of Pistolero (then known as Johnny) is viciously murdered by The Deuce (David Carradine
) and Billy Wings (Vinnie Jones
), leaders of the archrival gang the Six-Six-Six'ers, as a message to the Victors. The Deuce later moves into large scale business efforts, leaving the biker life behind and the Sixers dry up as a gang. Cherokee Kisum has also hidden away a small fortune from under-the-table drug deals she made behind the Deuce's back - the reason for which she is murdered. The stash of money is intended for her young son, who disappears after her death.
Years later, after The Deuce returns to the area to close up unfinished business and Billy Wings reforms the Sixers in Los Angeles, the rival gang infiltrates the Victors in an attempt to take over their territory. One member from 1976, St. Louie, is murdered in the same manner as Cherokee Kisum. Bob the Bum, the Victors' treasurer, is similarly killed. Pistolero then begins to make moves to eliminate the Sixers and finally gain his revenge. While loyal bikers are killed by the Sixers, the more treacherous and less faithful Victors try to influence The Gent, Comanche, and Goody Two-Shoes to switch sides - or kill them. Goody Two-Shoes, the Victors' only black member, is eventually killed after being located and chased down by Billy Wings.
With the aid of his beautiful "medicine woman" Nada (Leonor Varela
) and his old friend and ally Eddie Zero (Dennis Hopper
), Pistolero and the remaining Victors try to locate and kill The Deuce, Billy Wings and the Sixers before they themselves are killed.
and David Carradine
star as members of the satanic biker gang the 666ers. Dennis Hopper
stars as a veteran member of the Victors gang. Leonor Varela
plays the mysterious Nada, who prefers to use double entendre
s and cliché
s rather than speaking conversationally.
taking on the job of executive producer. This is Bishop's modern-day take on those 1960s motorcycle flicks he used to turn out for B-movie masters American International Pictures. It is the project Tarantino inspired Bishop to begin some five and a half years ago, when he told Larry, "It is your destiny to write, direct and star in a movie,'" and said he would help produce it.
before being released straight-to-DVD worldwide.
Larry Bishop
Larry Bishop is an American actor, screenwriter and movie director. He is the son of Sylvia Ruzga and comedian Joey Bishop...
released under the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner.
Plot
Larry Bishop stars as biker Pistolero, (named after the original title for Robert RodriguezRobert Rodriguez
Robert Anthony Rodríguez is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer, editor and musician. He shoots and produces many of his films in his native Texas and Mexico. He has directed such films as Desperado, From Dusk till Dawn, The Faculty, Spy Kids, Sin City, Planet...
’s Desperado
Desperado (film)
Desperado is a 1995 action thriller film written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. The film stars Antonio Banderas as the former mariachi who seeks revenge on the drug lord who killed his lover....
) the leader, or "Pres" of the Victors, a Southern California motorcycle gang. He has two faithful lieutenants, The Gent (Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
) and Comanche (Eric Balfour
Eric Balfour
Eric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba...
).
In 1976, Cherokee Kisum (Julia Jones
Julia Jones
Julia Jones is an American actress best known for playing Leah Clearwater in the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film based on the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.-Personal life:...
), the girlfriend of Pistolero (then known as Johnny) is viciously murdered by The Deuce (David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
) and Billy Wings (Vinnie Jones
Vinnie Jones
Vincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones is an English film actor and retired Welsh footballer.Born in Hertfordshire, England, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. He also previously played for Chelsea and Leeds United. As a member of the...
), leaders of the archrival gang the Six-Six-Six'ers, as a message to the Victors. The Deuce later moves into large scale business efforts, leaving the biker life behind and the Sixers dry up as a gang. Cherokee Kisum has also hidden away a small fortune from under-the-table drug deals she made behind the Deuce's back - the reason for which she is murdered. The stash of money is intended for her young son, who disappears after her death.
Years later, after The Deuce returns to the area to close up unfinished business and Billy Wings reforms the Sixers in Los Angeles, the rival gang infiltrates the Victors in an attempt to take over their territory. One member from 1976, St. Louie, is murdered in the same manner as Cherokee Kisum. Bob the Bum, the Victors' treasurer, is similarly killed. Pistolero then begins to make moves to eliminate the Sixers and finally gain his revenge. While loyal bikers are killed by the Sixers, the more treacherous and less faithful Victors try to influence The Gent, Comanche, and Goody Two-Shoes to switch sides - or kill them. Goody Two-Shoes, the Victors' only black member, is eventually killed after being located and chased down by Billy Wings.
With the aid of his beautiful "medicine woman" Nada (Leonor Varela
Leonor Varela
Leonor Varela Palma is a Chilean actress, and model. She played the character Cleopatra in the 1999 film Cleopatra...
) and his old friend and ally Eddie Zero (Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
), Pistolero and the remaining Victors try to locate and kill The Deuce, Billy Wings and the Sixers before they themselves are killed.
Cast
- Larry BishopLarry BishopLarry Bishop is an American actor, screenwriter and movie director. He is the son of Sylvia Ruzga and comedian Joey Bishop...
as Pistolero/Johnny - Michael MadsenMichael MadsenMichael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
as The Gent - Dennis HopperDennis HopperDennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
as Eddie "Scratch" Zero - Eric BalfourEric BalfourEric Salter Balfour is an American singer and actor of film and television. He is the lead singer of Born As Ghosts, formerly known as Fredalba...
as Comanche/Bix/Sonny Kisum - Vinnie JonesVinnie JonesVincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones is an English film actor and retired Welsh footballer.Born in Hertfordshire, England, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. He also previously played for Chelsea and Leeds United. As a member of the...
as Billy Wings - Leonor VarelaLeonor VarelaLeonor Varela Palma is a Chilean actress, and model. She played the character Cleopatra in the 1999 film Cleopatra...
as Nada - Michael BeachMichael Beach-Biography:Beach was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, of Cape Verdean descent. He attended the prestigious Noble & Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts on scholarship from ABC . He was introduced to acting when he was sidelined by a lacrosse injury during high school by a classmate...
as Goody Two-Shoes - Laura Cayouette as Dani
- Julia JonesJulia JonesJulia Jones is an American actress best known for playing Leah Clearwater in the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the third film based on the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer.-Personal life:...
as Cherokee Kisum - Francesco QuinnFrancesco QuinnFrancesco Daniele Quinn was an Italian-born actor. The third son of Oscar winner Anthony Quinn and Jolanda Addorlori , Francesco is perhaps best known for his breakout role as Rhah in Oliver Stone’s Academy Award-winning Platoon...
as Machete - Alison McAteeAlison McAteeAllison McAtee is an American actress and fashion model.-Education:Allison McAtee studied at Carnegie Mellon University trained in Suzuki and Viewpoints and earned a BA degree in Theater Arts from the University of Pittsburgh School of Arts and Sciences...
as The Swede - Cassandra Hepburn as Maria
- David CarradineDavid CarradineDavid Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
as The Deuce
Characters
Vinnie JonesVinnie Jones
Vincent Peter "Vinnie" Jones is an English film actor and retired Welsh footballer.Born in Hertfordshire, England, Jones represented and captained the Welsh national football team, having qualified via a Welsh grandparent. He also previously played for Chelsea and Leeds United. As a member of the...
and David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
star as members of the satanic biker gang the 666ers. Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
stars as a veteran member of the Victors gang. Leonor Varela
Leonor Varela
Leonor Varela Palma is a Chilean actress, and model. She played the character Cleopatra in the 1999 film Cleopatra...
plays the mysterious Nada, who prefers to use double entendre
Double entendre
A double entendre or adianoeta is a figure of speech in which a spoken phrase is devised to be understood in either of two ways. Often the first meaning is straightforward, while the second meaning is less so: often risqué or ironic....
s and cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
s rather than speaking conversationally.
Production
Bishop took extra duties on this film by not only starring in it, but wrote, directed and co-produced with Michael Steinberg and Shana Stein producing and Quentin TarantinoQuentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
taking on the job of executive producer. This is Bishop's modern-day take on those 1960s motorcycle flicks he used to turn out for B-movie masters American International Pictures. It is the project Tarantino inspired Bishop to begin some five and a half years ago, when he told Larry, "It is your destiny to write, direct and star in a movie,'" and said he would help produce it.
Release
Hell Ride premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival2008 Sundance Film Festival
The 2008 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 17, 2008 to January 27 in Park City, Utah. It was the 24th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival. The opening night film was In Bruges and the closing night film was CSNY Déjà Vu.-Films:...
before being released straight-to-DVD worldwide.
External links
- Hell Ride at Biker Cinema
- Anatomy of a Tarantino Film at BrokenProjector
- Interview with Tarantino at Sundance from AMC