4. 1982 The Loveless
Willem Dafoe in his feature-film debut includes an actual script, interesting cinematography, classic Harleys and Corvettes. Yes, there is a lot of bad acting punctuated by Salem and Lucky Strike cigarettes and really bad biker clichés while Dafoe channel’s Brando and James Dean.
3. 1992 Roadside Prophets
An entertaining script and some excellent cinematography this is a tale of factory worker named Joe (X front man John Doe) who hits the road on his Harley to scatter the ashes of a coworker. Joined by wannabe biker Sam (Adam Horovitz of The Beastie Boys), Joe journeys from Los Angeles to Nevada looking for Eldorado. Along the way meeting wild characters played by the likes of David Carradine, John Cusack, Timothy Leary, and Arlo Guthrie, along with cameos by Flea and Don Cheadle. Great music, reasonable acting combine for a Netflix biker must see.
2. 2005 Dust to Glory
This action packed documentary chronicles the infamously treacherous Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race across Mexico’s Baja Peninsula. In order to capture the race’s true power and the majestic beauty of the desert, 55 cameras and four helicopters were used during filming. Join famous racing names such as Robby Gordon, Mario Andretti, Jimmy Vasser, and Mike “Mouse” McCoy for an unforgettable look at one of racing’s most thrilling events.
Drum roll please.
My Number One Netflix Biker Flick is...
1. The Long Way Round
Another documentary, The Long Way Round is one of the most compelling motorcycle adventure documentaries I’ve seen. It’s actually a TV series featuring film actor Ewan Macgregor and friend Charly Boorman. This 25 part 5 DVD series documents a 19,000 mile journey through Europe, Asia, and Alaska to New York and is exciting, comedic and compelling and thoroughly entertaining.
Honorable Mention 2004 Motorycycle Diaries:
This true story is based on diaries of revolutionary Che Guevara. In 1952 as 23-year-old medical student Guevara motorcycled 8,000 kilometers on an old 1939 500cc single cylinder Norton 500 across South America with his friend Alberto Granada. Hilarious riding scenes good acting and beautiful cinematography. “The Mighty One,” AKA, the Norton 500 unfortunately dies 1/3 into the film.
41 years after Easy Rider captured the collective unconscious of American motorcycling culture we all have favorite films. What are the worst biker movie rentals? Rent Biker Zombies From Detroit or you can watch full-length movies Hells Bloody Devils or Angels Wild Women on YouTube if you really need a good dose of bad biker flix.
The very last lines from
Harley-Davidson and THE MARLBORO MAN (1991)
Mickey Rourke: “Where ya headin’?”
Hot Girl: “Nowhere special.”
Rourke: “C’mon, I’ll take ya there.”
The two ride off into the sunset...