Hell Ride

For the Australian cycling route, see Hell Ride, Melbourne. For the band featuring Porno For Pyros members, see Hellride.
Hell Ride

Promotional poster
Directed by Larry Bishop
Produced by Larry Bishop
Shana Stein
Michael Steinberg
Quentin Tarantino
Written by Larry Bishop
Starring Larry Bishop
Michael Madsen
Vinnie Jones
David Carradine
Dennis Hopper
Music by Daniele Luppi
Cinematography Scott Kevan
Edited by Blake West
William Yeh
Production
company
Distributed by Dimension Films
Release dates
  • August 8, 2008 (2008-08-08)
Running time
 83 min.
Country United States
Language English
Box office $390,128

Hell Ride is a 2008 American action/neo-outlaw biker film written and directed by Larry Bishop and starring Bishop, Michael Madsen, Dennis Hopper, Eric Balfour, Vinnie Jones, Leonor Varela and David Carradine. It was released under the "Quentin Tarantino Presents" banner. The film is an homage to the original outlaw biker films of the 1960s and 1970s.

Plot

Biker Pistolero (Larry Bishop) is the leader, or "Prez," 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 arch-rival 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.

Cast

Production notes

Larry Bishop's character Pistolero is named after the original title for Robert Rodriguez’s Desperado. The mysterious Nada (Leonor Varela) prefers to use double entendres and clichés rather than speaking conversationally.

Bishop took extra duties on this film by not only starring in it, but also writing, directing and co-producing with producers Michael Steinberg and Shana Stein, and executive producer Quentin Tarantino. This film 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 Bishop: "It is your destiny to write, direct and star in a movie". Tarantino also assured Bishop that he would help to produce his film.

Release

Hell Ride premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. It had a brief theatrical run via Third Rail Releasing before being released to DVD worldwide.

External links

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