HELL RIDE is a raucous throwback to the days of the Sergio Leone
spaghetti western, with a heaping helping of testosterone-fueled
chopper action thrown into the mix. Writer/director Larry Bishop
takes on a third role as Pistolero, head honcho of the Victors, a
group of badass bikers who are out to avenge the murder of one of
their members at the hands of the 666ers, a rival gang whose
actions live up to their hellish moniker. Along with his cohorts,
the Gent (deviously portrayed by Michael Madsen) and the
mysterious Comanche (Eric Balfour), Pistolero s to take down
the Deuce and Billy Wings, menacing leaders of the 666ers, but a
mutiny looms on the horizon when his commitment to profit is
questioned by a few of his fellow Victors. An even larger story
unravels when previously unknown information about Comanche
resurrects ghosts from Pistolero's past. Although there is enough
sex, violence, and all-out machismo to keep grind-house fans
firmly plastered to their seats, Bishop's take on the genre
strays far from exploitation as he weaves a twisting,
multilayered tale of revenge, loyalty, and brotherhood that is
brought to life by a superb ensemble cast, with memorable
performances by Dennis Hopper, Vinnie Jones, and David Carradine.
In the words of Comanche, "The road to hell is paved with
anything but good intentions.]]0]]Larry Bishop]]]Larry
Bishop]Dennis Hopper]Michael Madsen]Vinnie Jones]Eric
Balfour]Kanin J. Howell]Michael Beach]Leonor Varela]Laura
Cayouette]
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Actor Larry Bishop, who made his name in the '60s as the star of
biker pictures like The Savage Seven, revives the genre with Hell
Ride, a rough and raunchy action-drama produced by indie director
and cult film aficionado Quentin Tarantino. Bishop, who wrote,
produced and directed the film, is also top-billed as Pistolero,
chief of the outlaw Victors, who cruise the sunbaked Southwest to
avenge a fallen mama. Their target is Billy Wings (Vinnie Jones),
head man for the Six-Six-Sixes, and Michael Madsen, David
Carradine and Dennis Hopper (himself no stranger to biker flicks)
are along to make sure that the job is completed. As pure
exploitation, Hell Ride delivers the goods: the cast overacts
with relish, and the on-screen excitement is divided equally
between chopper action, fistfights and shootouts and plentiful
female nudity, all set to a soundtrack of new and vintage
fuzztone rock. However, those expecting the complexity and sheer
cheek of Tarantino's own features may find the picture a little
too retro-minded for their own tastes, and Bishop's pulpy
dialogue is more overcooked than Tarantino at his most
self-indulgent. Still, those craving old-school cycle movie
satisfaction are likely to find that action with Hell Ride.
Bishop is front and center for the DVD commentary, in which he
explains in the most passionate of terms how he conceived and
executed the project with Tarantino's help; featurettes on the
cast (split between male and female) are brief and flashy, with
"The Guys of Hell Ride" providing the most juice by focusing on
the veteran actors. There's also a look at the film's custom made
bikes, but the most "special" of the Special Features is Michael
Madsen's video diary, which gives amusing in into his
distinctly offbeat perspective. -- Paul Gaita
Stills from Hell Ride (Click for larger image)
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