Jeff Nichols’s The Bikeriders is based on the book by photojournalist Danny Lyon, first published in 1968, about his years embedded with a lawless motorcycle gang in Chicago. Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud, Loving) has imposed a fictional narrative arc and while it’s bogus in some respects and the arc quite familiar to anyone acquainted with stories about male subcultures – the fatal flaw of loyalty etc – it is well-crafted, stylish, has some potent scenes and a fantastic cast.
The film stars Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer, who manages to wipe the floor with both of them. You may wish to look away from the violence – if you are squeamish I reckon you’ll spend a good 30 per cent of the two-hour running time looking down into your lap – but you won’t wish to look away from her.
The book, which is available from Amazon (£23, highly recommended) is divided into two. The first half is made up of the photographs, some of which are cleverly staged within the film, while the second half provides first-hand testimonies of the gang members, as recorded and transcribed by Lyons at the time. These are fascinating, wonderfully evocative and mad. Here’s Cockroach, a biker who eats bugs: ‘A bug won’t hurt you. It’s nothing but meat. It’s a delicacy, as a matter of fact. I like to eat ’em alive.’ It’s like Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads had Alan Bennett ever been a Hell’s Angel, which I’m pretty sure he never was. (I can’t say for certain, but it does not seem likely).
The main characters then and now remain the same. There is Johnny (Hardy), who is the leader, having founded the Outlaws (they are called the Vandals here for some reason) after watching Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Also we have Benny (Butler), a gang member who is James Dean cool as well as taciturn, Clint Eastwood style, and Kathy (Cromer), his wife.
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