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Motorcycle Gang (1994 film)

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Motorcycle Gang
Written byLaurie McQuillan
Kent Anderson
Directed byJohn Milius
StarringGerald McRaney
Jake Busey
Carla Gugino
Theme music composerHummie Mann
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersLou Arkoff
Debra Hill
Willie Kutner
David Giler
CinematographyAnthony B. Richmond
EditorMark Helfrich
Running time84 min
Production companyDrive-In Classics Cinema
Budget$1.3 million[1]
Original release
NetworkShowtime Networks
ReleaseAugust 5, 1994 (1994-08-05)

Motorcycle Gang originally aired on the cable television network Showtime on August 5, 1994, as part of the anthology series Rebel Highway. As with other films in the series, its name is taken from a 1950s B-movie but its plot bears no resemblance to that film.[2]The film was directed by John Milius, who considers it one of his favorites.[3]

Plot

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A motorcycle gang terrorizes army veteran Cal Morris and his family as they are driving on the highway to their new home in California. When the gang kidnaps Cal's daughter Leann and takes her to Mexico, Cal and his wife pursue them.

Production

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When asked why he chose to remake Motorcycle Gang, Milius said "Why not? I never saw it. I just took a story that was kind of endemic to the period. What happened in those movies is that they always had a family crossing the desert and the family is beset by giant ants, cannibals or a hot rod or motorcycle gang. So in this one I have a dysfunctional family beset by a motorcycle gang."[4]

Just before filming was to begin, the Jan. 17 Northridge earthquake interrupted shooting plans. Milius said, "We couldn't get to any of the locations since mine was by far, location-wise and production-wise, the most ambitious of all of them because it all takes place out-of-doors and in the desert. We couldn't get to any of those places, so we had to find alternate ways of doing it. I thought it was very challenging and I enjoyed the challenge a great deal."[4]

The film was an early lead role for Jake Busey who call it "the most dynamic role I've had the opportunity to play," he says. "I grew up racing Motocross, off-road bikes. It's very dangerous. I quit when I was 17, after a good friend broke his back. I still have a bike. For the movie, I slicked back my hair like they did in the '50s, wore sunglasses and rode a Harley Davidson. This was definitely a thrilling experience."[5]

Release

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The film was the third in the series to be screened, after Roadracers and Confessions of a Sorority Girl.

References

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  1. ^ Review of film at Variety
  2. ^ Willens, Michele (17 July 1994). "On Showtime's 'Rebel Highway,' some great (and not so great) B movies of the 50s live again, with a 90s twist". New York Times. p. H27.
  3. ^ "Interview with John Milius", IGN Film, 7 May 2003 accessed 5 January 2013
  4. ^ a b King, Susan (17 July 1994). "Drive-In Redux". Los Angeles Times. p. 4.
  5. ^ Mills, Nancy (1 Aug 1994). "JAKE BUSEY GETS A BREAK IN LEADING ROLE". Chicago Tribune. p. 2.
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