I’m watching the classic M. Hulot’s Holiday with the wonderfully visual Jaques Tati as the oblivious pipe smoking titular character. His small spluttering car makes several noisome appearances as he gets into numerous escapades at the coastal resort.
Being less than a decade since the end of World War II is shows a french trying to relax and vacate themselves from life; however M. Hulot quietly and unknowingly intrudes on their R&R. If Chaplin was Blues, Keaton Folk then Tati is a Jazz Master.
The late actor Francesco Quinn (1963-2011) was the son of Anthony Quinn, he was also a very keen motorcyclist. You know him as one of the members of Oliver Stones Platoon: Rhah.
Good film. Back to the subject at hand: he like bikes and from these images seems to have had a propensity to the Triumph marque. Good choice.
I’m going to have to search out this film; looks like a travel documentary; a la Motorcycle Diaries, or Long Way Round.
To celebrate The Man in Blacks birthday here’s a very little known film that Johnny Cash wrote the soundtrack for (along with Carl Perkins and Bob Dylan). It starred Robert Redford as a happy-go-lucky racer, Big Halsy Knox, who chases the adventures offered of both track and ‘field’; he takes on a mechanic sidekick, Little Fauss, who looks up to him, and true a early 70’s buddy movie ensues.
There are allegiances made and broken; a love interest, in the form of a drop-out muse played by Lauren Hutton, as the fabulously named Rita Nebraska; and of course super racing cinematography both on-board and track-side.
But Cash’s droll voice powers through with his balladeers songs.
Rollin’ Free
Ballad of Little Fauss and Big Halsy
Happy Birthday Johnny!
An actor who has been taking notable strides in several great film of late: Michael Fassbender. From a younger Magneto in X-Men; Carl Jung in a Dangerous Method; Lieutenant Archie Hicox in Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds; the android David in Prometheus to name a few. Well he’s a biker too, being german-irish I believe his ride of choice is a big Beemer GS but it looks like he wouldn’t mind a mean muscular Triumph Speed Triple. He’s posing a bit too much though… Get on yer bike and ride it Mike!
“I am the Nightrider. I’m a fuel injected suicide machine. I am the rocker, I am the roller, I am the out-of-controller!”
One of my favourite biker films is Mad Max: the fast riding scenes around the quiet narrow lanes of rural Australia, under gloomy grey skies, can quicken any moto-maniacs heart. The Toecutter (R: Hugh Keayes-Byrne) is the excellent psychopathic leader; with an appropriately cool right-hand-man, Bubba Zanetti (L: Geoff Parry). 14 Kawasaki’s K1000’s were used to full effect by the crazed gang only being chased down by Max’s 351 Ford XB Falcon with a whining blower. Or the Goose’s MFP Bike…
“Jimmy the Goose, larger than life and twice as ugly!”
“It’s that rat circus out there, I’m beginning to enjoy it. Look, any longer out on that road and I’m one of them, a terminal psychotic, except that I’ve got this bronze badge that says that I’m one of the good guys.”
There’s also a new Mad max film coming out soon, Tom Hardy playing the titular role; hopefully it’ll live up to this early classic venture. I’ll revisit this one again though… those big Zed’s are a powerful good moto!
Today saw me one step closer to my US naturalization: fingerprints taken, mugshot snapped and an FBI background check commenced. So to commemorate this event here’s a shot of another Brit abroad: Hugh Laurie on his Bonnie with Stars and Stripes lidded passenger.
Hmm, I wonder… A Captain America helmet?
The Rebellion are making a last stand against the Empire. The forest moon of Endor is the battlefield; only the highly trained assassin of the Scout Stormtroopers stood between the small party of rebels and the Death Star defense shield transmitter base. Their method of zooming around the understory of the woods was atop a 74-Z Imperial Speeder Bike manufactured by Aratech Repulsor Company.
It was capable of velocities upward of 350 km/h. Quick wits or Jedi skills are needed for this one…
It was armed with a blaster cannon, could speed up to 500 km/h on turbo for short distances; but only had a ceiling of 25m.
“What’s the last thing to go through an Imperial scout trooper’s head when he hits a tree? His afterburner.”
―Joke told by Rebel strike team forces on Endor.
“Use the Force Luke!”
Mountains and Motorcycle: this just cropped up on the Interweb of late. A short film from National Geographic in 1976 filmed quite expertly by Yvon Chouinard. It shows John Cunningham riding across the moors and glens of the Highlands towards an icy escapade on the big bad Ben Nevis.
It’s tricky to see the model but it’s a Triumph with pre-unit engine. But the clip-ons, big tank, and able handling on the single lane roads show a serious rider. His wooly had is tied on with string… No lid for this jock; he’s ‘ard!
He even catches the Ballachullish ferry across Loch Leven. The Bens of Lochaber loom behind. He tramps up the slopes to the looming Ben Nevis and heads up at speed over lower snow covered rocks, donning his crampons when the grade gets more serious. A pair of technical ice tools and his front points the only precarious purchase. But a sure placement of all makes this movement look all too easy.
After storming up to the summit he descends at a knee-popping pace back to the Triumph and torts off to the nearest ‘establishment’ to enjoy a warming dram or two and most likely a noisesome céilidh.
Earlier this week I managed to watch the new Dredd movie outing: this one with the appropriately stoney faced Karl Urban (Eomer of LotR) as the man with the badge. It was a grim, ultraviolent tale of a dystopian future Mega City with a population on the edge. They kept the story tight to limit the characters background explanations; concentrating the story on a City-Block drug bust. There was some good Lawmaster riding action on the streets too: his single sided swingarm ride could chase down the worst of ’em. One aspect of the film was the use of Carlos Ezquerra’s original vision of JD, a lean, mean lawman who isn’t to be messed with. No eagle shoulder patch, but that seemed kinda superfluous anyway. Cassie Anderson as a rookie on her street assessment added good depth; especially with her psychic abilities.
Great Stuff!
Murray Walker that is! His enthusiastic voice rang out the excitement of motorsports for decades. Two as well as four! Unless you can also count the 6 wheeled Elf Tyrell F1 cars! BBC reported today that the next Formula One season will be commentated by the lovely Suzi Perry who has been the voice for Auntie’s MotoGP for the last ten years. Well of course she is a two-wheeled MotoLady which includes a love of the old Triumph badged cycles.
Scrambler ma’am: the utility bike for the damp British roads.
A blast darn the Great Nort Road to the Ace Cafe for a cup o’ tea! A Speed Triple is tge steed to be seen on! White leathers match Moto well!
Bonnie Bonneville, a great choice for all! Big boots to fill giving voice to F1. Vintage Murray in the Janes Hunt days with Senna, Piquet and Mansell are legend!
You’re nicked sonny! We’ve been catching up on some recent Brit-TV of late; one show in particular has been a fun show to watch: George Gently. Based on novels by Alan Hunter and based in Northumberland and Durham it follows the exploits of London DCI from Scotland Yard relocated up North and dealing with the more backwater crimes of the Geordie vicinity. The first episode had a storyline revolving around a biker gang who tear around the countryside and towns on Triumphs & Beezas. Indeed the ringleader, Ricky, has a beautiful featherbed fram’d, manx-tank’d Norton.
An interesting note: The actor playing Ricky, Richard Armitage, plays the main dwarf character, Thorin Oakenshield, in the upcoming Hobbit film.
Barry Taylor, the “bashful, bumbling, boring, Brummie” sparky from our current fave telly revisit is here seen getting his tempestuous Bonnie going. What’s German for: “fuel tap on, tickle the carbs, and give her a nice swift kick”? Oh yes: “Mein BMW ist eine besserre motorrad als ein Triumph!”.
Aye mebbee sonny, but not nearly as much fun!
“Workin’ on the site from mornin’ ’til night; that’s livin’ alright”
Back in the early eighties when there were only four channels on the Telly and over three million on the dole. One much watched programme in particular gave light relief and laughs to many. The adventures of three brickies from Newcastle whilst working in Dusseldorf, Germany. I watched one today where Oz, the irritating one with wisecracks galore superbly handled by the indefatigable Jimmy Nail, had a argument with some Germans and was sacked from his job, catching a bus to head back to England his compatriots chase after him. The only mode of transport is a Triumph Bonnie owned by the Brummie Barry, played by a droll Timothy Spall. The unspoken leader Dennis (Tim Healy) gets a backie from Barry to chase down the bus….
“Workin’ all day for a pittance of pay, then blow it all on Saturday night. And you kiss the dames, but you don’t ask their names, that’s livin’ alright!”
Of course Oz got his job back as the graftin’ bricklayer but he still had something against the Germans:
“‘Cos they’re the bastards that bombed me granny!”
Don Draper, or is it Dick Whitman? Nevertheless the actor Jon Hamm plays the cool advertising giant in the AMC superlative drama series Mad Men. That is the couldron of creativity centered on Madison Avenue of the early sixties New York NY. His clean-cut demeanour carries his firms approached to The Brand along like an afternoon scotch and several Marlboro. The Matchless moto he’s seen here on strengthens his edginess of a man passing through the cusp-like history of the 60’s. Look at the cut of that suit… sharp enough for a Brit-Iron? Yup!
Hamm is also the once boyfriend of Liz Lemon from 30 Rock, Drew Baird, Tina Feys great comedy based on a TV comedy show. A fake motorcycle ‘prop’ Hamm is in control of doesn’t have the panache of the Matchless…
The Martini-Henry rifle was an Empire defender that saw action in, amongst others, the Zulu wars of 1879. Made famous with the Michael Caine/Stanley Baker film of the same name based on events at Rorke’s Drift where the British, being outnumbered 4,000 to 140tipped the odds in their favour with some deft rank firing and a lungfull of ‘Men of Harlech’.
Now where does this bring us? Well stack three of those long barreled breech loading weapon with bayonets and you have the B.S.A. logo. As in Birmingham Small Arms, who, before being the manufacturers of the Best Motorcycle in the World made the M-H gun.
Men of Harlech, march to glory,
Victory is hov’ring o’er ye,
Bright-eyed freedom stands before ye,
Hear ye not her call?
At your sloth she seems to wonder;
Rend the sluggish bonds asunder,
Let the war-cry’s deaf’ning thunder
Every foe appall.
Echoes loudly waking,
Hill and valley shaking;
‘Till the sound spreads wide around,
The Saxon’s courage breaking;
Your foes on every side assailing,
Forward press with heart unfailing,
‘Till invaders learn with quailing,
Cambria ne’er can yield!
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