Austin Butler Crashed One of the Vintage Harleys He Rode in ‘The Bikeriders’ Film
More than computer-generated special effects, movie props can make or break a movie. In the case of period dramas or films with stories set in very specific, even if fictional universes, the more realistic the props, the more immersive the experience.
But that’s not an argument you have to make with director Jeff Nichols or the leading men in his latest film, The Bikeriders, which opens wide on June 21. The Bikeriders hails back to the glorious days of bike clubs, at a time when society was changing – and the bike clubs with them.
Specifically, it focuses on the story of a Chicago club called The Vandals, which becomes a bike gang under the ruthless guidance of founding member Johnny (Tom Hardy). Austin Butler plays Benny, a young rider caught up in the club but maybe looking to extract himself from the businesses of the gang, in what could be described as a tale as old as time, torn between love and honor.
The incident happened on a wet day of production as Butler navigated a road covered in dead leaves. It felt like he was riding on ice, he says in a recent interview, adding that it sent his bike fishtailing and eventually to the ground.
The Bikeriders is being hailed as a possible Oscar contender, but also as a very thrilling and well-done biking film. Depending on where your interests fall
