Motorcycle Gang (1957 film)

1957 film by Edward L. Cahn

October 22, 1957 (1957-10-22)

Running time

79 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBudget$100,000^[1]

Motorcycle Gang is a 1957 film which is a semi-remake of Dragstrip Girl. It was released by American International Pictures as a double feature with Sorority Girl.^[2]

Cast

Anne Neyland as Terry Lindsay
Steve Terrell as Randy
John Ashley as Nick Rogers
Carl Switzer as Speed
Raymond Hatton as Uncle Ed
Russ Bender as Lt. Joe Watson
Jean Moorhead as Marilyn
Scott Peters as Hank
Eddie Kafafian as Jack
Shirley Falls as Darlene
Aki Aleong as Cyrus Q. Wong
Wayne Taylor as Phil

Production

The film was announced in March 1957. Lance Fuller was going to star.^[3]

Filming was held up when star John Ashley was drafted into the army. It was shot during two weeks when he was on leave after basic training.^[4]

The cast also included former Our Gang star Carl Switzer.^[5]

Reception

The Los Angeles Times called it "commendably free of unhealthy sensationalism... tells its unpretentious little moral simply enough."^[6]

The Monthly Film Bulletin said the film "without being positively vicious... has its fair share of violence and unpleasantness."^[7]

Diabolique magazine claimed Ashley gave the best performance.^[8]

Legacy

Film director John Carpenter listed the movie as one of his guilty pleasures. "Good guy teen Steve Terrell vs. cool bad guy teen John Ashley on motorcycles. Anne Neyland has some trouble deciding between them. Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer is the comic relief. Russ Bender tries to help testosterone-fueled teens go straight and narrow. Very cool."^[9]

Theme Comparison

1950's motorcycle gang interest, showing the same influence of female gentleness upon aimless, male youth, may further be studied in The Wild One.

References

^ Lamont, John (1990). "The John Ashley Filmography". Trash Compactor (Volume 2 No. 5 ed.). p. 26.
^ Sanders, Don and Susan (1997). The American Drive-In Movie Theatre. Motorbooks International. p. 121. ISBN 0-7603-0425-4.
^ "FILM EVENTS". Los Angeles Times. Mar 5, 1957. ProQuest 167105474.
^ Mark McGee, Faster and Furiouser: The Revised and Fattened Fable of American International Pictures, McFarland, 1996 p133
^ Schallert, E. (Aug 10, 1957). "'Seven for sinners' due to match roman, horton; elaine davis signed". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167173023.
^ C, S. (Nov 22, 1957). "Romances of cycle hounds told in film". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 167171207.
^ "MOTORCYCLE GANG". Monthly Film Bulletin. Vol. 25. 1958. p. 36 – via ProQuest.
^ Vagg, Stephen (December 2019). "A Hell of a Life: The Nine Lives of John Ashley". Diabolique Magazine.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ Carpenter, J. (1996). "John Carpenter's guilty pleasures". Film Comment. Vol. 32, no. 5. pp. 50–53. ProQuest 210277066.