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Riding High (1981 film)

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2016}}

{{italic title}}

{{Infobox film

| name = Riding High

| image = Riding_High_(1981_film).jpg

| caption = Original British quad poster

| director = Ross Cramer

| producer = Michael Kilinger
Anthony Klinger

| screenplay = Ross Cramer

| based_on = Original story by Derek Ford

| starring = Eddie Kidd
Irene Handl
Murray Salem

| music = Paul Fishman

| cinematography = Brian Tufano

| editing = John Jympson

| studio = Michael Klinger Productions

| distributor = Enterprise Pictures Limited {{small|(UK)}}

| released = {{Film date|df=y|1981|05||UK}}

| runtime = 96 minutes

| country = United Kingdom

| language = English

| budget =£3 million

}}

Riding High is a 1981 British drama film directed by Ross Cramer and starring Eddie Kidd, Irene Handl and Murray Salem. The screenplay concerns a bored young motorcycle messenger who begins training to take part in a major biking competition.{{Cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/332144|title=BFI | Film & TV Database | RIDING HIGH (1980)|date=16 January 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090116054537/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/332144|archive-date=16 January 2009}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/riding-high-v41379/cast-crew|title=Riding High (1978) - Ross Cramer | Cast and Crew | AllMovie|via=www.allmovie.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.thespinningimage.co.uk/cultfilms/displaycultfilm.asp?reviewid=9253|title=Riding High Review (1981)|website=www.thespinningimage.co.uk}}

Cast

Production

The film was based on a script by sexploitation filmmaker Derek Ford, who had been impressed by the personality of stuntman Eddie Kidd when he saw Kidd interviewed on television. Ford wrote Bikers for Kidd, which was meant to be made for £500,000. Michael Klinger became involved as producer, and he felt the money could not be raised with Ford, so that filmmaker was eased out of production. The movie ended up being called Riding High and cost £3 million.{{cite book|page=58|url=https://archive.org/details/doingrudethingsh0000mcgi/page/58/mode/1up?q=%22eddie+kidd%22+%22riding+high%22|title= Doing rude things : the history of the British sex film, 1957-1981|last=McGillivray|first= David|year=1992|publisher=Sun tavern fields }}

Ford says the movie was filmed with two endings, one where Kidd's character dies, the other where he lives. This was because no one was sure if Kidd would survive the final stunt sequence, where he jumped over a broken bridge. This stunt was the last part of the film shot.

Tony Klinger says the film ran out of money during production so his father Michael had to borrow money from a criminal to pay everyone.{{cite AV media | type=documentary film |language=English|title=The Man Who Got Carter|year=2018}}

Reception

The film was not a success at the box office.{{cite news|title=Counting the Cost|newspaper=Evening Standard|date=15 September 1981|page= 6}}

One critic called it "not so much a film as an excuse to show off" Kidd's "madcape motorbike stunts."{{cite news|title=Films in Focus|newspaper=Huddersfield Daily Examiner|date=5 June 1981|page= 4}} Derek Ford called it a "lousy picture".

References

External links

  • {{IMDb title|0226381}}
  • {{discogs master|85266}}
  • [https://letterboxd.com/film/riding-high-1981-1/ Riding High] at Letterbox DVD
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20201023064624/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b762aad68 Riding High] at BFI

Category:1981 films

Category:1981 drama films

Category:British drama films

Category:1980s English-language films

Category:1980s British films

Category:English-language drama films

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