Universal Pictures Home Entertainment kindly sent us a copy of the upcoming blu-ray release of “The Bikeriders” to review. Read below for all the information regarding its release as well as our thoughts on the product!
FILMMAKERS
Cast: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Michael Faist, and Norman Reedus
Music Supervisors: Lauren Mikus and Bruce Gilbert
Music By: David Wingo
Costume Designer: Erin Benach
Film Editor: Julie Monroe, ACE
Production Designer: Chad Keith
Director of Photography: Adam Stone
Executive Producers: Yariv Milchan, Michael Schaefer, Sam Hanson, David Kern, and Fred Berger
Produced By: Sarah Green, p.g.a. Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, p.g.a. and Arnon Milchan
Inspired by the Book “The Bikeriders” By: Danny Lyon
Written and Directed By: Jeff Nichols
Outsiders Become Legends. Starring acclaimed actors Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy comes Focus Features’ captivating gritty biker film inspired by true events, THE BIKERIDERS. Releasing in a special Collector’s Edition with exclusive bonus content, THE BIKERIDERS will be available on Digital August 9, 2024 and on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-rayTM and DVD on August 13, 2024 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. The all-new exclusive bonus material includes interviews with the film’s lead actors about their gritty portrayals, a behind-the-scenes look at how the production team captured the badass biker aesthetic in the late 60’s Midwest environment, a deep dive into writer/director Jeff Nichols’ vision, and much more! Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and called “the ‘GodfatArialher’ of biker movies” (Variety), THE BIKERIDERS delivers a gripping saga about legacy and freedom within a band of outsiders.
Additionally, rev your engines as THE BIKERIDERS cruises to streaming exclusively on Peacock beginning August 9.
Film synopsis:
THE BIKERIDERS captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals, led by the enigmatic Johnny (Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.
HNS Review:
“The Bikeriders” Blu-ray comes with a protective cover that easily slides off. The front cover is the main poster we saw leading up to the film’s release. This product also comes with a digital code, which is very convenient so it can be enjoyed in various formats all under one product. This was very high quality and well worth the price.
There are four bonus features included on the blu-ray including “Johnny, Benny, & Kathy,” “The Era of The Bikeriders,” “The Filmmaker’s Eye: Jeff Nichols,” and “Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Jeff Nichols.”
The feature “Johnny, Benny, & Kathy” focuses on the characters and how Writer/Director Jeff Nichols brought them to life after reading the photograph book which inspired the film. It shows snippets of interviews with Nichols, several producers, actors Jodie Comer and Austin Butler, and even a brief clip from Comer’s dialect coach. Nichols spoke about how he had to create Johnny the most and how he developed the “love triangle” between the three main characters. There was high praise for everyone involved in the film, and you really felt the sense of respect and admiration that went around between the cast and filmmakers alike.
The feature “The Era of The Bikeriders” is all about the biker gang and biker culture. We learn that several of these motorcycles came from stunt coordinator Jeff Milburn’s personal collection. We also learn that Butler has some experience with riding. They also discuss the fashion of the bikers in the film, and how the style subtly evolves from the 1960s to the 1970s. I loved seeing the different pieces of clothing and briefly hearing how the costume designer put the looks together.
The feature “The Filmmaker’s Eye: Jeff Nichols” is very insightful. We get to hear from Nichols about how the character of Kathy falls in love with the lifestyle on the first night she meets Benny, and how he got the shot of this when she’s riding on the back of his motorcycle, taking it all in. Comer speaks about Nichols being the main reason she became interested in the film. The cast spoke very highly of Nichols including the open dialogue he has with actors and his willingness to let actors try new things. Actor Karl Glusman said it best when he closed with, “Jeff Nichols doesn’t miss.”
The final bonus feature is a commentary of the film by Jeff Nichols. This feature is especially great for anyone who aspires to work in the film industry or who loves hearing how things come together. While commentaries with actors are great, when you get commentaries with the writer/director, it offers a lot of insight that only they can offer. This was exactly the case here, and you can really feel Nichol’s passion and excitement for the film come across on screen. There is a whole lot of cool things to learn in this feature as he breaks down the cinematography and speaks about the actors’ processes during filming.
Here are all the specifics on the release:
TECHNICAL INFORMATION 4K UHD:
Street Date: August 13, 2024
Selection Number: 191329267301 (US)
Layers: BD 100
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
Rating: R for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality
Subtitles: English SDH, Castilian Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French Canadian, French European, German, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Norwegian, and Swedish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), Castilian Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature), French European (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature), German (Dolby Atmos for Feature), Italian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature)
Run Time: 01:55:48
TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAY:
Street Date: August 13, 2024
Selection Number: 191329265673 (US)
Layers: BD 50
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2.39:1 Widescreen
Rating: R for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Atmos for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital Plus 7.1 for Feature)
Run Time: 01:55:48
TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: August 13, 2024
Selection Number: 191329265840 (US)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 2:39:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: R for language throughout, violence, some drug use and brief sexuality
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Feature, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Feature), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1 for Feature)
Run Time: 01:55:55
“The Bikeriders” is now available digitally and to stream on Peacock. The Blu-ray and DVD releases on August 13th! You can order your copy HERE!
