Hell On Wheels: A History of Biker Movies

From Marlon Brando’s brooding leather-clad rebel in The Wild One to the dusty apocalypse of Mad Max and Furiosa, biker movies have roared across the screen for over seventy years. Hell on Wheels: A History of Biker Movies is the first comprehensive cultural study of this wild, unruly, and often misunderstood genre. Covering almost 300 films, this book explores every aspect of biker cinema: the juvenile delinquent films of the 1950s, the outlaw exploitation cycle of the ’60s, British kitchen sink rocker dramas and mod revival movies, racing films, horror hybrids, and the post-apocalyptic madness of Maxploitation. Along the way, it argues that five landmark films—The Wild One, The Wild Angels, Easy Rider, Quadrophenia, and Mad Max 2—define the genre, with everything that followed riding in their slipstream. It closes as it begins with The Bikeriders, a hyper-real period piece that returns to the ethos of The Wild One. Unusually for film criticism, the book also identifies the motorcycles themselves whenever possible, offering enthusiasts a rare level of detail. With an encyclopedic scope, some films are closely analysed while others are briskly summarised, creating a fast-paced yet authoritative history. Illustrated with 125 rare colour and black and white stills, lobby cards, and posters, Hell on Wheels is both serious film history and an irreverent joyride through the underbelly of popular culture. It’s essential reading for lovers of mainstream and cult film, motorcycle riders and fans, and anyone fascinated by cinema’s long romance with life on two wheels.