Riding High (1981 film)

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.[2][3][4]

Riding High
Original British quad poster
Directed byRoss Cramer
Screenplay byRoss Cramer
Based onOriginal story by Derek Ford
Produced byMichael Kilinger
Anthony Klinger
StarringEddie Kidd
Irene Handl
Murray Salem
CinematographyBrian Tufano
Edited byJohn Jympson
Music byPaul Fishman
Production
company
Michael Klinger Productions
Distributed byEnterprise Pictures Limited (UK)
Release date
  • May 1981 (1981-05) (UK)
Running time
96 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget£3 million[1]

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.[1]

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.[1]

Tony Klinger says the film ran out of money during production so his father Michael had to borrow money from a criminal to pay everone.[5]

Reception

The film was not a success at the box office.[6]

One critic called it "not so much a film as an excuse to show off" Kidd's "madcape motorbike stunts."[7] Derek Ford called it a "lousy picture".[1]

References
  1. McGillivray, David (1992). Doing rude things : the history of the British sex film, 1957-1981. Sun tavern fields. p. 58.
  2. "BFI | Film & TV Database | RIDING HIGH (1980)". 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2009.
  3. "Riding High (1978) - Ross Cramer | Cast and Crew | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
  4. "Riding High Review (1981)". www.thespinningimage.co.uk.
  5. The Man Who Got Carter (documentary film). 2018.
  6. "Counting the Cost". Evening Standard. 15 September 1981. p. 6.
  7. "Films in Focus". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 5 June 1981. p. 4.


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