Knightriders (1981)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

George A. Romero

Writer:

George A. Romero (written by)

Release Date:

10 April 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Drama

Tagline:

The Games...The Romance...The Spirit...Camelot is a state of mind.

Plot:

A travelling troupe of jousters and performers are slowly cracking under the pressure of hick cops,...

Plot Keywords:

Biker | One Word Title | Reference To Jim Jones | Motorcycle | Fair

Cast

Ed Harris	...	Billy
Gary Lahti	...	Alan
Tom Savini	...	Morgan
Amy Ingersoll	...	Linet
Patricia Tallman	...	Julie
Christine Forrest	...	Angie
Warner Shook	...	Pippin
Brother Blue	...	Merlin
Cynthia Adler	...	Rocky
John Amplas	...	Whiteface
Don Berry	...	Bagman
Amanda Davies	...	Sheila
Martin Ferrero	...	Bontempi
Ken Foree	...	Little John
Ken Hixon	...	Steve
John Hostetter	...	Tuck
Harold Wayne Jones	...	Bors
Randy Kovitz	...	Punch
Michael P. Moran	...	Cook (as Michael Moran)
Scott H. Reiniger	...	Marhalt (as Scott Reiniger)
Maureen Sadusk	...	Judy Rawls
Albert Amerson	...	Indian
Ronald Carrier	...	Hector
Tim DiLeo	...	Corncook
David Early	...	Bleoboris
John Harrison	...	Pellinore
Marty Schiff	...	Ban
Taso N. Stavrakis	...	Ewain
Robert Williams	...	Kay
Molly McCloskey	...	Corncook's Woman
Judith Barrett	...	Musician Trio (as Judy Barrett)
Ian Gallacher	...	Musician Trio
Donald Rubinstein	...	Musician Trio
James A. Baffico	...	Lester Dean (as Jim Baffico)
Iva Jean Saraceni	...	Helen Dean
Chris Jessel	...	Boy Billy
Bingo O'Malley	...	Sheriff Rilly
Nann Mogg	...	Mrs. Rilly
Nancy Hopwood	...	Sam
Victor Pappas	...	Photographer
Stephen King	...	Hoagie Man
Tabitha King	...	Hoagie Man's Wife
Jennifer Elizabeth Davis	...	Baby in Stroller (as Jennifer Davis)
Hugh Rose	...	Jess
William Bardwell
Greg Besnak
Nancy Blum
Elva Branson
Leilani Cataldi
Sal Carollo	...	Mob (as Sal Carullo)
Mark Carson
Nancy Chesney
Ramona Dowiak
Julia Dunster
Patrick Dunster
Cliff Forrest	...	Mob
George Jaber
Jeannie Jefferies	...	Mob (as Jeannie Jeffries)
Janet Kennedy
Louis Koepper
Tommy Lafitte	...	Mob
Gary Lee Leventhal		(as Gary Leventhal)
Tom Madden	...	Mob
Rick Marchisio
Jim McKissock
Ann Muffly
Chris O'Connor
Jeff Paul
Joseph Pilato	...	Disgruntled fair worker (as Joseph F. Pilato)
John Mark Ridings
Joe Shelby		(as Joe Shelleby)
Mark Tierno
Fred Tietz
Bobbi Van Eman		(as Bobbi VanEman)
Ramona Zini
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Anthony Dileo Jr.	...	(uncredited)
Barry Gutterman	...	Bemused Fan (uncredited)

Directed by
George A. Romero

Writing credits
George A. Romero		(written by)

Produced by
Salah M. Hassanein	....	executive producer
Richard P. Rubinstein	....	producer
David E. Vogel	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Donald Rubinstein

Cinematography by
Michael Gornick		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pasquale Buba
George A. Romero

Production Design by
Cletus Anderson

Makeup Department
Liz Augenstein	....	makeup assistant
Luigi Caesar Caruso	....	hair stylist (as Luigi Caruso)
Jeannie Jefferies	....	makeup artist (as Jeannie Jeffries Brown)
Mick Lanzino	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Zilla Clinton	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Pasquale Buba	....	first assistant director
Clayton Hill	....	second assistant director
John Roddick	....	second assistant director

Art Department
William Brewer	....	assistant to the production designer
James C. Feng	....	set and props (as Jim Feng)
Ed Fountain	....	construction coordinator
William H. Franko	....	set and props (as William Franko)
Martin Giles	....	set and props
John Ivo Gilles	....	set and props (as John Gilles)
Michael Gorman	....	properties master
Virginia Hildreth	....	properties mistress (as Virginia E. Hildreth)
Ellen Hopkins	....	scenic painter
Roderick Mayne	....	set and props
Michael McMackin	....	set and props
Bruce Miller	....	assistant to the production designer
Bruce Moore	....	set and props
Christine Oagley	....	assistant to the production designer

Sound Department
Carl Augenstein	....	sound
John Butler	....	sound mixer
John Butler	....	sound
Fred Christie	....	sound recording engineer
Jim Forrester	....	sound
Don Garvin	....	sound engineer
Richard M. Sieg	....	boom operator (as Richard Sieg)
Jack Walworth	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Larry Roberts	....	special effects

Stunts
Gary Davis	....	stunt coordinator
Gary Davis	....	stunts
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Art E. Fredenburgh	....	stunts (as Art Fredenburgh)
Pat Green	....	stunts
John Hateley	....	stunts (as John Hately)
Freddie Hice	....	stunts
Steve Holladay	....	stunts
Richard Humphreys	....	stunts
Gary Hymes	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Reid Rondell	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
David Zellitti	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Joe Abeln	....	grip
Carl Augenstein	....	gaffer
Tom Dubensky	....	first assistant camera
Rich Dwyer	....	grip
Jim Forrester	....	gaffer
Michael Gornick	....	camera operator
James Hamilton	....	still photographer
Salah Hassanein Jr.	....	grip
Brian Haughin	....	grip
Lenny Lies	....	grip
Ed Marritz	....	camera operator: second unit
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	key grip (as Nick Mastandrea)
Richard Ricci	....	grip
John Rice	....	second assistant camera
Russell Rockwell	....	camera operator: second unit
Chad Stockdale	....	grip
Nick Tallo	....	grip

Casting Department
Sharon Ceccatti	....	local casting
Jim Wilheim	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Barbara Anderson	....	costume construction coordinator
Kathy Grillo	....	wardrobe
Howard Kaplan	....	wardrobe
Elizabeth Murray	....	wardrobe
Nancy A. Palmatier	....	wardrobe (as Nancy Palmatier)
Patricia Risser	....	wardrobe
Claudia Stephens	....	wardrobe (as Claudia Stephens Anderson)
Alison Todd	....	wardrobe
David Velasquez	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Tony Buba	....	assistant editor
Rich Dwyer	....	assistant editor
Nicholas Mastandrea	....	assistant editor (as Nick Mastandrea)

Music Department
Michelle Camillo	....	additional music arranger
Eddy Daniels	....	musician
David Franco	....	music supervisor
Bill Frisell	....	musician
Peter Gordon	....	musician
Gordon Gottlieb	....	musician
Paul Johnson	....	musician
Emmanuel Vardi	....	conductor (as Emanuel Vardi)

Transportation Department
P.D. Levy	....	transportation coordinator (as Peter Levy)

Other crew
Leslie Chapman	....	location manager
Marie Fiduccia	....	production coordinator
Bruce Gattenbein	....	mechanic (as Bruce Gantenbein)
Sandra Jetton	....	script supervisor
Tom Madden	....	production assistant
Simon Manses	....	motorcycle coordinator
Debbie Pinthus	....	production assistant
Reid Rosefelt	....	publicist
Curtis Sayblack	....	production controller
Earl Schriver	....	bird handler
Debra Shata	....	assistant to producers
Donna Siegel	....	assistant to producers
Jim Stephenson	....	mechanic
Anne Thompson	....	publicist
Susan Vermazen	....	location publicity

Production Companies

• Laurel
• United Film

Distributors

• United Film Distribution Company (UFDC) (1981) (USA) (theatrical)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (????) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Pickwick/Maslansky/Koenigsberg Inc.  publicity
• Media Sound Inc.  recorded at
• Jeree Records  remixing
• Wedo's  music copying
• Rogal Company  insurance
• Page America Inc.  beeper communications

Also Known As:

George A. Romero's Knightriders (USA) (complete title)
Knights (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

145 min | Germany:102 min | Finland:141 min (video release) | Finland:115 min (TV) (1988)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Pennsylvania, USA

Company:

Laurel

Trivia:

George A. Romero married Christine Forrest on the last day of shooting, which led to some amusing continuity issues with the 2nd unit biker shots taken on that day.

Quotes:

Merlin: If I didn't believe in magic, I'd still be treating gall bladders, prostates and stuff like that. See, magic ain't got nothing to do with organs and glands and busted necks. Magic got to do with the soul, man. Only the soul's got destiny. It got wings. It's can fly. That's magic. The body? The body's just got a few minutes down here in the dirt with the rest of us.
Billy: You see things before they happen.
Merlin: That's probability. Some things is just sure to happen. Seeing em comin' ain't nothing to get excited about.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Day of the Dolphin (1973)

Soundtrack:

Signifying Monkey

one of Romero's most ambitious films is a grand entertainment

Knightriders does more than prove that George A. Romero, most known for his Living-Dead pictures, is really overall a great storyteller and developer of characters and, above all craftsman. But it also shows how a filmmaker can subvert a genre that is really hard to define (is there such a genre as medieval racing, as it doesn't really fit into the typical 'biker movie' mold either), while sticking to an ideal that is more old fashioned. Romero has an ensemble put together than could almost remind one of an Altman film, as if this was his Nashville. Yet in spirit I'm more reminded of a Howard Hawks film- a director who was an influence on Romero- in having a group of characters fitting an amusing, rousing adventure story where the old director's credo still stands- there's not much drama without action. What's even more surprising, or really what might come as more surprising to those who just stick to the Romero zombie movies if they happen to come across this, is the attention to characters, mood, and above all superlative craftsmanship.

Ed Harris plays a King-like role that, much as in a Hawks film, could have been played by John Wayne. Like a Wayne character Harris is set in a very specific mind frame (to the point, of course, of being stubborn and head-strong) that can hardly be changed, even if he is a nice guy once in a while through his tougher moments. And, indeed, sometimes his delusions of grandeur have to face up to reality past the fantasy. But unlike Wayne, Harris has a constant, unwavering appeal as an actor, who is constantly watchable even in a role that doesn't give him as much to do as in some of his more memorable parts. He's surrounded by actors who have made up many of Romero's other films- Tom Savini (who is quite good as an actor here, usually known for his great make-up), Ken Foree, Scott Reiniger, Christine Forrest, John Amplas, and Anthony Dileo Jr- and help back up his traveling troupe of medieval-times type of motorcycle riders, all who provide more or less very human characterizations. The story basically focuses on these guys and how the times seem to be catching up with them- and tempting some- away from the lower-end type spectacles for the locals. But, in the end, things get patched up and a 'for-themselves' tournament is launched to determine the new 'King'.

The film is not impervious to criticism. It's a little overlong (perhaps one too many a coda at the end, even as Billy's payback to the Deputy is one of the highlights of the film), and the usual social commentary that Romero strikes his hottest at is really, aside from the small bits of reality checks for the troupe, break down to the media being shallow and self-destructive by luring away Savini and some of the others. Such parts kind of seem weaker, and even for this kind of old-fashioned adventure/action story too conventional. Nevertheless there is so much in the film that is richly entertaining and interesting, with many little moments being some of the funniest in any Romero film (including some high flying bits, and a hysterical cameo from Stephen King), and touching ones to boot in the climax. On top of Knightriders being an excellent showcase for what a director like Romero can be capable of with different material that covers dramatic ground, is his technical prowess. Coming off of another ambitious picture, Dawn of the Dead, his editing chops are still tight as can be, and seeing the riding sequences is downright exhilarating. Romero's eye and timing with the storytelling in action- and knowing how to keep things breathtaking (as with Dawn) without becoming too chaotic- is really un-canny and one of the most underrated aspects of his whole career, of which this would be his last credited as.

Also accompanying the film is a sweet, pitch-perfect score by Donald A. Rubinstein (not credited the site) to the proceedings, and what pops out in the end of this epic tale of reality facing un-reality and the kinds of people to different degrees who stake their lives to such a cause and living. It's a near-masterpiece that is a nifty find if you come across it in your video store.