Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - i just saw quicksilver, and...

...it EFFING SUCKS!

[warning, spoilers below]

ok, let's say i forget the fact that kevin bacon is uglier than sin and his girlfriend has a wedding cake of makeup on her, lets say i forget the fact that the messengers are never sweaty, or that the ones that ride geared bikes shift the WRONG way when they're trying to "speed" up.

let's say i forget that it borrows all the wrong movie archetypes and tropes from movies of car chases and chariots, where people try to outrun each other on the same track (unlke bikes, which can turn around in a small space, go the wrong way, etc) which leads to hilarious "chase" sequences where the biker can escape anytime, anyway.

let's say i forget the cheesy romantic scenes that have absolutely zero chemistry; that in one scene that dancer girl loves him and another she doesn't. let's say i forget the ridiculuousness of his biker friends and especially his mentally ******** friend who, like a puppy, walks around and asks kevin bacon for his advice on EVERYTHING -- how can he be simultaneously portrayed as "street smart" and still be such an ****ing moron?

no, what really pissed me off the most was that ultimately, this movie glorified CAR and BUSINESS culture. we're supposed to think that the movie is about forgetting money and living life on the edge; instead, when kevin really wants to get back on top, he doesn't just work harder, he gambles at a casino-like stock exchange, with his friend (the only man in the universe possibly uglier than him) in order to make extra money. then "he's got it back," and we cut to the scene where he "just got some job offers" and he's in a tie and his girlfriend is now searching for jobs and everyone is a happy normative american unit: back to dealing in money instead of actually enjoying the bike.

so ultimately it is a consumer movie in hiding; it is a movie that momentarily commodifies the bike culture only to say "it's still child's play, don't do it." **** quicksilver.

yeah, but, but, Voodoo had a whistle!

troll...

i like the movie - you can't beat the freestyle jam

...it EFFING SUCKS!

ok, let's say i forget the fact that kevin bacon is uglier than sin and his girlfriend has a wedding cake of makeup on her, lets say i forget the fact that the messengers are never sweaty, or that the ones that ride geared bikes shift the WRONG way when they're trying to "speed" up.

let's say i forget that it borrows all the wrong movie archetypes and tropes from movies of car chases and chariots, where people try to outrun each other on the same track (unlke bikes, which can turn around in a small space, go the wrong way, etc) which leads to hilarious "chase" sequences where the biker can escape anytime, anyway.

let's say i forget the cheesy romantic scenes that have absolutely zero chemistry; that in one scene that dancer girl loves him and another she doesn't. let's say i forget the ridiculuousness of his biker friends and especially his mentally ******** friend who, like a puppy, walks around and asks kevin bacon for his advice on EVERYTHING -- how can he be simultaneously portrayed as "street smart" and still be such an ****ing moron?

no, what really pissed me off the most was that ultimately, this movie glorified CAR and BUSINESS culture. we're supposed to think that the movie is about forgetting money and living life on the edge; instead, when kevin really wants to get back on top, he doesn't just work harder, he gambles at a casino-like stock exchange, with his friend (the only man in the universe possibly uglier than him) in order to make extra money. then "he's got it back," and we cut to the scene where he "just got some job offers" and he's in a tie and his girlfriend is now searching for jobs and everyone is a happy normative american unit: back to dealing in money instead of actually enjoying the bike.

so ultimately it is a consumer movie in hiding; it is a movie that momentarily commodifies the bike culture only to say "it's still child's play, don't do it." **** quicksilver.


It was the only movie about messengers, my boy Nelson Vails in it. I wasn't feeling it but anything was better than nothing.

S/F,
CEYA!

I'm still waiting on your in depth analysis of Foot Loose. I bet it will be a scorcher.

HOW MANY WAS MESSENGERS WHEN THE MOVIE CAME OUT?

S/F
Ceya!

this just in, kevin bacon movie criticized!

actually, i can't help it, i think he's the greatest thing since blues clues

this just in, kevin bacon movie criticized!

actually, i can't help it, i think he's the greatest thing since blues clues


somebody posted about this before recently..so news flash is not a flash.

you watch blue's clues?

Crazy kids show

S/F<
CEYA!

if you think it's a troll to have a criticism of something, you're an idiot. i was posting my opinion and wanted to hear the same.

I'm still waiting on your in depth analysis of Foot Loose. I bet it will be a scorcher.

:roflmao:

...it EFFING SUCKS!

ok, let's say i forget the fact that kevin bacon is uglier than sin and his girlfriend has a wedding cake of makeup on her, lets say i forget the fact that the messengers are never sweaty, or that the ones that ride geared bikes shift the WRONG way when they're trying to "speed" up.


Tough day at dance school?

if you think it's a troll to have a criticism of something, you're an idiot. i was posting my opinion and wanted to hear the same.

this is a repeating topic that comes up every week or so, I just don't see a need to start a new thread, plenty of thread to choose from about 'QS'. and the fact that you were so negative about it just felt like trolling, whether you intended it or not. Nothing wrong with criticism, but wow you sure jump down people's throats pretty quickly.

btw... QS kicked ass... Kevin Bacon rules(but not the Bacon bros)... Voodoo rules... and the freestyle in the movie double ruled... Like ceya said, QS is better than nothing.

eat a dick, quicksilver is cat's meow.

You all are all wrong. The only one on the right track is CEYA!

Crap.

I saw Nelson Vails last year at the World Track Championships and when he was signing my messenger bag(he was a messenger after all!) I told him that his cameo in Quicksilver was the best athlete cameo in a hollywood movie EVER! You can't beat him! Kevin Bacon learned that the hard way.

Look at other athlete cameos..they all suck. Eddy Mercx in "American Flyers" is hilarious.

The best thing about Nelson is that when he signs autographs he always puts one of two things under his name:

Cycling Champ
--or--
1984 Silver Medalist

Here is a picture of our hero:

http://www.classicrendezvous.com/images/Japan/3Rensho_N_Vails.gif

You all better recognize!

I think the movie is totally rad. I wish I had a loft with a hot girl that dances like Jane Fonda! The funny thing about the movie besides the ridiculousness of Bacon switching between fixed and single is that it is set in SF but it tries to portray itself as a NYC movie!

I still practice the "Kevin Bacon Dismount" you know where he jumps off and the bike keeps going between his legs.

when kevin really wants to get back on top, he doesn't just work harder, he gambles at a casino-like stock exchange, with his friend (the only man in the universe possibly uglier than him) in order to make extra money. then "he's got it back," and we cut to the scene where he "just got some job offers" and he's in a tie and his girlfriend is now searching for jobs and everyone is a happy normative american unit: back to dealing in money instead of actually enjoying the bike.

thanks for the spoiler. :(

i haven't seen it yet.

sorry about the spoiler thing, i'll try to edit the subject.

wow , calm down ..breathe guys.

S/F<
CEYA!

thanks for the kind words. i remember him racing for Toga bikes for Lenny and riding on the streets. When track bikes ruled the messenger roads (NYC that is )and Washington Sq was our spot.


S/F<
CEYA!

and by the way, the tricks were great and i love to watch biking. my main point is that i had a problem with the portrayal of biking as a side-thing, to be escaped, not as a way of life.

SR, thats an awsome photo... he kicks ass AND rides a 3rensho...I like Mr.Vails even more now.

He was sponsored by 3 rensho for along time and even raced on the Japanese Keirin circut. he also raced for Levi/Raliegh team.

S/F,
CEYA!

heheh...shants said "eat a dick" and "the cat's meow" all in one post. that makes up for how hurting this thread is. breaking away rules ALL.

WAIT till I get my photos from worlds on my computer. You will love 'em.

At Worlds it was hilarious because Nelson was a celebrity again. You could just see him thrilled to be out with bike geeks that actually KNEW who he was. Not a bunch of roadies that maybe have heard of his name....

I think we should hold a Nelson Vails memorial race at BFFGMG...I know he aint dead...but he was rockin' fixies way back...The sprint champion gets the nelson vails trophy....just an idea

yeah he was one of us kids from NYC that made it in the cylcing world. put us messengers in good light.

S/F<
CEYA!

Seriously, anyone who thinks this hard about and has so much emotionally invested in Quicksilver needs to have their head examined.

You don't see me dishing on Hackers (best movie evar) because it's factually inaccurate--no, non-existant--and the plot has more holes than a golf course.

Man!

[QUOTE=bostontrevor]Hackers QUOTE]
YESSSSSSSSSSS! "jolt cola, the choice of the elite hacker"

whats weird to think about is that maybe Quicksilver, and even Hackers perhaps, had good and honest intentions at the beginning. Maybe they were totally "true to life" and realistic, but they had to get dumbed down and "hollywoodized" in order to sell. admittedly, both movies suck and portray messengering and hacking about as well as "breakin 2 electric boogaloo" showed what real breakdancing was like. but still, perhaps the early and formative stages of the script had some better stuff. all we see is what happens when money and childish exectutive minds get together and stomp the artist out of the script. you know, like the movie Kids was an eye opener for some people, it was so harsh and real and gritty, who knows what would have happened if it were a bigger budget and had plans for a wider distribution. we could have gotten elijiah wood as telly and doogie howser as casper or something. and they totally wouldnt have been smoking real weed.

breaking away rules ALL.


/\ True.

Here's an interesting piece of BA trivia: The bike Dave Stoller rides in the film is a 1978 Masi Gran Criterium. During that period Masi bikes for the US market were built in California, under the auspices of Ted Kurkbride, while European models continued to be built by Faliero Masi's son Alberto in Italy. California-built Gran Criterion's are actually considered to be better in ride quality than their Italian counterparts, and are consequently worth more on the second-hand market, which renders Stoller's Italophile stance somewhat ironic, since presumably his "Italian" bike is actually American-made and the better for it.

isn't there something more to that rumor? something about that american masi really being a huffy with masi logos ?

Ok I apologize if someone already stated this but I too watched Quicksilver last night and I noticed something, and I wanted to know if anyone else noticed. There are parts in the film where his bike is a single speed with out breaks and some times it’s a fixed gear. Look at the race and as they jump over things, he stops pedaling. And then look at the first “bike dance” he is pedaling backwards (something you can only do on a fixed).

Just thought I’d let you all know what I noticed that made the film a little unrealistic.

Now after all that said and done, I still like the movie. Come on how can you dislike a movie where someone is portrayed as being “carless” and he is happy about it. Riding out into the outskirts of NYC to see his parents, and going to formal occasions. There is a lot that can be read into this movie and its all about the position you take.

its cool that he is carless. but you know, when he makes the big bucks on wallstreet with his aggressive trading and such, i'm sure he upgrades to a better bike and leaves it hanging in the rafters of his garage above the porsche that he drives all the time.

http://images5.theimagehosting.com/doht1.jpg

Who ever said that a movie had to be stellar to be worthy of a cult following. Hell, just look at Rocky Horror - one of the worst films ever made.

I always thought the scene where he was being chased by the dude in the car was the pinnicle of car culture vs bike culture and the fact that Bacon won that battle showed the superiority of bike culture.
Sure he goes back to the business world at the end, but he's just doing it to help a friend start a business without getting involved with the mob. He's not doing it for his own material gain.
So yeah, Quicksilver is great.

so ultimately it is a consumer movie in hiding;
How old are you, son?

Who ever said that a movie had to be stellar to be worthy of a cult following. Hell, just look at Rocky Horror - one of the worst films ever made.


Totally.. or evil dead/evil dead two... One of the best movies EVER and one of the worst ever made, twice.

Oh, and let us not forget that Kevin B was also in the first Friday The 13th which in itself makes ANY other movie he makes rad.

plus Animalhouse...

YESSSSSSSSSSS! "jolt cola, the choice of the elite hacker"

"RISC architecture is going to change everything."

That was the first movie I saw Angelina Jolie in. (Also Jonny Lee Miller & my own favorite Matthew Lillard.) A friend and I used to rewatch it on a regular basis. It was just so awesomely terrible. The sound track and the follow-ons were pretty excellent in my opinion, too. My nostalgia for that is also wrapped up in the excitement of the pre-dot-com Internet boom when people were doing cool stuff but hadn't gone completely nutso. It's very complex. ;)

I wonder if they talk about Breaking Away over in the roadie forum like we talk about Quicksilver over here. Or for that matter what about Rad for the BMX'ers?

how old are you, son?

how old are you, son?Old enough to use the "reply with quote" function on internet message boards.

I actualy saw breaking away this summer and I loved RAD, wait I still do... Bicycle movies are great!

"RISC architecture is going to change everything."

That was the first movie I saw Angelina Jolie in. (Also Jonny Lee Miller & my own favorite Matthew Lillard.) A friend and I used to rewatch it on a regular basis. It was just so awesomely terrible. The sound track and the follow-ons were pretty excellent in my opinion, too. My nostalgia for that is also wrapped up in the excitement of the pre-dot-com Internet boom when people were doing cool stuff but hadn't gone completely nutso. It's very complex. ;)


Yeah dude.. I could go on and on... I think an entire generation was inspired to hump Angelina Jolie from that film.

"TYPE COOKIE YOU IDIOT!"

Angelina Jolie never looked better than she did in that film. (Though she certainly still looks good today - but punky/funky/spunky Jolie? Yes please.)

Angelina Jolie never looked better than she did in that film. (Though she certainly still looks good today - but punky/funky/spunky Jolie? Yes please.)

she's hotter as a punk in 'gia' imo

Yeah dude.. I could go on and on... I think an entire generation was inspired to hump Angelina Jolie from that film.

But Billy-Bob likened going horizontal with Jolie to banging the couch (http://news.softpedia.com/news/Billy-Bob-Thornton-Sleeping-with-Angelina-Jolie-is-Like-ing-the-Couch-3321.shtml)

i said all that once!
except not as eloquently

...it EFFING SUCKS!

. . .

no, what really pissed me off the most was that ultimately, this movie glorified CAR and BUSINESS culture. we're supposed to think that the movie is about forgetting money and living life on the edge; instead, when kevin really wants to get back on top, he doesn't just work harder, he gambles at a casino-like stock exchange, with his friend (the only man in the universe possibly uglier than him) in order to make extra money. then "he's got it back," and we cut to the scene where he "just got some job offers" and he's in a tie and his girlfriend is now searching for jobs and everyone is a happy normative american unit: back to dealing in money instead of actually enjoying the bike.

so ultimately it is a consumer movie in hiding; it is a movie that momentarily commodifies the bike culture only to say "it's still child's play, don't do it." **** quicksilver.

Damn, I said it all over a month ago:

Recognize... (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=136926&page=2&pp=25&highlight=Quicksilver)

I'm not sayin, I'm just sayin.