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Beijing Bicycle (AKA Shiqi sui de dan che) (2001)
"Guei gets a job as a messenger. The company issues him a bike, which he must pay for out of his wages. When it is stolen, Guei hunts for it. A student, Jian, has it; for him, it's the key to teen
society - with his pals and with Xiao, a girl he fancies. Guei finds the bike and stubbornly tries to reclaim it in the face of great odds. But for Jian to lose the bike would mean humiliation. The two young men - and the people around them - are swept up in the youths' desperation." -- from the IMDB
The Bicycle Thief (AKA Ladri di Biciclette) (1948)
A world classic and indisputable masterpiece about an Italian workman who finds a job, only to have the bike he needs for work stolen; he and his son search Rome for it. A simple story that seems to contain the whole of human experience, and the masterpiece of Italian neo-realism. Based on the book by Luigi Bartolini. In Italian with English subtitles. ( Slade says: There's a 1986 remake of this set in NYC and directed by Norman Loftis called called "Messenger". Out of print, never released on DVD, may be able to find used VHS. Xenon Entertainment Group version (1995) is duplicated in EP mode.)
BMX Bandits (1983, Nicole Kidman)
Three adventurous Aussie teens put their BMX skills to the test when they witness a crime and are pursued by the criminals.
Cyclo (1995, 123 min., Vietnamese)
Slade says: "Starts off with the familiar Bicycle Thief riff - young man needs bicycle (bicycle taxi in this case) for survival, bike is stolen by bad guys. That takes place in the first twenty minutes and that's it for the bike, except that there are many street scenes throughout, with lots of bicycles, tricycles, biketaxis and motorbikes. This is a well-made and interesting film, but there is lots of violence and it can be hard to follow. It is a dark and depressing film start to finish, set entirely in the criminal underground of Saigon. I would recommend reading some of the reviews at Amazon." ( Amazon , IMDB )
Jour de f¨ºte (1949, France)
A French comedy in which a letter carrier tries to modernize delivery methods by using a bicycle. (more at the IMDB )
Messengers (1999, Japan)
"Naomi, a successful fashion press agent, is having a bad day. Her business is shut down, everything she has is repossesed, and she accidentally runs down a bicycle messenger with her car. To get out of paying for the messenger's medical bills, she agrees to take his place at the struggling courier company he and his friend run. Though she hates the job at first, she soon comes to see its good points, and helps the company's owner, Suzuki, to win a valuable courier contract away from a bullying motorcycle messenger service." (from the IMDB )
Nebraska Supersonic (1999, 75 min.)
"In Omaha, Nebraska, three slackers--all sub-par French majors--start a business that should not succeed on the vast Great Plains: a bicycle courier service. Through comic adventures, personal challenges, and while charging only two dollars per 120-mile delivery, their business becomes a resounding success." ( Official website )
Pee Wee's Big Adventure (1985. Paul Reubens, Jan Hooks, Phil Hartman. Music by Danny Elfman)
Zany, endearing comedy about an adult nerd's many adventures while attempting to recover his stolen bicycle. Chock full of classic sequences, including a barroom encounter between Pee Wee and several ornery bikers, and a tour through the Alamo. A colorful, exhilarating experience.
Quicksilver (1986. Kevin Bacon, Rudy Ramos, Larry Fishburne, Louie Anderson)
A young stockbroker loses all, then quits his job to become a city bicycle messenger.
Rush It (1977)
Bike messengers fall in love.
The Day I Became a Woman (2000, Iran)
Three shorts about the experiences of women in Iran. "The second part is about a young woman who decides to enter a bicycle race against her husband's wishes. As first the husband and then increasing numbers of men from the village ride beside her to convince her to return home, the race begins to symbolize a freedom she desperately wants from the limitations which have been placed on her." From the IMDB . |
