Riding High

Riding High 1981, starring Eddie Kid, Eddie Kid? I hear you ask, Kid was a motorcycle stuntman popular in the British media in the late 70s & early 80s, appearing on Blue Peter, Swap Shop and other popular children's TV of the time. I guess every teen passion does eventually get a film or TV cash in. This particular vehicle (witty pun there) served to appease the Bike enthusiast that every town or school had amongst teenage boys who thought they were the " cock of the walk" The film itself centres around Kid " the Kid" Dave Monday vs Judas E chariot ( a big swanky American has been stunt man) it eventually ends with a challenge for Kid to jump , Devils Leap. I won't tell you what happened, other than Kid does his own stunts so we'll give him credit for that. Great performance from the ever popular Irene Handel, Daniel Peacock and surprisingly Eddie Kid. Wonderful soundtrack too, which was released on a LP tie in, one of the first I guess, the soundtrack sunk without trace and must be quite collectible now, featuring Gary Numan, Police, Pretenders, Dire Straits, Chic, Boomtown Rats,Sky, ELP, Madness, Joe Jackson, and Eddie Kid himself. Later on in his career he had a major accident which left him paralysed and brain damaged. Eddie is still alive but not a well man. Eddie and his wife were minor celebrities at the time a bit like Posh and Becks of their day ( and no doubt things had been different would make a living on, celebrity reality programmes) alas that was not to be his wife before her death was sent to prison for cruelty to her husband whilst caring for him, a sad end for a genuine cult figure which Kid was.

The film itself is a decent attempt of making a movie on a low budget. 5/10.

It was hard to know what to expect from this film, I have vague memories of the name Eddie Kidd while growing up in the UK. This movie was obviously made to showcase his abilities and perhaps start off a film career. In the UK Kidds name was as well known as that other bike stuntman from the states, Evel Kenievel. This movie dropped the year after Silver Dream Racer, that massive downer of a bike movie, so it remained to be seen whether this was any better.

The first thing that stands out about this is the cinematography which is stunning and far better than you would expect from what is obviously set up as a cheesy David vs Goliath stunt competition movie. The only time the visuals are a let down are at the outset with some POV footage which is too blurry and jittery to be any use, such is its contrast with the rest of the movie its a surprise it hasn't been cut.

The script is as you would expect, although its obvious this is a UK versus USA movie with the American biker supposed to be Evel. Being a UK movie everyone of the American characters is basically a cartoon. Well thats what happens when every Brit sounds like Dick Van Dyke in Hollywood movies.

Other stand out aspects are the stunts, including one which I didn't even think they would attempt it looked so dangerous, footage of the UK in the 80s, not sure which towns and also a soundtrack so good it was released on record.

Sure scenes come across as corny and Kidd isn't a great actor, but as a UK action comedy it will certainly been appreciated by a UK audience, particularly of a certain age. This has cult classic written all over it and a reminder of who Kidd used to be before the inevitable happened and he ended up in harder times.

This movie although in todays standards was not photographed in the best of cinema, but the content and story was great and I found it entertaining, OK some of it was mopey but all in all coupled with the sound track it was excellent, I would like to ask those who really dogged the movie, if they themselves would like to get up, and make one to this standard and maybe do the jumps etc themselves, its easy to sit back and knock others work without being able to improve, I am sure if you speak to Eddie he will inform you of just how difficult that big end jump was and how close it was to failure, with the high cross winds and nothing to catch him if he fell, For a first time effort as an actor 10 out of 10, and I hope to see you in action again sometime soon Eddie, all our best