The Bikeriders drove a long road to finally come home on 4K UHD. It premiered at the Telluride Film Festival one year ago. I saw it before its originally scheduled December release, but after the strikes, it was not only postponed but dropped by Searchlight. Focus Features finally put it out this summer and now it’s parked at home.
Based on the photo book by Danny Lyon, the images come to life in director Jeff Nichols’ adaptation. The open roads of America are vivid in your living room, but the bikeriders ride through the deep night sky.
The soundtrack puts the roar of engines and wind in the air in surround speakers. The soundtrack also fills the room.
Three short bonus features seem a little quick to cover the book, the adaptation, period piece details and the characters but at least it’s something. Nichols gives a feature-length commentary and elaborates.
Both features and commentary confirm no one heard Tom Hardy’s voice until he showed up on set. Nichols is endearingly a fan of all his actors but he gets specific about behind the scenes preparations and how he adapted the interviews and photos, including where he decided to invent something for the narrative.