An Interview with James Bickert, Director of Frankenstein Created Bikers

by Mike Haberfelner

March 2015

Your upcoming movie Frankenstein Created Bikers - in a few words, what is it about?

It's about a re-animated biker gang trying to escape the control of mad scientist while under attack from a rival motorcycle club. On the surface at least. The underlying theme is an exploration of free will and how to truly obtain freedom.

What were your key inspirations when writing Frankenstein Created Bikers - and how did you dream up this weird genre mix in the first place?

I'm always inspired by drive-in classics and what I'm currently dealing with inside my own head. With Dear God No! I was delving into home invasion and hardcore films from the early 70s and coming to terms with becoming a parent. Death Weekend and The Northville Cemetery Massacre were big influences on that film. With the latest picture, I'm really delving into my love of hair-brained mad science flicks, Armando de Ossorio and Jess Franco, along with the classic biker movies. The sub-genre mash-ups seem pretty natural to me. It's an extension of what I personally want to see or what I had hoped to see as a kid from the 1-sheets hanging outside the theater.

Frankenstein Created Bikers is a stand-alone sequel to your earlier Dear God No! - so how closely are the two movies actually related?

They are directly related but if you haven't seen Dear God No! then you will only be missing some character arcs. This is kind of The Road Warrior to Mad Max or Hell up in Harlem to Black Caesar.

Frankenstein Created Bikers sounds like it might go way over the top in terms of violence, humour, weirdness and whatnot - am I at all right in that assumption, and would you care to elaborate?

You're very right. I approach each film like it may be the last one I make so why bother playing it safe or trying to please the general public. Chas. Balun, editor of the magazine Deep Red, coined the phrase "films that bite". Meaning they bite back at an unsuspecting audience. This is the style of subversive cinema that I'm interested in. As a viewer and a filmmaker. I have deep issues to explore within the context of this world I've created and like life, there is no room for catharsis. There is always humor in my writing but it's more like a Hustler cartoon. Really rotten stuff for rotten people. (laughs)

How would you describe the film's intended look and feel?

Visually we're going for an American hicksploitation aesthetic mixed with flourishes of 70s Eurogore. If that makes any sense. So expect expansive exteriors with a dominating Southern landscape juxtaposed with high contrast and heavily saturated interiors.

Anything you can tell us about your key cast and crew yet, and why exactly these people?

Laurence R. Harvey (Human Centipede 2), Tristan Risk (American Mary) and Ellie Church (Headless) will all be playing new characters I've written. The majority of the Dear God No! cast of Jett Bryant, Paul McComiskey, Jim Sligh, Jim Stacy, Nick & Rachel Morgan, John Collins and Madeline Brumby are all returning. My Atlanta based crew stays the same with SPFX wizard Shane Morton overseeing the carnage with his talented crew and Jonathan Hilton behind the camera. Dusty Booze is obviously our nutty professor with set building. Each department is adding some key positions. I'm bringing in filmmaker Jill Sixx Gevargizian as my A.D. and director Brian Williams to shoot some 2nd unit. I know everyone well and they're all professional and drama free - which is essential for a fast paced shooting schedule like this. Bryan G. Malone and Adam McIntyre will be recording and assembling my soundtrack again with Richard Davis composing the score.

As far as I know, Frankenstein Created Bikers is presently still in its fundraising stages - so what can you tell us about your fundraising efforts?

We've met our Kickstarter goal, which will allow us to begin shooting key scenes involving Laurence and Tristan. We still hope to raise additional funds to carry us all the way into post-production. There are plenty of really cool rewards still available. Every dime we raise will be going on the screen. This isn't like Hollywood budgets where expenses are padded out with business brunches and cocktail parties. I'm not taking any salary as writer, producer, director and editor. My only concern is getting these filthy ideas on film and projecting them to an audience of like minded degenerates. (laughs)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1334887287/frankenstein-created-bikers-a-35mm-feature-film

Once the funds are raised, what's the schedule - and any idea when and where the movie might be released onto the general public yet (and I know it's probably waaay too early to ask)?

We begin principal photography on May 4th, 2015 and plan to have the completed film available to the general public around January 2016. We're giving our Kickstarter contributors opportunities to see the final cut as early as October, 2015. 

Any future projects beyond Frankenstein Created Bikers you'd like to share?

There are a bunch. It's very early to tell going into a film but I have a women in prison and a moonshine running script written. Another about a home wrecking hussy. (laughs) Plus several treatments that are all genre related. I'll have to wait and see where Frankenstein Created Bikers leads me. My dream is to shoot in the jungle.

What got you into filmmaking in the first place, and did you receive any formal training on the subject?

I've always been a film addict from an early age. I studied photography at Georgia Southern University and started volunteering for film shoots at Georgia State University. From there, I worked for several mail order companies making bondage and S&M loops and features. Once I had several years of experience editing, I started making my own feature films in the horror genre. That was always my goal.

What can you tell us about your filmwork prior to Frankenstein Created Bikers?

Seedy but always experimental.

How would you describe yourself as a director?

I'm very organized and always know what I need so it will cut together. That's the editor experience but I'm always improving too. I'm striving hard to get more in touch with the actors. I find it easy to step out of the writer role and direct but it's difficult "not being a producer" when you know how much each take is costing the production. (laughs) Community, common goals and building long lasting friendships. Us against the world. That's how I run a production. Rewarded with a legendary wrap party, obviously.

Filmmakers who inspire you?

Feeling lucky? Want to search any of my partnershops yourself for more, better results? (commissions earned)

The links below will take you just there!!!

Find James Bickert at the amazons ...   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.de Looking for imports? Find James Bickert here ...   eThaiCD.com Your shop for all things Thai Something naughty? (Must be over 18 to go there!)   find James Bickert at adultvideouniverse.com

There are many, really. I probably have three or four that primarily shot in the Philippines (laughs). I've always admired the ballyhoo artist like Kroger Babb, William Castle, David Friedman and Roger Corman [Roger Corman bio - click here]. Obviously the rebels who get their hands dirty in every aspect of a production like Bunuel, Meyer, Sarno, Waters, Van Bebber, etc. There are many. I'm probably more influenced by tone and attitude than camera placement.

Your favourite movies?

I have about 10 for every sub-genre. If I had to pick one film to watch on a loop for the rest of my life, it would be Paul Glickler's The Cheerleaders.

... and of course, films you really deplore?

Everything after 1979 with a happy ending.

Your/your movie's website, Facebook, Kickstarter, whatever else?

You can keep up with the progress of the film at www.bigworldpictures.us

Thanks for the interview!

Thank you, Michael!

© by Mike Haberfelner

Legal note: (re)Search my Trash cannot
and shall not be held responsible for
content of sites from a third party.

Thanks for watching !!!