Dim the lights and start your engines!
A little-known American motorcycle racing legend is roaring into Williamsburg on Sept. 25 — but he is coming via two reels, not two wheels.
“Roper #7” is just one dozens of motorcycle-themed films that will screen at the Gutter bar and bowling alley Sept. 24–27 as part of the Motorcycle Film Festival. The short film chronicles the career of Dave Roper, a vintage bike enthusiast who has been racing for 42 years. Roper motored into the history books when he became the first American to ever win the International Isle of Man Tourist Trophy in 1984. Over the years, he claims to have broken 25 bones, suffered a collapsed lung, and lost the tips of two fingers on the track — but he is still riding today.
The film’s creator said he hopes to create a whole series of shorts profiling the personalties in Roper’s niche racing community.
“These guys are all competitive with each other, but there is so much camaraderie and such a great community,” said filmmaker Don Lange, who lives in Brooklyn part-time. “It is a really cool story, and Dave is a great guy.”
The founders of the fest say their event heralds a much-needed rev-ival of hogs on screen.
“Motorcycles and movies have been intertwined since the teens or the ’20s, but now we are trapped in the world of YouTube and tiny computer screens,” said co-founder Jack Drury. “People are missing out on the experience of watching motorcycles on the big screen. Even if you do not ride a bike, it is the closest you can get to being in that moment.”
In addition to shorts such as “Roper #7,” the four-day festival will feature a broad range of other motorcycle-related films, including animation, features, and experimental works. On the final day, 12 judges will select winners from each category.
The festival received more than 70 film submissions this year — a response that proves just how many riders out there wheelie want to share their love for the machines, according to Drury.
“These are not all movies about guys in biker gangs,” said Drury. “It is nice for people to know that motorcycle folks are pretty wide in their interests and their communities.”
The Motorcycle Film Festival at the Gutter [200 N. 14th St. between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue in Williamsburg, (718) 387–3585, www.motorcyclefilmfestival.com]. Sept 24–27 at various times. “Roper #7” screens Sept. 25 at 5:30 pm. $10 per screening, $65 for an all-access pass.
