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ike Charlton of Eastlake, Ohio, is a man with a mission: to break the land speed record by building
the ultimate jet-powered motorcycle. When Director José Asunción first met Charlton at the Bonneville Salt Flats, he knew right away that Charlton would make a great subject for a documentary film.
Producer Brian Davis and editor Christopher Yogi both agreed—Charlton was meant for the big screen. The three went to school together at the University of Southern California, and have been working together ever since.
“I was taken aback by Mike’s presence on screen,” says Davis. “I hadn’t really seen a character like him before, and I was really drawn into his story with the strong aspects of redemption and being an underdog.”
Yogi adds, “José showed me some footage and I was blown away—the camera loves Mike; there’s no other way to put it. He’s magnetic and I was immediately interested in learning more about him.”
Asunción, who is one of the recipients of CIFF’s Focus on Filmmakers Awards, participated in Film Independent’s Documentary Lab while making this feature. The project, which provides support to works in progress like “Sick Mick and the Boys,” is kind of like a “support group” for filmmaking according to Asunción.
Even with the support of Film Independent, though, the project was challenging, especially given the hectic nature of Mike Charlton’s everyday life, as his aspiration to break the land speed record—achieve the highest
recorded speed for a land based vehicle— is a daunting one.
“It is a competition film,” says Asunción, “so it should have a relatively easy structure, but Mike’s life doesn’t fit into that structure. Every day is dramatic—keeping up with Mike, the twists and turns of his daily life, was a challenge.” —Bridget Kriner
Keeping up with Mike Charlton
WHAT’S BUZZING AT THE 37TH CIFF Thursday, April 4, 2013; CIFF Day 2:
The BUZZ
SICK MICK AND THE BOYS SHOWING
TODAY
THE
DAY 2 THURSDAY 4.4.2013
Ride the RTA!
Last train of the day . . .
RTA DAY FILM FESTIVAL
AT THE
Special GuestsLuke Korem Russell Wayne Groves
Nancy Kelly Kenji Yamamoto
José Asunción Brian Davis Christopher Makoto Yogi
Maryanne Zéhil
Katie Damien
Josh Granger Maxine Trump
Tara Tucker
Josh Sanchez
Nicolas Guiot Cecile Van Caillie
Nick Palmer
Daniel Carberry Michael Carberry
Manjeet Singh
Sophie Schwartz
Ted Sikora
Matthew Hashiguchi
Noldon Starks Jen Poland
Santina Protopapa
Julia Reichert Steven Bognar
JD Beales
Ryan Arthur
ilmmaker Luke Korem and his crew got the royal treatment while making their documentary about Lord Edward
Montagu—they stayed as guests at Montagu’s 13th century Gothic-style palace during portions of the shoot.
“It was truly unbelievable,” Korem says.
It is quite unusual for a member of the aristoc-racy to not only open his doors, but to give the crew so much access to his personal life. The Montagu family also allowed Korem to use never-before-seen film and photos.
In 1954, the Montagu case “was a cause celebre that horrified the Establishment and changed the course of British history,” wrote the London Evening Standard. Lord Montagu, then a 28-year-old socialite and the youngest peer in the House of Lords, was one of three men convicted of “consensual homosexual offences.” The incident had a direct influence on the British legal system and led to the 1967 legalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults in private.
“In the interviews, the family speaks about the scandal, the highs, the lows … everything,” says Korem. “This [film] is an extremely rare opportunity to look behind the walls of the aristocracy and dive into the intimate story of
a fascinating nobleman.”There “were parts of his
story that he was not keen on being in the film,” says Korem. It took the filmmaker some time with Montagu, now in his 80s, to build trust and gain his friendship, but Korem broke through which “allowed me to make this film very personal for the viewer.”
Looking back, Korem appreciates the hospitality at the Montagu estate, but he also has fond memories of the local British pubs. “The beer is so smooth … and
every place has its own brew,” remembers Korem. “The food was wonderful too—I think we don’t give the British enough credit for their food!” —Anne M. DiTeodoro
Luke Korem’s “Lord Montagu” offers a rare glimpse of aristocracy
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Festival UpdatesLate Additions:
Thérèse Which Way is the Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington
Which Way is the Front Line From Here? The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington
Thérèse The Daily hasn’t shrunk; it’s online. Read exclusive content that’s not available in the print edition by visiting The Daily online edition at www.clevelandfilm.org/festival/the-daily.
THEONLINE
BE THE APPLAUSE
LORD MONTAGU SHOWING
TODAY
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