Press Notes

A Film by Dave Carroll and Ryan Scafuro
Directed by Dave Carroll
Produced by Ryan Scafuro
93 minutes
English
2013
WORLD PREMIERE - 2013 TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE - 2013 HOT DOCS FILM FESTIVAL
http://bendingsteelmovie.com
@bendingsteelmov
/bendingsteelmovie
STEEL | A FILM BY DAVE CARROLL & RYAN SCAFURO | BENDINGSTEELMOVIE.COM
PR CONTACT:BENDING
David Magdael
David Magdael & Associates (213) 624-7827 dmagdael@tcdm-associates.com
#bendingsteel
A Film by Dave Carroll and Ryan Scafuro
93 Minutes | English | 2013
www.bendingsteelmovie.com
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Ryan Scafuro
Bending Steel LLC
(617) 566-8496
contact@bendingsteelmovie.com
SALES CONTACT
Josh Braun
Submarine Entertainment
(212) 625-1410
josh@submarine.com
PR CONTACT
David Magdael
David Magdael & Associates
(213) 624-7827
dmagdael@tcdm-associates.com
WORLD PREMIERE
INTERNATIONAL PREMIERE
LOGLINE
An intimate documentary exploring the lost art of the oldetime strongman, and one man’s
struggle to overcome limitations of body and mind.
SHORT SYNOPSIS
Bending Steel is a moving documentary which follows Chris Schoeck, an endearing yet
unassuming man as he trains to become a professional oldetime strongman. While
preparing to perform incredible feats of strength publicly, Chris privately struggles to
overcome crippling fears and inhibitions. For the first time in his life he is compelled to
confront his own social awkwardness, unsupportive parents, and an overwhelming fear
of failure. What unfolds is one man’s inspirational quest to find his place in the world.
LONG SYNOPSIS
On a cold February day, a man walks along Coney Island’s boardwalk. He remembers
his last visit here as a boy and can’t help but feel the change in atmosphere. The air is
devoid of amusement; stores are locked up tight for winter, rides covered and still.
The frigid wind whipping off the Atlantic stings his face and the warm rays of sunlight
are as distant as his memories. “It’s going to be a very different place in the
summertime…”
Bending Steel is a deeply moving and inspiring documentary from filmmakers
Dave Carroll and Ryan Scafuro, exploring the life of 43 year-old Chris Schoeck, a
Queens, NY native training to become a professional oldetime strongman. The story
follows Chris’ journey from his early days training in his small basement storage unit
to his very first performance on the big stage at New York’s historic Coney Island.
Alongside his trainer Chris Rider, he meets living legends and heroes within the
strongman community. As these characters come alive, a long forgotten time is
revisited. The men perform feats that defy limitations of human strength and pain:
twisting horseshoes and nails with their bare hands, breaking chains with their hair,
and bending coins with their teeth. Chris is learning from the greats. His training is
progressing at a remarkable pace... he is determined to become a professional
strongman.
But as the filmmakers follow Chris through his successes and failures, more is
uncovered about this endearing yet introverted character. It soon becomes clear
that Chris is not only searching for recognition and acceptance within this community,
something he hopes will fill a growing void in his life. He is also facing crippling fears
and insecurities, many of which are revealed for the first time as the cameras roll. A
remarkable innocence is uncovered. The film bears witness to a tenacious man
struggling to come out of his shell - to shed both physical and social limitations that
have held him back his entire life - limitations that now threaten his dream of success.
What unfolds is a touching story of one man’s epic struggle for acceptance and
fulfillment, two things which have always seemed just out of his reach.
#bendingsteel
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
Looking back, it was unknown to me at the time when all this began. I didn’t just wake up one morning and decide
to dedicate two and a half years of my life to following someone else’s. It just happened. As we filmed it became
all encompassing. It was compelling and real and it got out of control and then back in control. I was connected to
the story because in some way it was my story, just not my life.
When I stumbled upon Chris he was at a breaking point and realized that somewhere along the way he had
taken a wrong turn. He was not where he wanted to be and wasn’t growing as a person. We didn’t realize it then,
but soon after our chance encounter he set in motion the mechanism to do something about it. Allowing us to
document his journey gave him a reason to take a deep look at who he was and why he was there.
Along the way we were introduced to a remarkable community of larger than life figures. At first their passion for
bending steel was lost on us. We understood the history and tradition but the will to endure pain and hardship in
order to overcome the molecular composition of steel was unimaginable. As time passed we began to witness the
fruit of their labor. It wasn’t just the steel that they were reshaping, it was themselves.
Dave Carroll, New York City, December 10th, 2012.
PRODUCTION BIOS
Dave Carroll (Director/Associate Producer) Dave Carroll has spent the majority of his life, either in front of or
behind motion picture cameras. At a young age he earned his Screen Actors Guild card and was featured in
commercial ads and movies. After taking a rebellious absence from the business, he returned to direct and
shoot short films at the School of Visual Arts where he majored in cinematography. Dave has been working
professionally ever since as a writer, director and cinematographer. He is the founder of Suspect Films, a
production company based in New York City. “Bending Steel” is Dave’s first departure from fiction and his feature
length directorial debut.
Ryan Scafuro (Producer/Cinematographer) Ryan Scafuro is an award winning producer and cinematographer.
Before moving from Boston to New York in 2006, he was director of photography for a group of social issue
documentaries which won numerous Emmy and Edward R. Murrow awards. Among them are “Just Married”
(2004) which explores the epic battle over gay marriage in Massachusetts, and “Hidden Wounds” (2005) a film
about soldiers returning from the war in Iraq with Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Since then he has traveled
around the world as a photojournalist, cinematographer and filmmaker. He currently resides in Brooklyn, NY and
works as a director of photography for a variety of clients. “Bending Steel” is his first feature length film.
John Hoyt (Editor/Associate Producer) John Hoyt is a freelance editor and sound designer with previous stops at
editorial shops Lost Planet and Three Fingered Louie. His work has appeared on the telecasts of the Super Bowl,
World Series, and Olympic Games. His previous feature-length documentary, “Oh My God” (2009), was shot in
23 countries and explored the relationship between man and what man thinks god is, irrespective of religious or
geographical boundaries. He currently lives in Los Angeles.
Fernando Martinez (Composer/Musician) Fernando Martinez is a musician and composer residing in
Brooklyn, New York. As a child, Fernando was enrolled in piano lessons to follow in his father’s footsteps as a
trained and working pianist. These lessons were replaced with a fascination for the cello, and soon after, the
upright and electric bass. Since those early years, Fernando has worked as a session and studio musician,
bringing him to collaborating on his first soundtrack for the feature length romantic drama “A West Lake Moment”,
a film by Hong Kong director Yim Ho in 2005. From then, he returned to recording and performing in various
bands, including Novena, and most recently, the instrumental rock trio Monsters of Motocross.
R. Hollis Smith (Sound Design/Mix) R. Hollis Smith is a Texas born, NYC-based Re-recording Engineer / Sound
Editor Mixing Engineer / Sound Designer / Foley Artist for Film, TV & Radio. He began his audio career in the
music industry at the legendary Electric Lady Studios (of Jimi Hendrix fame) working with many top level artists
& producers of the day. He eventually left music for a calling in post production sound for entertainment &
advertising, working on feature films, shorts & animated children’s programming.
Kia Eshghi (Score Engineering/Mixing) Kia Eshghi is a New York native producer, engineer, songwriter
and musician. He was born on Long Island where he was involved in the local hardcore scene. Kia toured
internationally as a guitar player with Metal Blade recording artist Unearth for several years after high school. He
then attended Berklee College of Music in Boston & The Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences in Tempe, AZ
to hone his musicianship & production skills. He apprenticed under producer Bob Hoag (The Ataris, The Format,
Dear & The Headlights) He later worked for two years alongside Henry Hirsch (Lenny Kravitz, Lionel Richie, Mick
Jagger) at his Waterfront Studios. Kia now owns and operates Hanging Moon Recordings in the Greenpoint
neighborhood of Brooklyn.
Lance Herrington (Motion Graphics/Animation) Operating out of New York City, Lance Herrington is an animator
and editor whose works have been exhibited at the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, the Santozeum in
Santorini, Greece, and the Princeton University Art Museum. He is currently the senior editor and producer for
the Broadcast Center at Princeton University.
Allan J. Ahearne (Legal Services) Allan J. Ahearne, Jr. is a civil litigator and transaction attorney with 30 years
experience in entertainment and founder of The Ahearne Law Firm, PLLC.
CHARACTER BIOS
Chris “Wonder” Schoeck (Oldetime Strongman)
Despite standing only 5’7 ” and weighing just shy of 155 pounds, Chris routinely performs mind-blowing feats of
sheer strength. All are amazed as he bends spikes with his bare hands, twists horseshoes and tears completely
through decks of plastic coated cards. Chris has a unique tenacity and resolve which endears the audience, and
in a short time he has quickly become a rising star within the oldetime strongman community.
Chris “Hairculese” Rider (Oldetime Strongman)
Known for performing unparalleled feats of strength with his long, fiery locks, Chris is an established strongman
who also has trained many aspiring strongmen including Chris Schoeck. Dennis Rogers has declared "Chris
Rider is one of the strongest men on this planet. When it comes to his hair - I think it will be a long time coming
before anyone else is capable of doing what he does. In fact, that day may never come." Chris is constantly
creating and adding new and original feats of strength to his performances. Through faith, determination, and
perseverance, he has demonstrated that the unlikely and seemingly impossible can be achieved.
Dennis Rogers (Grandmaster Strongman)
As a youth, Dennis Rogers was tiny in stature and considered a weakling by his peers. Standing less than five
feet tall when he entered high school, many thought he would never amount to much. But by his mid-twenties
he fooled them all and became the World Arm-Wrestling Champion. Then came the nineties. By the time he lost
most of his hair he was named Pound-for-Pound the Strongest Man in the World for the feats he performs. Today
Dennis travels the world performing incredible feats of strength. Between his live and televised appearances it is
estimated that a minimum of 300 million people in 156 countries have seen him perform, which makes him the
most seen strength performer in history.
Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman (Legendary Strongman)
At 78 years old, Slim is one of the oldest strongmen in the world, and a living legend within the community.
A direct link to the past, Slim met The Mighty Atom at the young age of 8 at Zerns Market in Gilbertsville, PA.
Amazed by The Mighty Atom’s strength, Slim became inspired to test his own physical limitations. From the
time he spent working in a Pennsylvania rock quarry, Slim had mastered the art of the hammer lever and it soon
became his signature feat. In 1975 Slim performed at Madison Square Garden with the Mighty Atom in front of a
crowd of thousands. Even at his age, he is still a mentor and an inspiration to contemporary oldetime strongmen.
Joseph L. Greenstein “The Mighty Atom” (Vaudevillian Era Strongman)
A Jewish immigrant, Greenstein first came to this country to escape the poverty and anti-semitism of his
hometown of Suvalk, Poland. An ill child with serious respiratory problems, Greenstein overcame the
overwhelming odds and to this day is still known as one of the strongest men ever to have lived. He performed
around the world at sideshows and carnivals, and places like Galveston Beach, Texas and New York’s historic
Coney Island. He bit chains in half, drove nails through wood with his bare hands, and bent steel bars over his
nose.. The Mighty Atom wowed audiences right up to his last performance at Madison Garden in 1977, just
months before his death at age 84. He is revered as an icon to those within the community.
Adam “RealMan” Rinn (Sideshow Performer)
Growing up in the legendary Coney Island section of Brooklyn, Adam developed his love for the sideshow.
Watching the skilled fire-eaters, sword swallowers and unusual performers work their dangerous craft was enough
for Adam to declare, “I’ve got to learn this.” And learn he did. Shortly after graduating from Coney Island USA’s
Sideshow School, Adam became one of the premier sideshow acts in New York City and beyond. He’s come full
circle and the student is now the Professa, sharing his extensive knowledge of the sideshow’s ‘working acts’ at
Coney Island USA’s Sideshow School.
Q&A WITH FILMMAKERS DAVE CARROLL AND RYAN SCAFURO
How did the documentary come about?
DC: I was doing laundry in the basement of our apartment building and my dog, Gizmo, heard a noise. It sounded
like a strained grunt. She took off and sprinted in to a maze of caged storage spaces.
I chased after her. When I turned a corner Chris was standing there. I had seen him before, he never made eye
contact with me when I would say hi to him in the elevator. He always seemed a little uncomfortable. Gizmo
was helping herself, sniffing around in his storage space. I closed in to retrieve her and that’s when I took a look
around. The floor was
covered with piles of twisted horseshoes, torn phonebooks and bent nails. It was the bent hammers hanging on
the wall that really made me question what was going on. This wasn’t normal.
I picked Gizmo up and offered an apology as I back peddled out of there. I didn’t ask what he was doing or why,
but it left an impression on me. Two weeks after our run in it happened again. This time I unabashedly asked him
what he was
doing. He said he was training to become an oldetime strongman. That answer definitely peaked my interest.
Who is your intended audience with Bending Steel?
RS: Steel bending and the other feats of strength that are performed in the film are part of a subculture within
the strength world, so we have initially attracted a large audience within the strength and sports communities.
It’s definitely something that not many people are aware of, and it is a really unique art form that will attract
an audience of all ages. But ultimately the film transcends categorization and becomes an inspiring personal
narrative about someone trying to find fulfillment and his place in the world, which is a universal strruggle that
everyone can identify with.
Can you briefly detail the history of the Oldetime Strongman?
RS: In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s oldetime strongmen wowed audiences across the country with amazing
feats of strength: bending horseshoes with their bare hands, holding back planes from taking off with their hair,
and biting nails in half. The most famous of these men included such names as Eugen Sandow, Louis Cyr, the
Arthur Saxon Trio, Warren Lincoln Travis, and of course the Mighty Atom, who developed notoriety by performing
these feats at the world’s famous Coney Island. Every major city had a strongman or three to entertain the
masses, but their time was fleeting. As the vaudeville era faded, so did the strongmen.
Now, in 2012, there exists a small community of men who are dedicated to keeping this little known strength
subculture alive. Not only is this film an inspiring story of human struggle and achievement, but it is also a unique
glimpse into a remarkable group of men and a forgotten art form. There’s also a history of mentoring that links
Schoeck to the Mighty Atom. Schoeck is trained by a man named Chris Rider, who was trained by Dennis Rogers,
who was trained by Slim “The Hammerman” Farman, who was the Mighty Atoms original student. Slim and the
Mighty Atom performed onstage together at Madison Square Garden in 1975.Through Chris’ initiation into this
community, “Bending Steel” bears witness to a great tradition of strength of body and mind that has been passed
from generation to generation.
Since we started following them, Schoeck and Rider have been working alongside other men within the
community to bring the strongmen back to Coney Island, and have been successful. The Strongman Spectacular
event which is featured in the film is now an annual day-long block party that is held at Coney Island every April.
It’s been an honor to play a small role in this renewed interest in the oldetime strongman.
What was your relationship with Chris like during the process, and how did he open up to you?
DC: When I first ran in to Chris he was hesitant to say much of anything about himself. He was guarded and I
respected that. He was however, very open about his passion for bending steel. It was of the utmost importance
to him. He would spout out tidbits of history and information about the obscure strength activity. Oddly enough,
when we turned the camera on him, he wasn’t phased. It was as if it wasn’t even there. He just seemed grateful
that anyone would be interested in what he was doing and was happy to have us tag along.
As time passed he opened up. We would spend long hours, in his apartment, talking without the cameras rolling.
It was from these conversations that we bonded. I think we recognized similarities in each other. His struggle
was relatable and as he looked deeper within himself the more I began to reflect on my own life. It was an
incredibly transformative journey.
What were your biggest challenges during filming?
DC: The biggest challenge for us was time. Chris had a defined goal, to perform on Coney Island by the end
of the summer. We started in January of 2011, so we had less then nine months to get it all in. Filming started
immediately as we didn’t want to miss any of his progress. He was just starting when we met and as he would
grow stronger and more refined as a performer we knew we had to be there to capture it.
The second greatest challenge for us was the unexpected. Just as the finale show at Coney Island was about to
get underway Hurricane Irene was making her way up the east coast. Incredibly the storm hit Coney Island and
severely flooded the venue where Chris was to perform. There was a moment where we were certain the show
would be cancelled. Thankfully nobody was hurt and the show went on as scheduled.
What was the most surprising thing you learned while making “Bending Steel?”
RS: Every one of us has the potential to perform these feats. It’s just that most of us don’t know it. You have to
believe you can do it, you have to believe in yourself, and once you set your mind right you’d be surprised what
you can do. Being around these guys, I really became interested in the activity and have started bending steel
myself. I’m bending horseshoes and decent size nails now, things I never ever thought I’d be able do. You just
have to push past the pain, you have to go a little bit further when your mind is telling you to quit. Every person
has a governor that holds them back, and once you remove that governor you can accomplish anything. Whether
it be ripping a deck of cards in half, bending a piece of steel that was never meant to bend, or anything else in life.
Following these men for the past few years has taught me that. It’s why I think this film is so inspirational. These
men are living proof that with positive mindset and a little hard work, you can accomplish anything.
What do you want people to take away from the film?
DC: “Bending Steel” has a lot to do with perception and the journey of overcoming the adversity of that
perception. How we see things in life, whether or not they are real or just in our head is a major theme within the
film. Is a steel bar too hard to bend? Is a crowd of strangers going to accept you as a performer or boo you off
the stage? It takes strong conviction, both mentally and physically, to destroy these perceived limitations. Chris
is constantly at odds with perception and fears that cripple his world. His journey to take back his life is a struggle
that on some level we can all relate to.
SELECTED PRESS
“Startingly cinematic... you’re not likely to see a more inspiring documentary this
year.” - Gabe Toro, INDIEWIRE
“Winning doc...” - John DeFore, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
“- one of the most perfect, moving documentary endings you’ll ever see.”
- Scott MacDonald, TORONTO STANDARD
“surprisingly emotional...” - Steve Dollar, WALL STREET JOURNAL
“a bravely personal journey of trust and triumph...” - Jordan M. Smith, IONCINEMA
“A deeply moving documentary...” - Michael O’Keeffe, NY DAILY NEWS
“emotionally riviting..” - Don Simpson, SMELLS LIKE SCREEN SPIRIT
“a highly tense narrative that rivals the most riviting works of narrative fiction...”
- Mondo Curry, UNSEEN FILMS
“Extraterrestrial...” - Holly Bailey, YAHOO! NEWS
“Everybody should see this film.” - Hubert Vigilla, FLIXIST
CREDITS
Chris “Wonder” Schoeck
and
Chris “Hairculese” Rider
sound recording
Dave Carroll
Craig Roberts
in Bending Steel
sound design and mix
R. Hollis Smith
directed by
Dave Carroll
produced by
Ryan Scafuro
edited by
John Hoyt
music by
Fernando Martinez
cinematography by
Ryan Scafuro
featuring (in order of appearance)
Lawrence “Slim The Hammerman” Farman
Joseph L. Greenstein “The Mighty Atom”
Greg Matonick “New Jersey's Superman”
Sonny “Man of Steel” Barry
Dennis Rogers
Adam RealMan
Gary “The Brickman” Brown
Steve “The Crusher” Weiner
Thomas “Tommy” Edward Heslep Jr.
Stanley “Stanless Steel” Pleskun
(also appearing)
Shirley Farman
Michael W. Haar “Mike the Barber”
Julia Schoeck
Ernie Steudler
Bernard Schoeck
John Mannino
Joe Greenstein
Tom “Irish Anvil” Kelly
Mike Greenstein
Kryssy Kocktail
Juliete Jeske
Patrick D. Wall
associate producers
Dave Carroll
John Hoyt
additional camera
Dave Carroll
Joseph Pasciscia
Logan Hodson
Liam Allen
post production sound facility by
Alphanumeric Multimedia Inc.
editing facility
mouseROAR llc.
colorist
Will Cox
post production services
Final Frame
motion graphics and animation
Lance Herrington
score engineering and mixing
Kia Eshghi
assistant engineering
David Barhome
engineering facility
Hanging Moon Recordings
musicians
Jason Crawford
Timothy Lappin
Edward Marks
Kia Eshghi
Fernando Martinez
branding and art direction
Jason Hogg
web producer
Jenny Olbrich
archival research assistant
Jim Crocamo
still photographer
Richard Ballard
production assistant
Liam Prior
additional footage
“Evening Magazine”
KYW-TV
insurance services
Reiff & Associates
“Mariuch Down on Coney Isle”
Written by Andrew Sterling and Harry Von Tilzer
Recorded by Eddie Morton for Victor Records
“The New Tom Green Show”
MTV Productions
“The Oprah Winfrey Show”
HARPO Productions, Inc.
“The Best Damn Sports Show Period”
Fox Sports Network
honorary donors
John Betts
David R. & Mary Jane Carroll
Kim Ju Hyun
Laurie O’Brien
Andrew V. Peters
Joseph Sammartano
Jeff Telofski
archival footage and photographs
Prelinger Archives
Lawrence Farman
Mike Greenstein
Dennis Rogers
Jessica Stull
USA Weightlifting Hall of Fame and Museum
the filmmakers would like
to thank
Amvets Post 136
York Barbell Company
Coney Island USA
William Kiner Farrier Service
All Thread Industrial
Life Health & Fitness
Back Fence Bar
East Village Radio
Patrick D. Wall
Tom F. Hermansader
Marie Roberts
Norman Blake
Bedros Kalajian
Penny Battisto
Anne Estonilo
Christian Charles
Gregory Partsinevelos
Alan Patricof
Gizmo
“The Mighty Atom”
Oil on Canvas
by Allen F. Hermansader
“The Mighty Atom”
Pastel on Paper
by Allen F. Hermansader
“Chris ‘Wonder’ Schoeck”
Charcoal on Paper
by Tom F. Hermansader
other sources
1010 WINS Radio
AccuWeather, Inc.
Metro Traffic/Total Traffic
legal services
Allan J. Ahearne, Jr.
Attorney at Law
Thanks to our families, friends and supporters who have
made this film possible.
© MMXII Bending Steel LLC