G2KMaster's blog
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| packmule | Jul 22 2006, 11:07 AM |
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There are many, many films "out there" that chronicle race cars and racing in general. A more recent one that comes to mind, though I do not consider it very good, is 2001's Driven, starring Sylvester Stallone and Burt Reynolds. Another one that comes to mind is 1990's Days Of Thunder, starring Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, and Nicole Kidman, which I liked better. Neither of these can, IMO, hold a candle to what I believe is the greatest race car/racing movie ever made: Grand Prix, directed by John Frankenheimer, and released in 1966. The film's story: the personal, and professional lives of four of the world's top Formula One race car drivers are chronicled: Scott Stoddard, an Englishman, Pete Aron, an American, Nino Barlini, a Sicilian, and a legendary French driver named Jean-Pierre Sartis. The quest for each driver: the championship, acquired by amassing the most points from race victories. ------Observations: this film works on all levels and is absolutely a marvelous piece of filmmaking. Director John Frankenheimer uses cameras actually mounted to the cars to capture the tension, and very real danger, of racing an open wheel car that can attain speeds that often eclipse 170 MPH. There is also very good use of "split-screen" shots used in this film. The acting is stellar: Brian Bedford plays "Stoddard", James Garner plays "Aron", Antonio Sabato plays "Barlini", and Yves Montand plays "Sartis". Other actors in this movie include Eva Marie Saint as a photo-journalist and Sartis' girlfriend, as well as Jessica Walter, who is Stoddard's girlfriend and a model in the film. Real life Formula One drivers also participated in this movie, including Phil Hill. The score is brisk and catchy, and exactly what you would expect for an action-oriented film sch as this one. Also starring in this movie is legendary Japanese actor Toshiro Mifune, as Nomura, a race car owner who eventually employs Pete Aron to help him in his drive to defeat the traditional powerhouse race car producers like Ferrari and BRM. The film appears on Turner Classic Movies periodically, as well as Speed. The film is presented in 2.35:1 letterbox. I have not purchased the DVD yet but I will be, very soon. For anyone who has not seen this movie I highly recommend it. thumbs up Discuss this movie and/or DVD here. All replies welcome. |
 Packmule's Pen Latitude Zero(1969) The Relic(1997) | |
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| Grand Prix(1966) · Drama - Westerns - Comedies | |
10:21 PM Nov 24
