[Movies] Best Motorsport Movie Ever

[NAC]

My question is two fold.

1) IYO what is the best Motorsport movie ever (actually the top 5 - 10 or so if you wish). It would also be nice to know why they are your best but will accept just the title. It needs to be a movie and not a movie length documentary on Motorsport.

2) I am about to get John Frankenheimer’s 1966 Movie "Grand Prix" (I have not seen it yet) although there are some great remarks about it on IMDB database I want to hear from Motorsport enthusiast for some real feedback.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060472/

[Al Weyman]

Pixar's 'Cars' :-)

[GORDON STREETER]

Talking of "Grand Prix" I was an extra in that. I never got paid and I was never asked for my autograph ! It was in a crowd scene and supposed to be raining, with me in my sunglasses looking at the filming helicopter I wonder if that was why I never went to Hollywood ?
Although it was ok in its day it looks very dated now, and those skinny tyres on the mock up F1s could only fool your grandad at the time !

[NAC]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Talking of "Grand Prix" I was an extra in that. I never got paid and I was never asked for my autograph ! It was in a crowd scene and supposed to be raining, with me in my sunglasses looking at the filming helicopter I wonder if that was why I never went to Hollywood ?
Although it was ok in its day it looks very dated now, and those skinny tyres on the mock up F1s could only fool your grandad at the time !

Fantastic. I'm watching it tonight. I'll keep an eye out for you.

I take it you will be the guy in the beard and sunglasses standing next to the Anglebox and looking at the helicopter.

I was born the year of release so what dose this make you (OK you don't really need to answer that). I take it it was filmed the year prior, you remember when? (month)

[graeme]

"Le Mans" - I can watch it again and again

Grand Prix is very watchable but a bit soap opera-ish - certainly worth it for stuff like the onboard at the old Spa (I believe they entered the camera car in the GP, then retired it after a couple of laps when the film ran out).

Can't think of any other watchable motor racing films...

[Steve Wilkinson]

Green Helmet is one of my favourites - wish I could get it on DVD!

Le Mans is superb.

Grand Prix although dated and with a silly Hollywood plot is not that bad.

[JimW]

C'Etait un Rendez-Vous.

Not (quite) a race film but very fine.

Regards

Jim

[twinwebbers]

Grand Prix is spectacular.... The best by a long shot. Le Mans is not far behind.

Racing films are a bit thin on the ground.... I collect a lot of 'car' movies but Grand Prix, Le Mans and Days Of Thunder (Don't hold it against me it's bad but a lot better than Driven) are the only racing films in my collection.

Now if you want car movies....
1. Italian Job
2. Mad Max
3. Gone in 60 Seconds (The original not the horrible Hollywood one.)
4. Vanishing Point
5. Bullit or Ronin (I can never decide....)

[ss_collins]

Michel Valliant / Winning / Viva Las Vegas are the only decent films about motor racing - other entertaining films - Grand Prix, Le Mans are only entertaining because you are a petrol head but not good films.

Winning is probably the best, but the racing is just a backdrop - also the kid is badly cast.

Michel Valliant has some of the best cinematography I've ever seen in a film full stop - stunning, the plot is silly but then so is the plot of Batman another comic book caper.

Viva las Vegas - another film where the racing plays second fiddle but its hard not to really enjoy such a silly caper with Elvis.

[tyreiron]

Two Lane Blacktop

[Andrew Kitson]

I'm hoping the planned one on the life of Archie Scott Brown will be:
a) Made. Talk of budgets in place by wealthy ex-pats in California, but it is 'talk'.
b) Made in the UK. We know how to do historics best.
c) Not 'Americanised' by Hollywood, silly plots and far-fetched scenes. Do it the way the 'Battle of Britain' was done, using experts who were there and keep it as true to history as possible. Brian Lister and Robert Edwards are supposed to be consultants so that's a good start, if the producers listen to what they say!
d) Don't dress up modern circuits, plenty of redundant airfields that can be made to look like an early Snetterton, Fersfield or Bottisham. Won't take a lot to make Goodwood look real and many of the cars that were there or 'replicas' exist.

Should be a cracking film if done properly as Archie's story is incredible and terribly moving. Here's hoping.

[Rockmunky]

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby.
Obviously


Actually, I love Grand Prix, those on board shots are immense.

[Leighton Irwin]

'Green Helmet' had to be about the worst imo.
'Such Men are Dangerous' based on the book 'The Racer' by Hans Reusch was pretty good. Hans was a sometime GP driver pre WW2 and the book itself was loosely based on the real drivers and GP's of that time. Starred Kirk Douglas and Bella Darvi.

[Alan Raine]

Originally Posted by Leighton Irwin

'Green Helmet' had to be about the worst imo.

Is it as bad as Stallone's "Driven"

If McQueen got his way, Le Mans would possibly have been better than it was. I believe he wanted to make a pure racing film without the 'love' interest, but in the end the money men got their way, which dilluted it for the likes of us. Still a good film though.

There was an article on David Piper in last months Motorsport. It was whilst filming Le Mans that he crashed a 917 which resulted him loosing half a leg. McQueen visited him in hospital riding a bike - up and down the corridors. Bet Matron loved that

[Aysedasi]

1. Le Mans (by a wide margin - inevitably..... )

2. Grand Prix

3. Erm..........

Sorry, that's as far as my list goes.

But do get on and buy Grand Prix as soon as possible and make sure you get the copy with the 'extras' DVD - it's well worth the pittance that they're selling for right now.

There's been quite a lot of discussion about it in Archchair Enthusiast.

[Andrew Kitson]

Sorry I forgot to vote!
1. Grand Prix ( it just couldn't be done today!)
2. Le Mans
3. Winning
4. The Green Helmet
5. Roary the Racing car

[funformula]

Two more movies which are not so bad: "Bobby Deerfield" with Al Pacino and "Indianapolis" with Paul Newman.
Another one is "Weekend of a Champion" directed by Roman Polanski, but this is more a documentary about the 1971 Monaco-GP than a real movie.

[NAC]

Originally Posted by funformula

Two more movies which are not so bad: "Bobby Deerfield" with Al Pacino and "Indianapolis" with Paul Newman.
Another one is "Weekend of a Champion" directed by Roman Polanski, but this is more a documentary about the 1971 Monaco-GP than a real movie.

Well that ("Bobby Deerfield") sounds like a little lost treasure then of some great acting and plot although not much motor racing. I hadn't heard of it before. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075774/

As movies there seams to be a real shortage of good balanced acting / plot and Motorsport. Please don’t get me wrong here, there are some greats listed here for guys like us that love Motorsport but I’m talking about the balance of something that would please the true Motorsport enthusiasts / critics and have a decent story and acting for the above average movie goer.

I remember Sly doing the rounds to a lot of F1 races stating that he was doing research for a movie and that they wanted to do it properly, then he headed of to do the Champ Car thing and imbedding himself in the team at Pacwest only to make a crap movie (what was I thinking believing the word of Rocky to make a good Motorsport movie).

So just to take this to the next stage, if someone was to make a really good box office movie with good plot / acting to keep the average movie going punter happy and enough good motor racing with attention to detail to keep the purists Motorsport guys happy what would it be?

[bdwoody]

Herbie goes to monte carlo , my little one loves that bug..

[macca]

1. Grand Prix - it has a plot, and some real footage of 1966
2. Le Mans - no plot, but most of the cars were real (apart from the 'Lolari' T70/512S)
3. Checkpoint - stupid plot, but some footage of the 1956 Mille Miglia and Goodwood
4. Winning - not enough cars

The grid for the "British GP" at Brands in Grand Prix:



Paul M

[Down F0rce]

Does anyone know where I can buy Michel Valliant? I hear it may be released as "Need for Speed" in some countries.

[NAC]

Originally Posted by Down F0rce

Does anyone know where I can buy Michel Valliant? I hear it may be released as "Need for Speed" in some countries.

Sales
http://www.amazon.com/Michel-Vaillant-NON-USA-FORMAT-Reg-2/dp/B000BREMCE
http://www.mediadis.com/video/detail.asp?id=127432


Reviews
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0307156/
http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117922469.html?categoryid=31&cs=1&p=0


Trailer
http://www.cinemovies.fr/fiche_multimedia.php?IDfilm=521

Failing that try Google in your area, search Michel Valliant + movie sales

I might have to go look at a copy myself.

[GORDON STREETER]

One for the off road bike boys ON ANY SUNDAY reminds me of my Motocross days !!!!!!!

[Slippy Diff]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

One for the off road bike boys ON ANY SUNDAY reminds me of my Motocross days !!!!!!!

"the biggest thrill of all is sitting up at 100mph and throwing the bike sideways"

[GORDON STREETER]

NAC
It was 1965 and I was 18 and was drooling over Francoise Hardy who then was top tottie ! She must have used the casting couch to be in it as her acting was about as wooden as Graham Hills . It was at Brands Hatch and we got there in my mates Carlos Fandango Anglia !