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12 May 2010, 07:24 (Ref:2689046) | #1 | ||
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1955 the crash that almost ended motor racing
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfptx
Link to details of a programme on BBC 4 this sunday at 21.00 I think this although hard to watch is a must for all Fans of the 24 hours of Le Mans. |
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12 May 2010, 07:25 (Ref:2689047) | #2 | ||
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This is available to buy as a DVD from the Bigger Picture, plus the usual sources as well.
These are also the guys that did Lap of the Gods and Chasing the Dream, two good LM documentaries on Rollcentre. I watched it last year, at times it is heart rending in it's sadness, but it does put to rest the question of what happened once and for all. It does, also, give a great insight to the mindset of the competitors back then too. Well worth watching imho. |
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12 May 2010, 08:59 (Ref:2689075) | #3 | ||
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I too have the DVD, and I thoroughly recommend it. There are of course many resources about this tragedy, some providing more detail than others, and some better researched than others. I admire the honesty of John Wyer in “The Certain Sound”, who was 30 yards away, but was watching Macklin’s Healey spin, and missed the Mercedes altogether.
Christopher Hilton’s book is also a fascinating account. One of the best analyses I have read is on Mike Hawthorn’s tribute website, written by Paul Frere in about 1975. I’m sure the search engines will help you find it. The most absorbing thing about this film are the interviews with eye-witnesses, obviously still emotionally affected by their experience. The film took John Matthews three years to make, and was entirely funded by his team. An excellent effort. If you don’t watch it on Sunday, buy the DVD! |
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12 May 2010, 10:39 (Ref:2689123) | #4 | ||
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Is this a new film?
I have a vague recollection of having seen a programme about the '55 crash some years ago, which also included eye witness accounts, including a young local lad who had gone to the race with relatives. I agree with Trussers about John Wyer (I admire the whole book for its straightforward reporting of events) and Christopher Hilton's book, but it's a shame that for many people, their perception of Le Mans will be based solely on this accident. |
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12 May 2010, 10:51 (Ref:2689127) | #5 | ||
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I had assumed it was a new programme but must bow to geoff and trussers in particular for his knowledge of Le Mans, I will be watching with interest.
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12 May 2010, 11:59 (Ref:2689147) | #6 | ||
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12 May 2010, 12:01 (Ref:2689148) | #7 | ||
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all race fans should know the history of the sport, particularly, the incidents that helped shaped safety innovations. i don't know about this film, but i dislike the glorification of tragedy we see in modern media. i hope it was completed with class and dignity in respect for those families of the ones lost.
maybe a bit off topic, but wasn't this one incident "nail" for motor racing in Switzerland?? |
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"Knowing that it's in you and you never let it out Is worse than blowing any engine or any wreck you'll ever have." -Mike Cooley |
12 May 2010, 12:29 (Ref:2689160) | #8 | |||
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Quote:
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12 May 2010, 20:11 (Ref:2689368) | #9 | ||
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As a recent(1987- )Mercedes racing fan, I find it hard to watch knowing the outcomes and reprisals, I look forward to supporting the GroupC Silver Arrow(s) on saturday but feel I maybe inapproriately attired in a Mersedes C9 pictured Tshirt. I mean to cause no offence to any that may be present and in truth I only started following Gpc in 1986 so knew nothing of the horror of 1955.
Im not sure why I feel ashamed to wear my colours at Le Mans, other than the reasons stated. I know Im in a minority of brits as one who chose Sauber Mercedes over Jag, but hey ho, Im a V8 man. |
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There goes My Hero. Hes ordinary.....(Dave Grohl c1995) An I/O's brief should be like a miniskirt, short enough to hold the attention but long enough to cover the important bits! |
13 May 2010, 07:21 (Ref:2689588) | #10 | |||
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13 May 2010, 14:07 (Ref:2689792) | #11 | ||
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There was also a book published about 20 years ago called 'Death Race 55'. A dreadful title but it was well written by, if I remember correctly, a sports writer from the Daily Mirror (Mark Khan?)and dealt with the accident and the main players from a rather unusual angle.
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15 May 2010, 13:36 (Ref:2690882) | #12 | |||
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good read, but pretty depressing. |
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"Knowing that it's in you and you never let it out Is worse than blowing any engine or any wreck you'll ever have." -Mike Cooley |
16 May 2010, 20:04 (Ref:2691943) | #13 | |
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Bump - on now...
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17 May 2010, 05:55 (Ref:2692225) | #14 | ||
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It was well worth watch, I might have to get it on DVD.
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17 May 2010, 06:05 (Ref:2692229) | #15 | ||
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I was thinking the same thing, very thought provoking coupled with a respect for victims and all those affected.
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There goes My Hero. Hes ordinary.....(Dave Grohl c1995) An I/O's brief should be like a miniskirt, short enough to hold the attention but long enough to cover the important bits! |
17 May 2010, 07:28 (Ref:2692261) | #16 | ||
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I would agree very thought provoking, the fact that the accident saw the end of both Mercedes and Jaguar factory teams was news to me but the most interesting thing was the film of the Mercs getting airbourne, does it remind anyone of another flying car at Le mans.
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17 May 2010, 07:30 (Ref:2692262) | #17 | ||
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Also noticed that the other drivers are still very much sticking to the way they remember it and bitterness is not far below the surface.
Le Mans could do with a decent memorial to that event rather than a small sign hidden away. |
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17 May 2010, 08:07 (Ref:2692292) | #18 | ||
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I totally agree. A true memorial to those unfortunates who lost their lives in the persuit of happiness.
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There goes My Hero. Hes ordinary.....(Dave Grohl c1995) An I/O's brief should be like a miniskirt, short enough to hold the attention but long enough to cover the important bits! |
17 May 2010, 11:21 (Ref:2692414) | #19 | ||
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For those who missed it...
Broadcasts Sun 16 May 2010 21:00 BBC Four. Mon 17 May 2010 00:40 BBC Four. Wed 19 May 2010 00:30 BBC Four It's also on iPlayer. |
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Tim Yorath Ecurie Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch Fan of "the sacred monster Christophe Bouchut"... |
17 May 2010, 12:25 (Ref:2692471) | #20 | ||
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The programme didn't work for me, I didn't like the narration and to me it seemed to lack soul and passion although it's a subject that I have a huge interest in. |
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17 May 2010, 12:35 (Ref:2692479) | #21 | |||
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I share your view of programme - it seemed lacking in emotion and although the surviving eye witnesses accounts were quite harrowing, the rest left me cold. Having said that, I enjoyed the interviews with Norman Dewis and John Fitch and hope I age as well as they have........and don't say 'you've failed' |
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17 May 2010, 12:35 (Ref:2692480) | #22 | ||
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How many people have seen it?
It is not exactly in a promenant position and a small piece of tin attached to a wall is not in my opinion a fitting tribute to sports car racing fans that died History should never be sweeped aside and forgotten, increased safety for fans was a direct result of this and therefore those of us that travel each year and stand there have some responsibility to those people, and a tatty sign hidden away is not a fitting memorial IMHO |
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17 May 2010, 12:52 (Ref:2692497) | #23 | ||
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Why does it matter how many people have seen the memorial? Lots of people haven't seem many memorials, it doesn't change the value of them. It's there and it's accessible whilst the track is not live, it's where it is because it's where the accident happened. I'd prefer to see a small memorial onsite than something flashy elsewhere. These things live in our hearts and our souls or should do, the way we project that into physical "things" is actually of little importance. There is a permanent memorial - it took a long time but the programme was wrong to say that there wasn't one. Sadly these events take so much out of the communities that they happen within that sometimes the very idea of a memorial is more than people can bear. John - glad to make you chuckle, the good part of the programme was the eye witness accounts, the only real powerful moment for me was the woman who thought she might never be able to hold her month old baby. Sadly the rest just didn't engage me... ...and yes, I was amazed at John Fitch's age! |
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17 May 2010, 13:00 (Ref:2692500) | #24 | ||
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17 May 2010, 13:05 (Ref:2692506) | #25 | ||
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The accident did not happen at the exact spot of the tin plate, it started on the track and spread over an area that was packed with race fans, I can understand that these things can touch raw nerves but the current memorial is hidden away and I think that you should not have to search it out, it should be there for all to see remember that for your safety these people paid with thier lives, making a joke about it leaves a bad taste and i think you should appologies for that.
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