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Post by mikael on Aug 7, 2024 17:31:27 GMT
Most beautiful film opening scenes ever! And perfect music to a motor sport movie.
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Post by Carl on Aug 7, 2024 19:48:15 GMT
Most beautiful film opening scenes ever! And perfect music to a motor sport movie.
Very cool! After an early flirtation with Ferraris (a 275 GTB/4) Steve McQueen always drove 911 Porsches. In the movie, his bias is clear. Porsche is aboveboard, its sponsors and drivers all heroes.
I had admired him since his television days as a bounty hunter in "Wanted: Dead or Alive". In Los Angeles, you occasionally encounter celebrities and I saw McQueen on an uncrowded sidewalk in Beverly Hills a month or so before the 1970 24 Hours, a beautiful blue Porsche 911S parked at the curb nearby. I wanted to approach just to say hello, but he was pacing nervously, probably consumed by details of film production, so I kept a distance. McQueen and I were both in Europe that summer, but I was in hostels and pensiones and he went first class.
Due to post-production and editing demands, the movie was released the following year. Plot almost doesn't matter in racing films and the racing scenes in"LeMans" are excellent, but John Frankenheimer's "Grand Prix" remains the best.
Now celebrated as supercool because of his screen persona and graceful athleticism, McQueen had a mercurial temperament and reportedly alienated many he worked with. Had I approached that day, I doubt he'd have smiled. 
Bounty hunter Josh Randall  He holstered a sawed off Model 1873 Winchester. Yeah, right... 
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Post by mikael on Aug 8, 2024 13:48:53 GMT
Steve McQueen did a good deal to promote the fascination of motor racing. "Le Mans" was excellent in that respect. Another film McQueen was involved in, actually simultaneously (with "Le Mans") was "On any Sunday". It is said that this (also great) movie helped to change the image of motorcycle racers to a much better one.
Again regarding "Le Mans" and "Grand Prix", I agree that these are perfect films for the motor racing fan. For these films, it's actually a strength that the plots are very simple (and close to non-existing). More recent films like "Rush" (Lauda vs. Hunt) and "Le Mans '66" (or "Ford vs. Ferrari") had much poorer racing scenes. On the other hand, these movies had enough of a plot/story to have - possibly - some appeal also for non-racing fans.
(Personally, I can watch "Le Mans" and "Grand Prix" over and over again; but not "Rush" and "Le Mans '66" - for the latter two, one time was enough.)
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Post by Carl on Aug 8, 2024 17:39:22 GMT
Great post, Mikael! Steve McQueen was an excellent driver and even better motorcycle rider with more than enough skill to jump over the barbed wire barrier in "The Great Escape" but the producers refused to risk one of the stars. Bud Ekins, a friend of McQueen and seasoned stuntman, did the amazing stunt.
I love "On Any Sunday", a great documentary showcasing the wide variety of motorcycle racing. In those days, I had a Honda 500-4 and went to see the AMA Superbikes several times at Riverside Raceway, Willow Springs, and on the excellent infield road course at Ontario Motor Speedway.
Throughout its history, the AMA curiously fades and then regains momentum, but several riders from its glory years went on to be World Champion. The racing was incredible, and, as you know, motorcycle racers are more considerate of the guy next to them. There's real respect because the risks are great.
But the star of "On Any Sunday" is the amazing Malcolm Smith. The steep, challenging hillclimb at which he's the only one who makes the summit, calmly riding his Husqvarna as easy as can be...if you have tremendous talent. Now 83, Malcolm owns a motorsport dealership in Riverside, California, near the open country of the high desert.
Malcolm could ride his Husqvarna to a win on any surface 
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Post by mikael on Aug 11, 2024 14:55:26 GMT
... In those days, I had a Honda 500-4 and went to see the AMA Superbikes several times at Riverside Raceway, Willow Springs, and on the excellent infield road course at Ontario Motor Speedway.
Interesting, Carl, that you were a motorcyclist. The Honda 500-4 was a great motorcycle with a marvelous sound (4X125ccm = the perfect recipe for a beautiful exhaust note :-) )
Actually, although I have owned four different motocross motorcycles (three different 125cc and one 250cc), I have never owned a road motorcycle. I have tried several owned by friends, but frankly, I found riding a motorcycle on public roads outright scary(*) (although I was never frightened of "opening up" (the throttle) in motocross). I was always afraid that some driver crossing the road would fail to notice me and drive right out in front of me (as by the famous - or rather infamous - accident of James Dean). In this respect, racing was - and is - actually much safer.
(*) This was probably also influenced by the fact that two former school classmates had experienced bad motorcycle road accidents.
-----
As to two-stroke motorcycles, they are now almost extinct, unfortunately, due to environmental concerns. A shame, in many ways ... It's a wonderfully simple type of engine.
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Post by Carl on Aug 11, 2024 22:41:44 GMT
That was like looking at an old, familiar friend  Thanks, Mikael! Riding on the street demands assuming that drivers could be looking right at you and not see you. Highway engineers have studied awareness and say that almost all drivers will see a massive 18-wheeler approaching, but a much smaller motorcycle may or may not register in their consciousness. Even exercising that level of caution, you can't avoid every moron. After riding the Honda for almost three years as my only means of transportation, I sold it to a friend. Five years later, I bought a Suzuki GS550, also a transverse four, an even better bike for its decade of technological advances. I added air front shocks, Konis at the rear, a Vance & Hines 4 into 1 exhaust and renamed it Suzie Q. A stock GS550 
No matter how careful, eventually every rider takes a spill. Riding north over Topanga Canyon on a hot summer day, I was hit almost head on in a turn by someone southbound who understeered into my lane. As the massive white Ford came at me, its driver cranking away at the steering wheel with mouth wide open, it may have looked like the great white whale did to Captain Ahab. Miraculously, my only serious injuries were four broken bones around my left ankle, which must have been the point of impact. At the hospital, they used metal bristle brushes to clear the accumulated asphalt under the skin on both hands from sliding across the road. The procedure was so painful, I almost passed out! I was nervous for a while riding again, but there's nothing like a fast bike on an open road! --------
People once thought the premise of Herman Melville's book must be imaginary, but white whales exist, and healthy males can be huge. Whales are highly intelligent and will defend members of their pod by attacking whalers, especially those in the small whale boats launched from the whaling ship. Persistent ramming by angry Sperm whales could easily sink the large wooden whaling ships of the 18th and 19th Centuries, at the cost to the whales of a headache for a few days. |
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Post by mikael on Aug 12, 2024 20:53:21 GMT
... Herman Melville's book ... Carl,
Herman Melville's "Moby Dick" is fascinating indeed. I have an "Everyman's Library" hardbound version, which I have went through two times; and the second time won't be the last, for sure - it's really a book that can be read and re-read many times, as there are so many layers; and it's possible to see new aspects and details by each reading.
I agree it's very realistic. Melville had certainly done his homework/research, via his own experience as a "whaler". One thing that makes the book so fascinating is the level of detail - you really feel "transformed" to that (now very distant) era, about 175 years ago. I like the format also, with every other chapter telling about (non-fictive) details on whaling, and every other being concerned with the (fictive) plot/story.
Best,
Mikael
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Post by René on Aug 13, 2024 11:06:49 GMT
Great conversation guys. Not a motorcycle man myself so I can't add anything useful but I enjoyed reading it, including the Moby Dick review.  |
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Post by chrisb on Aug 13, 2024 16:17:16 GMT
a couple of weeks ago in Cumbria, just sheer enjoyment  |
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Post by Carl on Aug 13, 2024 16:28:31 GMT
Chris, Very cool! Sometimes a motorcycle is rapture  |
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Post by Carl on Aug 13, 2024 16:39:06 GMT
Great conversation guys. Not a motorcycle man myself so I can't add anything useful but I enjoyed reading it, including the Moby Dick review. René, This is a good first step...
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Post by mikael on Sept 7, 2024 18:54:36 GMT
Not racing as such (i.e., no direct connection to motor sport), yet 55+ years on, this is (apparently) still considered to be the greatest car chase scene in film history. What makes this scene stand out, is that not one single word is spoken. (On the negative side, as also commented on in the original YouTube posting, what is it with the multiple appearance of the green VW Bubble? - was this a blunder or something included on purpose?)
Also, the 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback was a true beauty! A revival version was made in 2018.
The 1968 Fastback, and its 2018 "revival" - or 50th anniversary - version.
The 10+ minutes car chasing scene in "Bullitt" (1968).
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Post by Carl on Sept 7, 2024 22:09:24 GMT
Not racing as such (i.e., no direct connection to motor sport), yet 55+ years on, this is (apparently) still considered to be the greatest car chase scene in film history. What makes this scene stand out, is that not one single word is spoken. (On the negative side, as also commented on in the original YouTube posting, what is it with the multiple appearance of the green VW Bubble? - was this a blunder or something included on purpose?)
Also, the 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback was a true beauty! A revival version was made in 2018.
Mikael, That is no doubt the greatest movie car chase, always thrilling to watch. Because crowd control had to be absolute, the dark green Volkswagen was being driven by one of several paid "extras", all experienced drivers, to simulate realistic traffic. It appears several times at the same intersection as part of the most dramatic jump, which was filmed with several cameras. If they wanted a second take, they had to recreate the scene with the same cars in the background. Everything is calculated for audience perception and they may have decided few would notice if that jump was shown twice.
As they turn from University Street onto Mansell Street (at 6:37), Nigel can be glimpsed diving into a cellar.
The motorcycle rider forced to spill his bike was Bud Ekins, the same expert who did the jump in "The Great Escape"
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Post by René on Sept 8, 2024 16:24:10 GMT
Not racing as such (i.e., no direct connection to motor sport), yet 55+ years on, this is (apparently) still considered to be the greatest car chase scene in film history. An iconic scene! |
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Post by Carl on Sept 9, 2024 18:21:33 GMT
Not racing as such (i.e., no direct connection to motor sport), yet 55+ years on, this is (apparently) still considered to be the greatest car chase scene in film history. An iconic scene! The chase is so great because of all the talent involved: Steve McQueen, stunt coordinator Carey Loftin, legendary stuntman Bud Ekins, director Peter Yates, all with an understanding of motor racing. About my earlier manic post: anxiety about democracy triggered a latent obsessive-compulsive tendency and after reading the IMDB website, there's more...
The driver of the Dodge Charger was Bill Hickman, experienced amateur racer in the 1950s and friend to James Dean. Hickman accompanied Dean, driving a station wagon with tools and spares, towing a trailer, and was just behind when a reckless driver turned directly into the 550 Porsche at a Y intersection.
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Thanks, Mikael!
