Rush
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
Re: racing movie vs. character study
The original script was written with the idea that there would be NO racing footage at all. It was 100% a character study story.
Racing movies have, in general, been modest money earners because they haven't entertained the non-gearhead audience. Note that all of the guest appearances of the actors on the talk shows the past three weeks or so, and all the interviews with Ron Howard about the movie, have played down the racing bit and played up the rivalry. Even the clips that they have been showing have had very little - if any - racing footage. They went out of their way to play down the "racing movie" aspect as they knew that would limit its appeal.
It might do sort of OK in the U.S. but it will rake in a ton of $$$ in the rest of the world.
Z//
The original script was written with the idea that there would be NO racing footage at all. It was 100% a character study story.
Racing movies have, in general, been modest money earners because they haven't entertained the non-gearhead audience. Note that all of the guest appearances of the actors on the talk shows the past three weeks or so, and all the interviews with Ron Howard about the movie, have played down the racing bit and played up the rivalry. Even the clips that they have been showing have had very little - if any - racing footage. They went out of their way to play down the "racing movie" aspect as they knew that would limit its appeal.
It might do sort of OK in the U.S. but it will rake in a ton of $$$ in the rest of the world.
Z//
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,475
Likes: 10
From: Wake Forest NC
According to the movie's production notes, this, from producer Andrew Eaton:
I think we as members of CF were first drawn to the movie because of its racing dimension. But those seeking a movie about racing might have thought that Titanic was going to be about a sinking ship.
RUSH is a story about a rivalry, it's also a love story, and the track scenes are merely a necessary backdrop.
.
Eaton, a co-founder of Revolution Films, recognized that while the movie is set amid the glamour and excitement of F1 racing, at its heart is a story about two quite contrasting personalities. “It’s a character story with two characters: one Austrian, one English,” Eaton says. “It’s mainly about these two men, their different styles and their different lifestyles. But it also happens to have this amazing backdrop of motor racing and Formula 1, making it a character piece with action.”
RUSH is a story about a rivalry, it's also a love story, and the track scenes are merely a necessary backdrop.
.
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Really good movie. If I had one thing to complain about, is the lack of a spark plug in the heads during the 'engine shots'.
Top Three
Not necessarily in that order.
Top Three
- Grand Prix
- Rush
- Senna
Not necessarily in that order.
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
Top Three
Not necessarily in that order.
- Grand Prix
- Rush
- Senna
Not necessarily in that order.
I actually saw Grand Prix the very first weekend it was released. Saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. You had to reserve seats! (I also saw Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" first day, first showing! That was in Costa Mesa, CA.) "Le Mans" was better in at least the "real cars were used" sense.
Z//
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Anthony, do you ever watch "The Big Bang Theory"? Well, the above complaint would easily put you in the running for "Auto Geek Sheldon"
Forty seven years later it's easy to forget that those of us who were F1 fans (even way back then) found it quite easy to pick things apart in "Grand Prix" as well. #1 on pretty much every "geek fan's" list was that the most of the cars used in the film were actually rebodied F3 cars and anyone who paid any attention to Euro formula racing could easily tell. It was distracting. So was trying to imagine 6' 2" James Garner squeezing himself into those F3 cars.
I actually saw Grand Prix the very first weekend it was released. Saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. You had to reserve seats! (I also saw Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" first day, first showing! That was in Costa Mesa, CA.) "Le Mans" was better in at least the "real cars were used" sense.
Z//
Forty seven years later it's easy to forget that those of us who were F1 fans (even way back then) found it quite easy to pick things apart in "Grand Prix" as well. #1 on pretty much every "geek fan's" list was that the most of the cars used in the film were actually rebodied F3 cars and anyone who paid any attention to Euro formula racing could easily tell. It was distracting. So was trying to imagine 6' 2" James Garner squeezing himself into those F3 cars.
I actually saw Grand Prix the very first weekend it was released. Saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. You had to reserve seats! (I also saw Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" first day, first showing! That was in Costa Mesa, CA.) "Le Mans" was better in at least the "real cars were used" sense.
Z//
Yeah they didn't have the real cars, but at the same time I don't think the money was there to have disposable F1 cars to use for the film. Enzo at least gave them some pretty good access to the shop and his cars. Yeah it wasn't perfect but some what of a time capsule.
LeMans....that's in the "Steve McQueen is a bad *** list".
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Anthony, do you ever watch "The Big Bang Theory"? Well, the above complaint would easily put you in the running for "Auto Geek Sheldon"
Forty seven years later it's easy to forget that those of us who were F1 fans (even way back then) found it quite easy to pick things apart in "Grand Prix" as well. #1 on pretty much every "geek fan's" list was that the most of the cars used in the film were actually rebodied F3 cars and anyone who paid any attention to Euro formula racing could easily tell. It was distracting. So was trying to imagine 6' 2" James Garner squeezing himself into those F3 cars.
I actually saw Grand Prix the very first weekend it was released. Saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. You had to reserve seats! (I also saw Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" first day, first showing! That was in Costa Mesa, CA.) "Le Mans" was better in at least the "real cars were used" sense.
Z//
Forty seven years later it's easy to forget that those of us who were F1 fans (even way back then) found it quite easy to pick things apart in "Grand Prix" as well. #1 on pretty much every "geek fan's" list was that the most of the cars used in the film were actually rebodied F3 cars and anyone who paid any attention to Euro formula racing could easily tell. It was distracting. So was trying to imagine 6' 2" James Garner squeezing himself into those F3 cars.
I actually saw Grand Prix the very first weekend it was released. Saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. You had to reserve seats! (I also saw Steve McQueen's "Le Mans" first day, first showing! That was in Costa Mesa, CA.) "Le Mans" was better in at least the "real cars were used" sense.
Z//
When Grand Prix was first released...wasn't it done in some sort of 'super wide angle' at the theaters? We saw Rush on one of the new XD super big screens but I would love to see some of the old movies how they were originally shown.
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Panavision
As I said, my girlfriend and I saw it at the Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood. It's a great theater for seeing "big" movies like "Grand Prix." As the Wikipedia page states, the theater has been refurbished/restored and now is one of only three theaters in the world that can show original three-camera Cinerama films as they were originally meant to be seen. Nice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinerama_Dome
Z//
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,168
Likes: 1,336
From: FLL Florida
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,934
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Wife and I went to see it last night. We both enjoyed it. Due to some of the reviews here I was expecting little to no racing footage, but I honestly thought it was sufficient footage to get the story told. Wife actually suggested seeing it again.
The missing spark plug thing kept bugging me though.
The missing spark plug thing kept bugging me though.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 22,729
Likes: 799
From: Hillsborough NC
NC Events Coordinator
This is the camera car that gathered live racing footage during the 1970 Le Mans that was used in McQueen's movie:
The funny back story is that it was actually leading its class and could have won if it didn't have to change film every 45 minutes. It made a large number of pit stops for film only, not tires or gas.
The funny back story is that it was actually leading its class and could have won if it didn't have to change film every 45 minutes. It made a large number of pit stops for film only, not tires or gas.
Last edited by jcsperson; Oct 4, 2013 at 04:40 PM. Reason: red x
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 6,692
Likes: 56
From: Troutman, NC
Wife and I went to see it last night. We both enjoyed it. Due to some of the reviews here I was expecting little to no racing footage, but I honestly thought it was sufficient footage to get the story told. Wife actually suggested seeing it again.
The missing spark plug thing kept bugging me though.
The missing spark plug thing kept bugging me though.
The story was very compelling, and the casting was fabulous.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 288
From: Granbury Texas
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 20,934
Likes: 962
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Forgot to mention. I was curious about the scene where Hunt "interacts" with the reporter after the Lauda press conference. Did that actually happen?
Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,023
Likes: 266
From: San Jose California
