Poll: Grand Prix, best auto racing movie ever?

[JulesMaximus]

I watched this movie tonight on one of the movie channels (TMC or AMC-can't remember). Anyway, it is always a great movie for a Formula One fan to watch. Never before and probably never again will Hollywood have that kind of access to Grand Prix racing. The story is well written, the racing is interesting and the era of racing is something we will probably never see again. For me it is the best auto racing movie ever made.

 

[boyRacer]

lol... just by the lack of response in here tells you something...

i do think its probably the best portrayal of professional auto racing... ALONG with LeMans with Steve McQueen... im still waiting for Grand Prix to come out on DVD...

Recent auto racing movies just plain out sucks... Drivel with Sylvester Stallone is just unbelievably SUCK.

 

[SSP]

Phh... thats nothing. Driven starring Sylvester Stallone was the best racing movie followed by Fast and the furious.
























lol

 

[Kelemvor]

Never heard of it

 

[ndee]

what about Herbie?! http://members.aol.com/vwdude1957/jason.jpg

 

[J Heartless Slick]

Have you seen Le Mans?

 

[GTaudiophile]

^ Second Vote for Le Mans!

 

[slick230]

Grand Prix gets my vote. I loved the use of multiple camera shots on the screen at the same time, split screen shots, etc. Also, James Garner did all of his own driving. During breaks in filming, there were several mini races in which Garner was either equal to or better then the professional drivers hired for filming.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: slick230
Grand Prix gets my vote. I loved the use of multiple camera shots on the screen at the same time, split screen shots, etc. Also, James Garner did all of his own driving. During breaks in filming, there were several mini races in which Garner was either equal to or better then the professional drivers hired for filming.

Hehe, I also heard that one of the other actors practically wet himself during some of the filming during the high speed scenes.

Yes, I've seen the film Le Mans. It is a great flick but I don't think it is as good as Grand Prix.

Stallone tried to make his film about F1 but Bernie Ecclestone nixed the project. Thank god. It would have been horrible...Well, it was horrible. Most ridiculous racing movie ever.

 

[boyRacer]

That F1 movie became a CART movie... hahaha and it blows chunks... there is supposedly an Ayrton Senna movie in the works... but that rumor has been going around for awhile now.

I think LeMans is more traditional in that it doesn't use those multiplie camera angles in one screen style... but i like both. Racers back then had balls of steel.

 

[GalvanizedYankee]

I went with Le Mans because of the engine audio. As a movie it has problems, McQueen could have done a lot better if
he hadn't been so coked out. He dumped buckets of money into the project and spoon fulls of white powder up his nose.:disgust:

I will be dating myself, but I did see Grand Prix near it's opening date at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.
What was it? 70mm prints running on three cameras with awesome sound, for the time.

I too will buy it on DVD, when available.

 

[Electric Amish]

What about Stroker Ace ??

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

I've never seen GP - I would be really interested to. I like Le Mans quite a bit for its quasi-documentary style, though it is kinda dated now. I find the movie pretty gripping.

 

[slick230]

Originally posted by: galvanizedyankee
I will be dating myself, but I did see Grand Prix near it's opening date at the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.
What was it? 70mm prints running on three cameras with awesome sound, for the time.

LOL, yeah, for it's time, GP was the equivalent of an IMAX movie.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Don_Vito
I've never seen GP - I would be really interested to. I like Le Mans quite a bit for its quasi-documentary style, though it is kinda dated now. I find the movie pretty gripping.

You would probably like Grand Prix. It was shot during the Formula One season and they actually followed the GP circus around and had access to the cars and drivers during the (1965-1966??? I think) season. Actors were even allowed to drive actual race cars on the circuits (from I think F3 or one of the lower formulas at that time). The movie also has a decent story and covers some of the relationships between drivers and team owners, and between drivers and the women in their lives. It also covers some of what motivates drivers and what ultimately leads to their retirement or demise of their career.

I liked it quite a bit. I would like to see this on DVD.

Another cool documentary type F1 movie is 'The Quick and the Dead' which was shot in the early 70s when Grand Prix racing was perhaps the most dangerous sport in the world. They interview drivers like Sir Jackie Stewart and his team mate Francois Cervert who ironically is killed in a Grand Prix car after the movie was finished.

 

[thebestMAX]

Grand Prix is GREAT!!! What an innovative film for its time. Changed a lot of movie making techniques. Le Mans and the quick and the dead are up there too. Wish they could remake them with all the technology today.

I have a copy of Grand Prix on VHS, 2 tapes that I had to special order to get years ago. Not the greatest transfer either but all available.

The entire lap at Monaco is worth the price. Play it on a big screen TV with the Surround Sound (simulated unfortuneately) turned way up and you are there!!

Hope this comes out on DVD with remixed sound. Ill even pay full price for it.

 

[NFS4]

LeMans = BEST RACING MOVIE EVAR!

 

[thebestMAX]

Amazon has Grand Prix (VHS) for 19.95 and LeMans ON DVD for $11.24.

 

[LordJezo]

I second the Stallone movie.

 

[thebestMAX]

OK, I just ordered the"Le Mans" dvd. Ill let you know how it is. It even is in widescreen! Hope they do this for Grand Prix.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: thebestMAX
Amazon has Grand Prix for 19.95 and LeMans ON DVD for $11.24.

Too bad no GP on DVD. Anyone know a projected release date? The VHS is pan-and-scan, which I would think would be a bummer given the subject matter.

 

[Salvador]

Phh... thats nothing. Driven starring Sylvester Stallone was the best racing movie followed by Fast and the furious.

Heh.. They can't make a good racing movie these days. Unless someone with a butt load of money flips the bill on it, it can't be done. Hollywood won't invest in a movie that doesn't pander to the masses. Driven started out as a noble attempt to capture CART racing, but it fell way too short because the action was over dramatized and they had to throw in a lame ass story line.

Sal

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: Salvador

Phh... thats nothing. Driven starring Sylvester Stallone was the best racing movie followed by Fast and the furious.

Heh.. They can't make a good racing movie these days. Unless someone with a butt load of money flips the bill on it, it can't be done. Hollywood won't invest in a movie that doesn't pander to the masses. Driven started out as a noble attempt to capture CART racing, but it fell way too short because the action was over dramatized and they had to throw in a lame ass story line.

Sal

Yeah, the crash scenes were plain ridiculous. Over dramatized is a severe understatement. Never have I seen so many cars flip and leave the track in the manner they do in this movie. There are plenty of other "you can't do that with a race car" moments that make the movie even more laughable. Like hopping in a champ car with no helmet or race suit and flipping the starter and driving off in the city streets.

Oh and there's the story line...let's not forget that. The hero is leading the points championship and gets sacked halfway through the season. Riiiight...Then he injures himself, sits out a bunch of races and comes back to the final round to win the championship? Or the many fictional circuits and races. The "World Wide" interest in CART? Pulleeeezzeeeee!!!

Driven was the WORST race movie ever...well, maybe the Elvis race movie sucked worse but it's up there on the suck-o-meter.

 

[boyRacer]

Drivel was just bad in so many ways... hahaha... when i was watching it in the movies... i was actually screaming out loud... hey thats not a CART car anymore... they switched to a toyota atlantic car! ...my GF back then wasnt pleased :frown: ... those scenes where the driver would suddenly floor the throttle to pass someone... and this is while he's on a straightaway... ...and driving backwards during a race is a sure way to get you banned from any motorsport forever... hahaha...

The only DVD out right now for Grand Prix is The Making of Grand Prix... its pretty cool if you want a behind the scenes look at how they made the movie. SpeedTV broadcasted it awhile ago... but i'm still waiting for the DVD release.

 

[cavemanmoron]

Ben Hur!

With Charlton Heston!
One of the best races Ever!!!

Oh auto races,hmmmm.

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World

Somewhere in the desert. A car speeds like crazy along the roads. Suddenly, the driver loses control and sails off a cliff. Four other vehicles are near, they stop to help. The dying man narrates the drivers of a fortune in cash, $350,000, which he has hidden below a giant "W" in Santa Rosita, some 200 miles away. The four drivers and their respective passengers can't decide on how to share the future fortune, and suddenly a wild race to Santa Rosita develops. While one party manages to rent a plane (from 1916), the others face different problems like tire damage, untrustworthy lifts, deep water, drunken millionaires, a British adventurer, little girl's bicycles, and last but far not least a mother-in-law from hell and her imbecile son. While the folks slowly travel towards the goal, they are being watched. Who ever said that nobody else knew about the fortune!