"Grand Prix" movie

Quoted text (10 lines)

> Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months > ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting > because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame > Papyrus is modeling with GPL. > I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, > I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a > bit melodramatic). > Tim

Yes, Grand Prix is available from Classic Motorbooks and EWA: [link lost in import] Hoked up as the story is, the footage is fantastic, especially Monaco and Spa, and some of the acting -- like Graham Hill, the original party animal, as "Bob Turner" -- is a hoot. Consider the people you get to see onscreen: Phil Hill (in a fine piece of histrionics when James Garner's car comes into the pits on fire), Bruce McLaren, Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, Jo Siffert, Paul Frere, Juan Fangio (!), Michael Parkes, Chris Amon (Check James Garner's helmet -- the distance shots of him driving are Chris Amon), Jack Brabham, Richie Ginther, Jochen Rindt -- in fact, the main person conspicuous by his absence is Jim Clark. Maybe he was just annoyed at Frankenheimer's crews all over the place that year -- a LOT of racing journalists sure were! -- Bart Brown

Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame Papyrus is modeling with GPL. I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a bit melodramatic). Tim

Quoted text (10 lines)

>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >bit melodramatic). >Tim

I remember seeing that movie at the theatre when i was a kid... It was (is) a great racing movie... I don't think it was a 60's movie however as my father took me to see it in the early 1970's. J. Norton

Quoted text (10 lines)

>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >bit melodramatic). >Tim

Is that the one with Chet Atkins?? If it is the one, saw it looooong time ago. Boy gets girl, boy crashes REAL hard in race....predictable. Verne

Quoted text (16 lines)

> >Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months > >ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting > >because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame > >Papyrus is modeling with GPL. > >I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, > >I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a > >bit melodramatic). > >Tim > I remember seeing that movie at the theatre when i was a kid... It was > (is) a great racing movie... I don't think it was a 60's movie however > as my father took me to see it in the early 1970's. > J. Norton

I saw it in 1967 or 68. I think that it was released in 1967, having been filmed in 1966. Film crew followed the GP circus around Europe and the film is a mixture of actual race footage with fictional footage spliced in. Phil Hill drove the camera car. Screened in wide screen Cinerama, I still remember the feeling it gave as the camera swooped around Station hairpin at Monaco - great stuff. I agree that the story is pretty trite - but worth sitting through. Highlight for me was the comment made by my mother as we left the cinema "I don't think that the casting was very good - some of the drivers looked more like bankers" I then realised that she was referring to Graham Hill, who had a small speaking part in the film! James Holgate

GREAT movie for racing car fans... probably the first time an in-car camera was ever used in a open-wheel car. If you get the chance, though, go and try to find a copy of "Le Mans", with Steve McQueen. -- ________ / |__ \ Eduardo Piovani Dias - Systems Programmer / | \ \ State University of Campinas, SP (UNICAMP) / | ) \ "Gleb Wataghin" Institute of Physics (IFGW) (------ |__/ ) "John David Rogers" Computing Center (CCJDR) \ | / http://www.ifi.unicamp.br/~epiovani

Quoted text (8 lines)

> >>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months > >>ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting > >>because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame > >>Papyrus is modeling with GPL. > >>Tim > According to the Internet Movie Database (us.imdb.com) 1966 is was the > year. Rated at 7.8 out of 10. > Dan

I saw them film at the US Grand Prix (always in October, at Watkins Glen), probably a year or two before the movie came out. I seem to remember that at least one of the camera cars was a mid-engined sports-racer with a _big_ camera mounted in the front trunk area. I think it was one of the few "customer" Ford GT-40 cars [but this could be my bad memory, I was only 10-11 years old]. Sadly, when we went to the opening of the movie, the WG-USGP scenes had been left on the cutting room floor. There is just a short scene with the trophy being given to the winner (forgot who was supposed to have won). -- Doug

Quoted text (16 lines)

>>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >>ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >>because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >>Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >>I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >>I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >>bit melodramatic). >>Tim >I remember seeing that movie at the theatre when i was a kid... It was >(is) a great racing movie... I don't think it was a 60's movie however >as my father took me to see it in the early 1970's. >J. Norton

According to the Internet Movie Database (us.imdb.com) 1966 is was the year. Rated at 7.8 out of 10. Dan -- Mattel Fort Wayne, IN *Mattel, Inc. has their opinions; I have mine. Occasionally they are *the same. The above is not one of those occasions.

> I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, > I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a > bit melodramatic). It is available. I bought mine off the shelf at SunCoast. ---Jim

Quoted text (7 lines)

>> I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >> I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >> bit melodramatic). >It is available. I bought mine off the shelf at SunCoast. >---Jim

Didja get the letterbox or the pan and scan version? Brandon Number 6 Every Other Man Productions Reed Racing & Enginering http://www.***highway.net/~blreed "Save the Texas Prarie Chicken!"

Quoted text (8 lines)

>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >bit melodramatic).

It's available from MGM home video (get the Widescreen Edition if you can). Speaking as a racing movie afficianado, this is hands down the best film ever made on racing. The cinematography, the balance of story and racing.....it just works great. It's tops Another good one is "Le Mans", starring Steve McQueen. Second on my list. Brandon Number 6 Every Other Man Productions Reed Racing & Enginering http://www.***highway.net/~blreed "Save the Texas Prarie Chicken!"

Quoted text (14 lines)

>>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >>ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >>because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >>Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >>I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >>I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >>bit melodramatic). >>Tim >I remember seeing that movie at the theatre when i was a kid... It was >(is) a great racing movie... I don't think it was a 60's movie however >as my father took me to see it in the early 1970's.

The film originally came out in 1966, and was re-released a few times afterward. Brandon Number 6 Every Other Man Productions Reed Racing & Enginering http://www.***highway.net/~blreed "Save the Texas Prarie Chicken!"

> >It is available. I bought mine off the shelf at SunCoast. > Didja get the letterbox or the pan and scan version? Don't know; haven't opened it yet, but I was unaware there was an LB version. (which means if I got the re-formatted version, I'll be headed back to the video store...) ---Jim

<<I seem to remember that at least one of the camera cars was a mid-engined sports-racer with a _big_ camera mounted in the front trunk area. I think it was one of the few "customer" Ford GT-40 cars [but this could be my bad memory, I was only 10-11 years old].>> Good memory! It was, in fact, a Ford GT MkII -- I have photos of it from the 1966 race... BTW, are you by chance, THE Doug Milliken, co-author of "Race Car Vehicle Dynamics"? -- Bart Brown

Most of the footage shown from an "in car" viewpoint came from cameras mounted on cars driven by Denny Hulme and Jochen Rindt. Whilst the year depicted was intended to represent the first of the 3.0 litre era, the cars used by the film team (as distinct from footage of the genuine cars in genuine races) were actually the previous 1.5 litre cars, dummied up with injector intakes and spaghetti-like exhausts! In fact, if you have a close look during some of the shots of the Monaco race, you'll see the dummy exhausts shaking around so much that they look as if they will collapse and the intake trumpets on some of the cars are so out of alignment that they look as if they were stuck on with chewing gum!! I saw this movie at its initial release here in Oz....I was in my twenties at the time (sigh!)....and it was sensational! -- Bruce ---- (At work......well, place of employment, okay?!)

Quoted text (8 lines)

>Has anyone else seen the movie "Grand Prix"? I saw it a few months >ago, on some cable channel, Encore I think, and it's very exciting >because it was made in I think 1966, approximately the time frame >Papyrus is modeling with GPL. >I'm not sure if this movie is available on video or not, but if it is, >I would recommend it just for the racing clips (the story itself is a >bit melodramatic).

I doubt if it is available on general release but if you can manage to beg, steal or borrow a copy a "must see" is the documentary "Nine Days In Summer" which follows the development and racing of the Lotus 49 during the '67 season. It was shown on TV in the UK a couple of months back but I accidentally taped over the video of it. Aaaarrrrgggghhhh :(((( Cheers, Richard

<<I doubt if it is available on general release but if you can manage to beg, steal or borrow a copy a "must see" is the documentary "Nine Days In Summer" which follows the development and racing of the Lotus 49 during the '67 season.>> For those of us fortunate enough to receive Speedvision, they show this Ford of England documentary and literally scores of other great archival stuff on a daily basis, and repeat quite often. I've been thinking of buying stock in a videotape comapny, as I must have about 200 weeks worth of taped shows. Check out Speedvision's website (speedvision.com, natch) for their schedule. I was about to buy a dish just to get this channel, but my hick-town cable company came through and actually carry it! It's the best! -- Bart Brown

Quoted text (16 lines)

> <<I doubt if it is available on general release but if you can manage to > beg, steal or borrow a copy a "must see" is the documentary "Nine Days > In > Summer" which follows the development and racing of the Lotus 49 during > the '67 season.>> > For those of us fortunate enough to receive Speedvision, they show this > Ford of England documentary and literally scores of other great archival > stuff on a daily basis, and repeat quite often. I've been thinking of > buying stock in a videotape comapny, as I must have about 200 weeks > worth of taped shows. Check out Speedvision's website (speedvision.com, > natch) for their schedule. I was about to buy a dish just to get this > channel, but my hick-town cable company came through and actually carry > it! It's the best! > -- > Bart Brown

So looks like I have to bring on mine also :) Well, for all of you who likes Pink Floyd and also racing, I have the perfect solution for all of you. In 1990, Pink Floyd's singer David Gilmour and also Nick Mason made a documentary (about 120mins.) about a famous Mexican race, the Carrera Panamerica. This race was at first raced in the 50 and 60's. But the safety of the drivers was soo in danger (about 3-4 deaths per races!<g>) that the autorities decided to shut down the race. What was this race ??? Well it's a 6day course all around Mexico, starting at the bottom of it (near the Guatemala) and finishiing near the US border. There's 2type of race in that. Half of the time, you are in a real road, with all the traffic, etc!!! They go up to speeds of around 100mph there. Without getting caught by the police! There's also the closed course, in the mountains (sometimes cliffs and deaths !!!) were you are against nobody. But the race restarted in the nineties, with muchg more safety, etc.. So the two people from Pink Floyd decided to race there. David Gilmour crashed and was near to death. All the cars are old ones from the 50's. Mercedes, etc... You must see them going 100mph in the normal traffic, passing everybody, without crashing into upcomming cars. It's a remarquable documentary (probably the best one made of racing, except maybe the NOVA one). With that, you have great music from PinkFloyd, the biggest music group in the world. A must rent/buy. Go for it !! Thanks a lot, With great respect, May the downforce be with you, Good race at the Brickyard, (-o-) SPEED- Co-director SPEED- http://www.sim-speed.com/ AWPSS- Director of Simracing AWPSS- http://www.awpss.com/ SRHoF- Director SRHoF- http://when.it's.finished/ ! - *Excuse me for my poor English(I'm French speaking) * -