Films to Love: A Day at the Races
Racing, dear readers, is a sport I love. While I’m not up on what’s happening over at the Ascot Opening Day, I do know quite a lot about what’s going on in the worlds of auto and motorcycle racing. Formula One is my favorite to watch, but I try to stay abreast of what’s happening on the NASCAR and INDY tracks as well as MotoGP and World Superbike tracks as well.
In fact, that main character in the first book I’m writing (see posts here, here, and here for more about that) is a F1 driver. So, for research purposes alone, I’ve followed the sport closely for the last several years.
Unfortunately, due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Formula One season, which was due to begin yesterday in Melbourne, Australia, has been postponed until May with races in Bahrain, Vietnam, and China being canceled.
So, if you’re like me and missing the sport, today I’m offering a bevy of movies- all available for streaming whether from Amazon or Netflix or other streaming sources (the hyperlinks below link to Amazon for your convenience)- centered around racing. Not all are about Formula One. And, in a slight deviation from my norm, I’m highlighting films that have been made much more recently- like within the last 30 years or so.
“When you were racing Indy cars, the tyres were twice as wide and the car weighed half as much. Now it’s the opposite. ”
This one’s all NASCAR. Now, if you ask Kimi Raikkonen- a F1 World Champion- if NASCAR is like Formula One, he’d tell you absolutely not. It’s a horse of different color. That does not mean that NASCAR isn’t as difficult to master as Formula One. In fact, if you can believe it, NASCAR is faster.
So, if you want a taste of the difference between open wheel racing (INDY and F1) and stock car racing (NASCAR), Days of Thunder is a perfect place to start. One of the reasons that I so enjoy this film is because it really does take a look at what makes NASCAR unique. While I do know that a great deal of it is dramatized, particularly how much rubbing takes place during the race, the story line really explores how an open wheel racer must adapt to stock cars. Not to mention, the psyche of professional race car drivers.
And, of course, there’s Tom Cruise, who is fantastic as Cole Trickle. To say nothing of Robert Duvall. (Here’s a few other Tom Cruise films I’ve written about here and here.)
“Sometimes a documentary will unexpectedly grab you by the throat, not giving you a second to breathe. Such is the power of this man, and this film.”
This documentary about the life of Formula One driver Ayrton Senna was a true surprise for me. I watched it for the purpose of research while writing the first draft of my first book. However, before I knew it, I was completely engrossed in the unfolding life of Aryton Senna, one of the brightest jewel in Formula One’s crown.
If Days of Thunder gave you taste of how a driver’s mind works, this documentary will open it up and show you how all the gears are interconnected. Senna also shows the viewer the inner workers on the FIA, the governing body over Formula One. While we’d like to think that these drivers simply get in their racer come Friday for practice sessions, there’s an immense amount of politicking that goes on. Even if you’re one of the greatest drivers to step foot on the track, you have to contend with the stringent, and sometimes small minded, opinions of that governing body.
What I appreciate the most about this film is that it flays open all aspects of Aryton’s life, particularly that part devoted to racing, and gives you real insight into a complex individual and what drove him. And, surprisingly, I was touched by the poignant moments in the film when you glimpsed the sweetness of Senna.
“Twenty five drivers start every season in Formula One, and each year two of us die. What kind of person does a job like this? Not normal men, for sure. Rebels, lunatics, dreamers. People who are that desperate to make a mark, and are prepared to die trying.”
And, if you want to see a dramatized story of two of the best to race in Formula One, then Rush is just the ticket for you. This film by Ron Howard is a fun and thrilling look at the racing rivalry between the legendary drivers, Niki Lauda and James Hunt.
There are numerous things which I appreciate about this film, but at the top of the list must be the fact that Daniel Brühl spent two-three weeks living with Niki Lauda and his family so that he might do justice to the portrayal of the driver. And, as per Niki’s own analysis of the performance, Brühl’s portrayal was bang on. Unfortunately, Chris Hemsworth was not afforded the same opportunity. He had to construct his portrayal of James Hunt from books, television appearance, interviews, and family recounting. That being said, Hemsworth and Brühl superbly recreate one of the most dynamic rivalries in F1 history.
And for certain, it will give you an unvarnished look at two polar opposite mindsets. Niki Lauda is obsessive in his focus and determination and drive, an obsessiveness he maintained until his dying day. James Hunt is almost reckless in his quest for the next thrill on track. The best way I can think to describe the difference between these two drivers is this: One could look at Lauda and say that he’s not having any fun. And, one could look at James Hunt and say that he’s having TOO much fun. And what we’re left with is a fantastic film. (And for all y’all out there who like a good period drama, this one takes place in the ‘60s and it captures that time period perfectly.)
“When I was 10 years old, my Pops said, son it’s a truly lucky man who knows what he wants to do in this world. ‘Cause that man will never work a day in his life.”
Of all the films I’ve listed today, this one’s my favorite. It’s constructed beautifully. It’s tight as a tick. The performances are superb, even down to the smaller roles. And, it’s based on a true story. A true story about Le Mans. (Don’t know about Le Mans? Check out this post here.)
Quick info dump for those of you not familiar with Le Mans. In Le Mans, France, there’s a race that takes place annually called 24 Hours at Le Mons. Teams compete by keeping their car going for twenty four hours of intense driving. It’s a thing unto itself in the racing world. (If you’re curious about it, I did a post about Le Mans here.)
Ford v Ferrari is a true story. It starts with a question. (The movie doesn’t, but the premise does, just to be clear.) How do a couple of American upstarts with an unquenchable love for speed supplant the racing world’s champions? What ensues in this film is pure passion. Starting with Carroll Shelby and his winning season at Le Mans that heralded the end of his racing career, we following the winding road of what Shelby does with himself once he can’t race anymore. Approached by Ford Motor Company to craft a race car capable of lasting the entire 24 hours of La Mans and toppling the reigning Ferrari from their podium, Shelby enlists his best friend, Ken Miles, help to formulate all aspects of the vehicle and test it as well. Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles are two men who transformed the landscape of the racing world. And a look into their lives and their friendship is handled beautifully in this film.
Whether you want a movie that has superior performances, fabulous soundtracks, excellent racing sequences, or a flat out fantastic story, Ford v Ferrari is one you don’t want to miss.
Honorable Mention:
“The car goes where the eyes go.”
I suppose it’s almost sacrilegious for a bookish person to admit, but I did not read Garth Stein’s book The Art of Racing in the Rain before I saw the movie. In truth, I’ve now seen the movie and still haven’t read the book. However, my mother read the book and assures me that the film did an excellent job of translating the story.
I include this one as an honorable mention because there is a great deal of racing wisdom imparted in the narration. There’s not a whole lot of racing, however, as the film is more about how racing principles apply to life as well. And, there’s a wonderful dog. You can’t do much better than a great story that centers around racing with an adorable dog.
I’ll also include, for the brief racing sequence, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. However, I’ll not write about it here as I’ve already spoken about it in this post.
So, while we’re all taking this week easy, spending time with our families and in our homes, explore some of these movies. I promise none will disappoint. Are there any racing movie, dear readers, that you like that I didn’t include? Tell us about it in the comments below.
