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"The Man and Le Mans"


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#1 bill p

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 11:30

McQueen_zpsaa4ldhcb.jpg

 

Anyone been to see this?  If so, what did you think of it? 



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#2 ddmichael

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 14:50

I saw it a few weeks ago and quite enjoyed it, with a number of reservations. It's another love letter to McQueen and while it doesn't exactly gloss over his character flaws, it certainly doesn't stop to examine their effect upon the making of the film. For example had he taken an afternoon off from entertaining groupies in his trailer and pitched a couple of ideas to the writers whose scripts he was continually rejecting, then Sturges might not have walked and been replaced with a TV director for whom he had no respect. It also occurred to me that the film might best have been re-titled Lee H. Katzin: The Man Who Saved Le Mans, given that 90% of what appears on-screen was directed by him, but as I recall he receives all of about 30 seconds to tell his side of the story. Though I understand that the producers must tread a fine line between entertainment and information overload, I felt that there were a few too many shots of a brooding McQueen and not enough actual detail of the production - it's rather more about 'The Man' than 'Le Mans'.

 

The best thing about the doc is of course the unseen footage, though of the 80 hours discovered only a frustratingly small amount is featured. Probably the standout moment is David Piper reading a letter from McQueen to the producers, which very obviously alters his perception of a man he never heard from in the aftermath of his dreadful crash - it's genuinely moving and worth the price of admission alone. It was also great to see Jonathan Williams interviewed, and there's a lovely onboard shot of him as 'Jonathan Burton' in the end credits.

 

I always preferred Grand Prix anyway  :p

 

DM


Edited by ddmichael, 30 November 2015 - 14:51.


#3 bradbury west

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 16:12

There is quite a detailed story of it in the Telegraph a few weeks ago. If you find their website and enter Steve McQueen. It is a recent link so is at the top. I would post a link but I cannot post here.

Roger Lund



#4 E1pix

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 16:18

This?:
http://www.telegraph...d-mans-man.html

#5 bradbury west

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 16:47

No, it is the one by Sheryl Garratt  Sat Nov 7 this year,  In the driving seat with Steve McQueen

RL



#6 Tim Murray

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 17:18

Yer tiz:

http://s.telegraph.c...ueen/index.html

Absolutely no mention of Peter Revson at Sebring 1970 - anyone who didn't know would think that McQueen finished second all by himself. Also, strangely, although they quote David Piper and have a photo of him with McQueen, he's not identified as the driver who had his leg amputated.

There's an earlier thread about the film which may be of interest:

'TheManLeMans' film set for 2015 release

and here's Peter Bradshaw's review of the film in the Guardian:

http://www.theguardi...-le-mans-review

#7 E1pix

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Posted 30 November 2015 - 19:37

Thanks for finding that, Tim. Fabulous!

#8 63Corvette

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Posted 01 December 2015 - 01:34

Great links to great video............................thanks :)

(I STILL want to see the movie)



#9 Nev

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 07:59

Thanks for finding that, Tim. Fabulous!


Seconded!

#10 Tim Murray

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 08:26

Thanks chaps, but due credit also to Roger (Bradbury West) who tracked the Telegraph article down in the first place.

#11 bill p

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 15:19


Thank you for your comments. Tickets booked for 14 December viewing, will report back on thoughts!

#12 2F-001

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 16:04

It appears that this new docu could be a whole lot more interesting than the original film (although that cannot have been difficult to achieve!).



#13 E1pix

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 16:14

Thanks chaps, but due credit also to Roger (Bradbury West) who tracked the Telegraph article down in the first place.

Yeah, right? That just occurred to me as well...

Thanks, Roger!

#14 kayemod

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 16:52

http://s.telegraph.c...ueen/index.html

 

In March 1970, in preparation, McQueen entered the 12 Hours of Sebring race in Florida, driving the Porsche 908 that was later to become the camera car for Le Mans. He had broken his foot two weeks earlier in a motorbike race, and was wearing a cast. Despite this he still came second, only narrowly beaten by Mario Andretti’s Ferrari.

 

That's all a bit different from the way Mario told it, both at the time and on the few occasions he can be persuaded to talk about it today, McQueen only drove in that race for about half an hour didn't he, and not particularly quickly at that by all accounts.  Didn't the last issue of Motor Sport print that article? I wouldn't know, as I don't subscribe to the magazine to read about actors, I knew it wasn't going to be an epic issue when I saw him pictured on the cover, he should have stuck to acting in westerns.



#15 Michael Ferner

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 16:58

That's the thing: I didn't think he was much of an actor, and he was simply terrible and out of his depth as a producer, so why all that fuzz?

It appears that this new docu could be a whole lot more interesting than the original film (although that cannot have been difficult to achieve!).


Not nearly enough to make me want to watch it.

#16 kayemod

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Posted 03 December 2015 - 17:03

That's the thing: I didn't think he was much of an actor, and he was simply terrible and out of his depth as a producer, so why all that fuzz?
 

 

 

That's unfair Michael, he was quite good at playing Steve McQueen, nobody better in fact.



#17 bill p

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Posted 14 December 2015 - 21:47

Just back from seeing "The Man & Le Mans". If you are a fan of Steve McQueen and/or the film "Le Mans" you will enjoy it, if not a fan your opinion is unlikely to change........

Interviews with Derek Bell, Jonathan Williams and especially David Piper made the viewing worthwhile but where was Richard Attwood who won the 1970 Le Mans?? A good amount of background footage held my attention too. Present day footage of David Piper reading a letter, that he had not previously seen, from Steve McQueen was very engaging.

Also, interesting chat from directors, assistant directors, writer and assistant producers outlining how the production meandered to a 3 month overrun and associated overspend.

I found the film interesting
Bill P

Edited by bill p, 14 December 2015 - 21:49.


#18 nmansellfan

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Posted 15 December 2015 - 13:29

I enjoyed it too, particularly the unseen film footage.  The shot of the 917's and 512S's hammering through what looked like the esses towards White House in the rain near the start of the doc was fantastic.  There were a few points where the info was a bit off, but it was well put together and I came away liking Chad McQueen much more than I did previously.

 

I guess there could have been a few reasons why Richard Attwood wasn't in the doc - Left on the cutting room floor, declined to be interviewed, or just that the main focus of the doc was on the film and McQueens life, not the actual running of the 1970 race, and the producers thought they didn't need to interview him?