272 replies to this topic

[Vicuna]

Just back from seeing this film.

Truly superb - a must see.

[Mac Lark]

Also seen it - some cinematic licence but my wife, 12 year old daughter and I all enjoyed.

[Gerr]

Won't be in general release in NA markets until January.
No date set for Europe.

Trailer here:
http://www.imdb.com/...412080/trailers

[MCS]

Just watched the trailers - looks great !!! (Hopkins has always been one of my favourite actors in any case).

Thanks

[eldougo]

Looks like a Great movie hope to se it soon.

[Antoine Pilette]

Ooooh and with Anthony Hopkins... just need to find the right movie theatre now!

Thank you!

[Barriemac]

My wife and I went to see the movie last night.
It is wonderful entertainment. We had to go as my dad was an Indian enthusiast for years. In fact he only sold his bike when he realised that he could no longer lift it back on to its stand. One of my happy memories of him was taking him out to Oreti Beach where the beach racing sequences were filmed. There were two powerful bikes there that day a supercharged Kawasaki Z1000 and a Yamaha 600 single off-roader amongst the collection of amazing machinery.
If you get a chance to see this movie, I'm sure you'll enjoy it. From what I have heard it is drawing people to the movies who haven't been for years.

[Paul Rochdale]

It seems that it's not due for release in the UK until early 2006.

www.theworldsfastestindian.com

[BruceTC]

I also recently saw this movie when I was in NZ for family reasons.

Its a great movie, well put together and a great story. Some of the Bonneville stuff was just great - the sound of those streamliners and the bike just lovely.

There were some things that were different to the book written by George Begg. I found the Burt's character in the book more ebbulient and out going whereas in the movie he's more serious.

Also the book doesn't mention the 200 mph run, except in passing. The official highest recorded top speed was around 191mph.

However I do recommend reading the book - it also gives details of his earlier sprinting in NZ and also with the Velocette.

All in all he was an amazing bloke - a true NZ character.

[Barriemac]

In the afterglow of “The World’s Fastest Indian” it is easy to think of Bert Munro as someone totally devoted to speed. While looking for something else I found two photographs in a book, “N. Z. Motorcycle Heritage – Book Two” by Maureen Bull of a 1939 Triumph Speed Twin which Bert converted to run on gas. Two panniers, one either side of the back wheel held the equipment and he was still able, if necessary, to carry a pillion passenger. He designed and built the gas producer to get him around his country clients during petrol rationing during World War 2. The range of the system was about 50 miles on a fill. Bert was a traveller/salesman with the Invercargill firm, Tappers, who sold bicycles and motorcycles and their accessories among other things.

[raceannouncer2003]

My wife and I hope to be at Teretonga, Invercargill for the Feb. 18-19 races. I thought it would be fun to see this movie while we are there! Hopefully it will still be on. Anybody else like to go?

Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada

[theunions]

Tony was on the Tonight Show this past week plugging the film - the clip they showed was a hotel dialogue scene in which he has to take nitro pills or whatever for his heart - but otherwise there has been very little publicity stateside for it - recall seeing hardly a mention of it in Premiere, Entertainment Weekly, etc.

[FLB]

Ebert & Roeper reviewed it this week in their TV show.

[275 GTB-4]

All is forgiven between me and the movie sausage factories....because of this movie....

Looks just great..opening 06 April 2006 in Australia...

http://au.movies.yah...14996/trailers/

[cm50]

QANTAS have had it showing on their Trans Tasman flights or at least in the OZ-NZ direction and I was wondering why I had seen little or no mention of it in the Australian reviews. I will for sure be seeing it in a decent environment when it is released here.
Also wandering around I picked up the book which I think is a steal at NZ$35.

[Patrick Fletcher]

Originally posted by cm50
QANTAS have had it showing on their Trans Tasman flights or at least in the OZ-NZ direction and I was wondering why I had seen little or no mention of it in the Australian reviews.

If Hopkins had spent just a fraction of his great life in OZ he would be feted by the 'oze press' as one of the great OZ film stars of this era and that he alone was responsible for the success of this film.

I am lucky - I knew old Burt as well as anyone at my age, and I can't wait to see how Sir Anthony plays the old bloke.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Patrick Fletcher

If Hopkins had spent just a fraction of his great life in OZ he would be feted by the 'oze press' as one of the great OZ film stars of this era and that he alone was responsible for the success of this film.

I am lucky - I knew old Burt as well as anyone at my age, and I can't wait to see how Sir Anthony plays the old bloke.

Ummmm and your point is??? veiled criticism of colonials?? Sir Anthony is much loved down-under for his substantial body of work long before "Silence" and his visits have been given the royal treatment AFAIK...

[Catalina Park]

Remember Spotswood ? Anthony Hopkins and slotcars!

[Patrick Fletcher]

Originally posted by raceannouncer2003
My wife and I hope to be at Teretonga, Invercargill for the Feb. 18-19 races. I thought it would be fun to see this movie while we are there! Hopefully it will still be on. Anybody else like to go?

Vince Howlett, Victoria, B.C., Canada

My work network had trouble with your two pms - Twinny has a similar prob I think !!!!

I would love to be there Vince but.................I have a circuit in OZ to run.
I knew the old guy as well as anyone my age - I have many memories of his ah turning up at car club events and wanting to see how his bike compared to last time. Yep we let the old b---er have a run - sorta mid 11's for the 1/4 when most sporty cars could not get under 15's
He had a few good prangs at these days - but we all loved old Burt to bits. This is early 1960's
Get along to E. Hayes + Sons at 160 Dee Street Invercargill and see I think two of Burts bikes in amongst the hardware. Talk to Norman Hayes - he has all the gen and well worth seeking out when you are down there.
Best Wishes to you and yours for the trip to NZ.

[LittleChris]

Any chance of telling us in Europe what this is all about ? Sounds good but I've not heard anything of this & would like to, if it's as good as you all say .

[Vicuna]

A bloke spends 40 yrs in a shed transforming a 1920 motor bike into a world record holder.

He's got no money, a ton of determination, an impressive libido for a 60-something yearold, and what we call Kiwi ingenuity in spades.

[Simpson RX1]

Thank Heavens, when I saw the title of this thread I thought they'd already done a biopic on a certain Jordan F1 driver..................;)

[T54]

The "Efficiency Expert" is one of my favorite movies along with the original (not the awful remake) of the "Flight of the Phoenix" with Paul Mantz and Frank Tallman.
And Bert Munro is my all-time Bonneville hero... so I REALLY hope that the movie will be good.
The streamliner Indian (the "Fish") was on display at a Concours d'Elegance in Beverly Hills around 1991. I wonder what happened to the bike today.
Merry Christmas to all of you,

T54

[Catalina Park]

I just worked out that the movie that I mentioned called Spotswood was released overseas as The Efficiency Expert. (damn yanks, have to stick their own name on everything ) Still, it had some slotcars in it!

[T54]

Indeed but unfortunately they were modern slot cars, not period pieces related to the time frame of the movie...

[HistoricMustang]

Originally posted by Catalina Park
I just worked out that the movie that I mentioned called Spotswood was released overseas as The Efficiency Expert. (damn yanks, have to stick their own name on everything ) Still, it had some slotcars in it!

Mention slot cars in movies and I think of Redline 7000.

http://www.geocities...et/movies7k.htm

I also remember that Daytona Coupe in the ditch and the very cool '65 Shelby!

Henry

Henry

[ry6]

My "once a year" movie! Just been to watch the movie, with my young son, at a small theatre in Dannevirke, New Zealand.

Well worth seeing and something for everyone watching to enjoy.

The sounds of that bike were great. I also enjoyed the shapes of those Bonneville streamliners.

[Barriemac]

Originally posted by T54
I wonder what happened to the bike today.
T54

As one who learned to ride motorcycles on an Indian built up from parts by my father I have an abiding interest in those bikes. At last report the Munro Indian Special was in the possession of the Hayes Family in Invercargill. My father met Ervine Hayes back in 1968 and saw his collection of bikes including an impressive Indian 4. I suspect he also had an Indian Board Racer. That collection passed to his son who has since died. I saw the Munro Special in a motor museum that was in Queenstown - a museum that no longer exists. I also saw it on display in the hardware store owned by the Hayes Family - E. Hayes and Son. If my recollections are accurate my father also saw it there and was given a framed photograph of it (without the streamlining) and that now sits on my desk at work.

[MPea3]

The film is coming to Atlanta February 3rd... and I can barely wait!

[green-blood]

feb 3rd for Ireland and the UK... I knew nothing of this until last night when they showed the trailor before Memoirs of a Geisha (slow but beautifully shot) anyhow, I hope there is lots of 60s speed record machinery on show it looks great and I've spent today rooting about the internet for info on this Burt chap - Wow, what a bloke

http://www.indianmot...munro/munro.htm

[Keir]

It's on my "Must See" list !!!

[MPea3]

Very enjoyable! Fun movie to watch, and a fun character.

[Jack-the-Lad]

It was just released in the US today. I plan to see it soon. Thanks for all of the comments.

Jack

[cabianca]

The Burt Monroe bike will be at a new motorcycle concours at Half Moon Bay, California on 6 May this year. Sounds like quite an event. Go here for information:
http://www.legendofthemotorcycle.com

There will be a story on the event on VeloceToday.com in the next couple of weeks.

[ranbo38]

For those NZ tv viewers there is a doco on tv one tonight at 9.45pm entitled " the worlds fastest indian" . From the listing: " Local documentary gives an insight into two extraordinary kiwis: the inspirational Burt Munro and the inspired Roger Donaldson". Scheduled to last one hour(or at least 45 min less the ads).

[275 GTB-4]

Thanks heaps...just called my friends in NZ and they are taping it for me

[Danny Skehan]

For Irish movie fans

Just noticed that the movie is to be screened as part of the Dublin Film Festival on the 18th feb at Cineworld cinema. Parnell St at 6pm.

[Keir]

Is there a book out as well ???

[Vicuna]

Originally posted by Keir
Is there a book out as well ???

Yes.

There was the original George Begg (of F5000 fame) and a subsequent one.

Both are good.

[Keir]

What might be the titles of said books ?? Didn't know Begg did any writing !!

[Patrick Fletcher]

by George Begg
When the Engine Roars [motor racing life of GNB] with Clive Lind
A Classic World [describes the restoration of several historic racing cars and motorcycles]
Burt Munro Indian Legend of Speed

[Keir]

Thanks !! Off I go to see if they are still available.

[ranbo38]

Also George's latest 'Bruce McLaren Racing Car Constructor' available through the mclaren trust's website.

[ry6]

I bought a book on Bert/Burt Munro in NewZealand recently.

Then after reading an enjoying it I gave it to a friend as a Christmas present!

It was by Tim Hanna, who wrote the book on John Britten, the NZ racing bike genius.

I enjoyed the book and I think it was published by Penguin or Random House.

It was called something like "A Good Run".

[ry6]

I have now found out the name of the book -

ONE GOOD RUN by Tim Hanna. "The legend of Burt Munro)

[RTH]

There is a television programme about the making of this new film with Anthony Hopkins in UK :-

Next Wednesday 8th March at 8.00 pm on the "MEN and Motors " channel freeview, satellite , cable etc

[scousepenguin]

I have just watched this movie, it is very enjoyable and inspiring. Like the man himself, the story grows on you.

[Ivan]

http://www.indianmot...munro/munro.htm
Saw it today, that was a very good movie

[275 GTB-4]

A classic....I'm going to see it again!

[BarryD]

We have been keeping an eye out for it coming to High Wycome, Aylesbury or anywhere near but it seems to has passed us by.

Anyone know where it might be currently showing ?

BD