14 replies to this topic

[Roger Clark]

I expect that the Shell film of the 1958 Alpine Rally (Coupe des Alpes) has been previously mentioned somewhere on TNF. The film is on YouTube. What may not be generally known is that Denis Jenkinson drove one of the camera cars, a Giulietta Spyder, for the film. We see him at one stage warning competitors of a crashed car round the next hairpin and several probably  showing his hands on an Alfa steering wheel.  
 

He wrote at length about the experience in Motor Sport September 1958. As descriptive writing about a motoring event it rivals his Mille Miglia stories. You may ask whether it’s better to see the film or read the article first but it’s irrelevant because, like me, you will probably want to do both several times. 

[Odseybod]

Thanks, Roger. I recently stumbled on the YouTube collection of Shell films, with their 1958 British Grand Prix, A wonderful time-waster.

 

The complete list is at https://www.youtube....HiQlVrvYQ-k4Xay though strangely doesn't include the same year's Alpine Rally (so not that complete!)..

 

[RS2000]

Yes it was covered here, probably under another subject. DCN has the rally plate used by DSJ.

Coupe des Alpes was a landmark rally film that largely stands the test of time despite some staged sequences. The Castrol film of the 1968 1000 Lakes and the 1971 BHP film of the RAC (From Harrogate it Started) complete a trio of rally coverage that had moved on from the traditional stilted commentary.

I was able to answer questions on a French Forum about the 58 Coupe des Alpes "competitor that wasn't" - the blue Alfa - as their copies of the entry list didn't include it and they were struggling to understand what was going on.

[Doug Nye]

The Shell Film Unit was headed by the late, much missed Bill Mason.  Wonderful subversive character, good fun, father of Nick who I believe plays drums or somesuch for a now veteran rhythm combo.

 

Jenks actually made a smaller-version Mille Miglia roll of route directions for the Alpine Rally blast.

 

When I was a kid - or maybe in my teens - I remember getting home from school - switching on the newly-acquired TV during the afternoon (before broadcasting for the day began around 4:30-5 o'clock) and often finding the Shell Alpine Rally film was on air as a colour trade test transmission.  Bill didn't direct the Alpine film but the chap who did was a tried and trusted colleague of his.  

 

Somewhere I have the Press rally plate from the car in which DSJ was careering  around the mountain route.  The summertime Alpine was, so far as I am concerned, the most romantic and majestic of all Rallies.  

 

And some pretty handy piloti won gold cups in it.  

 

DCN

[Roger Clark]

The gold cup was awarded for three consecutive penalty free finishes. Only three were ever won, one of them by Stirling Moss, the brother of Pat. 
 

He described in My Cars, My Career how hard he had to drive in these events and also admitted that 1954 was the only occasion that he had cheated. It was a requirement that cars finished the rally in the same condition as they had started and Moss’s Sunbeam had lost two of its four gears. He fooled the scrutiniser by judicious use of the overdrive. He thought the subterfuge was justified in the circumstances. I don’t think many of us would disagree. 
 

Other Alpine Rally films are available, often made by competing manufacturers. There are several on the much-missed Motor Films Quarterly series. 

[BRG]

The gold cup was awarded for three consecutive penalty free finishes. Only three were ever won, one of them by Stirling Moss, the brother of Pat.

I doubt if Sir Stirling was very often described like that!!

[Claudio Navonne]

I was able to find it here:
I think the film you are talking about.

[Collombin]

I doubt if Sir Stirling was very often described like that!!

At least it saved us having to google him.

The Periscope Films Youtube channel is great, and not just for motorsport related content.

[Vitesse2]

 

When I was a kid - or maybe in my teens - I remember getting home from school - switching on the newly-acquired TV during the afternoon (before broadcasting for the day began around 4:30-5 o'clock) and often finding the Shell Alpine Rally film was on air as a colour trade test transmission.  Bill didn't direct the Alpine film but the chap who did was a tried and trusted colleague of his. 

 

DCN

Remember it well! That and 'Cattle Carters'. There was an amazing variety of trade test films: http://www.testcardc...ttcfatoz.html#C
 

[RCH]

I remember a showing of the Coupe des Alpes at my school way back when, can't think why, nobody there was the least bit interested in motor sport. The maths teacher who put it on did have a ZA Magnette though...

During the winters of my childhood if the scheduled racing from wherever on Grandstand was called off it was possible that one of Bill Mason's Shell films would be substituted. I can still remember the Mercedes supercharger wail in the first of "The Titans" and wondering why they made that noise,  

[ReWind]

A nice film with impressive on-the-road shots.

 

14 minutes 49 seconds into it: Annie Soisbault’s legs must have been among les plus longues ever by a pilote de rallye féminine.

Were there other tennis players who went rallying?

[Vitesse2]

A nice film with impressive on-the-road shots.

 

14 minutes 49 seconds into it: Annie Soisbault’s legs must have been among les plus longues ever by a pilote de rallye féminine.

Were there other tennis players who went rallying?

Emma Raducanu raced karts when she was younger, is a fan of motor sports in general and Lewis Hamilton in particular and has visited Porsche, where she had a chance to try the Formula E simulator: https://newsroom.por...port-32062.html

[Tim Murray]

Emma Raducanu also did Moto-X in her younger days.

[Tim Murray]

Estonian tennis star Kaia Kanepi did ice racing.

https://www.dailymai...aia-Kanepi.html

[Alan Lewis]

Junior tennis ace J.S.W. Hunt did the Tour of Britain a couple of times.

I think he circuit raced a bit as well.