30 replies to this topic

[Andre Acker]

Hi,
I am new here !
Please, when reading consider that I am Brazilian and that Portuguese is very diferent from English ! Forgive my mistakes.

As many of you, I have been looking for old motorsport films. Many of them could be re-issued as DVDs.

Examples : a film about Jackie Stewart, filmed during the Monaco GP weekend in 1971, by Roman Polanski. I saw it here, in Rio de Janeiro, in 1972 or 1973, so someone must have seen it anywhere else.
#2 : a documentary about the Ontario GP (F1 x FA-USA) in 1971, won by Mario Andretti (Ferrari 312 B). If I could see it here more than 30 years ago, where is this film ?
#3 : a documentary about FA (F5000 in the USA) also seen here on TV some 33 years ago.
#4 : an American film (I can not remember the actors) called (that's my re-translation, from the Brazilian name of the film back to English, as I do not know its original title) "It happened in Montecarlo", where there are many scenes of a Monaco GP (50's years).
#5 : a documentary about F1 from 1978, presented by Rommy Schneider.

Also, there is a Brazilian documentary about Emerson Fittipaldi ("The Fabulous Fittipaldi"), showing his career up to the beginning of 1973, including many interviews, racing scenes (1972 season) and some rare scenes about the accident envolving the Lotus Team transporter truck in its way to the 1972 Italian GP. I think it is not difficult to obtain this particular film.

So : where are those films ?
Is it possible to contact the producers in order to see if they want to re-issue them ?
Does anyone in this Forum know where to start from ?

André Acker.

[2F-001]

Hello Andre, and welcome!

With regard to the first film you mention - the Roman Polanski/Jackie Stewart film - it was called "Weekend of a Champion", which may help you track it down.

[Gary C]

"Weekend of a Champion" - it's certainly out on VHS, don't know about a DVD release

[Martin Roessler]

#2 : a documentary about the Ontario GP (F1 x FA-USA) in 1971, won by Mario Andretti (Ferrari 312 B). If I could see it here more than 30 years ago, where is this film ?

Hi there,
should be The Speed Merchants
or "Wheels of Thunder" when released in Australia.
cheers Marty

[Martin Roessler]

oops

[Dave Ware]

"The Speed Merchants" covers several races in the 1972 World Manufacter's championship. It did not cover the Questor Grand Prix at Ontario Motor Speedway, at least not as released in the U.S.

Recently, I saw a few minutes of a film that was broadcast here in the U.S. It is called "Once Upon a Wheel" and I believe it was narrated by Paul Newman. It is easily found on Google. It was produced in 1968, so it would not have included the 1971 Questor Grand Prix, but likely is worth watching anyway.

About 33 years ago I also saw a documentary about FA/F5000. Don't remember the title. I remember that Sam Posey was interviewed, or perhaps he narrated it. I seem to remember race footage from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car course. Although I don't remember the name - there was also a film called "To Win at Mid-Ohio", which in the early seventies could be borrowed from the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Super 8 format. It's possible they are the same. A Google search reveals nothing. A couple of years ago, Karl Ludvigsen was looking for a copy of this film, since he created or produced it. Don't know if he ever found it, or if he still posts here.

I hadn't know about the Fittipaldi documentary. I'll have to see if there is a version in English.

Dave

[David Birchall]

Perhaps it is time to mention "The Sound of Speed" again....

[Andre Acker]

Many thanks to all of you who took a few moments to help me (or us, as we are trying to maintain alive the memory of our sport).

Dave, about the Fittipaldi documentary, I do not believe it was shown outside Brasil. But it is very interesting and the technical quality is very good. It is narrated (is this the correct word ?) in Portuguese.
I am trying to find it in DVD, although sometimes it is (re)presented in the Brazilian cable TV.

About the FA/F5000 film, I remember Andrea de Adamich (Italian driver, who drove for Surtees on F5000 and perhaps did some races in the USA on FA) on it and, I think, John Surtees (as a constructor). Also Sam Posey.

Martin, I have the "Speed Merchants" film, it is not this one. I think Paul Newman had something to do with this film (Ontario GP).

About the J. Stewart film, it is out of catalogue. Does anybody has a copy of it ? I would like to buy it or ... copy this copy !

André Acker.

[Dave Ware]

James Garner made a documentary, "The Racing Scene", in 1971. I read somewhere on the web that he entered a FA car for Andrea de Adamich, so perhaps this is the film you're remembering. Posey was in FA in '71, driving a Surtees.

I'll have to remember to get copies of "The Racing Scene" and "Once Upon a Wheel." Maybe put them on my Christmas wish list.

[Jim Thurman]

"Once Upon A Wheel", hosted by P.L. Newman was originally a one hour long television special (IIRC, NBC) that aired in March or April of 1971. It had a tremendous amount of 1969 and 1970 footage, with the 1970 opening of Ontario Motor Speedway and the inaugural 'California 500' being featured. I had taped it off a broadcast on ESPN Classic circa 1998, but it is now available on DVD, which my brother picked up. Despite being hokey in spots, the footage is wonderful and the drivers interviewed, I mean where else is one going to find Bobby Isaac and Graham Hill, LeeRoy Yarbrough and John Surtees?. A great time capsule.

James Garner did field a Formula A and Off Road team, as American International Racing, and "The Racing Scene" follows them. Speedvision ran it near Christmas of 2002, but it is yet (as of last check) unavailable on either tape or DVD - at least to the public. Do a search of The Nostalgia Forum for Racing Scene or Garner and a discussion we had here should turn up (well, Garner will show up a lot in the "Grand Prix" thread).

The only footage I've seen of the Questor GP was footage used in one of ESPN's "Glory Days", but like others in that series, the footage has had to have come from an original source. I know the Questor GP was televised, but blacked out in Southern California - as were other OMS televised races. I never saw an OMS event on TV.

But, I was at the Questor GP anyway...so at least I got to see it.

[Pablo Vignone]

Not Romy Schneider but Sydne Rome
The movie was Italian and based in 1977 stuff, but I don't remember the name.
I saw it in January 1979.

[Macca]

Was the film translated as 'It Happened in Monte Carlo' a comedy?; if so, did it star Glenn Ford?

Otherwise called 'Love is a Ball', aka 'All This and Money Too'.

Paul M

[nigel red5]

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
The only footage I've seen of the Questor GP was footage used in one of ESPN's "Glory Days", but like others in that series, the footage has had to have come from an original source. I know the Questor GP was televised, but blacked out in Southern California - as were other OMS televised races. I never saw an OMS event on TV.

Exactly. The glory days retro film about the 1971 Questor GP is 22 mins long, has Dave Despain briefly outline the concept before and after the film itself, which is narrated by Jim Nettleton (?)

Did a search on Rommy Schneider but did'nt return much of use. To be honest i'd never heard of her until i happened upon this thread yesterday. The Sydne Rome film is called Speed Fever, and has a sequel called Pole Position : The warriors of Formula 1. The only other 1978 F1 doco that i know of is an odd one with the German title Formel romisch eins, focusing on the journalists & machanics as much as the drivers.

Jackie Stewart's weekend of a champion is as Gary says pretty easy to get hold of.

O Faboluso Fittipaldi (without checking my notes) is 90 mins long and was never dubbed into English. There is also a more recently made Emmo docu-film called "Bi-campeano 72 na 74" (self explanitory), and that one is about 70 mins long.

I have the Weekend of a champion, Questor GP film, Speed fever & O faboluso Fittipaldi programmes here, but sadly not the other ones mentioned.

[Andre Acker]

Well, thanks again for the information.
You are right, it was Sydne Rome and not Rommy Schneider !

Nigel, where did you get these films ?

To everybody : are there other films to be mentionned ?

For example, anything about CanAm ? I have a documentary filmed in 1996 (Road America, I think) but are there films about the real races ?

There are other races that I would like to see, but I do not know if they were filmed : World Touring Car Championship 1994 (Donnington Park) and 1995 (Paul Ricard).

Were these races shown at TV ?

[Frank S]

I hope everyone has had an opportunity to see
Haybales And Asphalt

--
Frank S

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Andre Acker

To everybody : are there other films to be mentionned ?

One I remember seeing, and have on tape (somewhere ) - "Stock Car". It featured Dick Brooks, David Pearson, car owner Junie Donlevy (who Brooks drove for at the time). Done in 1975-'76. It follows Brooks around, footage of races, Pearson's visit to a short track in Mobile, Alabama. Nice little film, easily one of the best attempted at covering NASCAR. And now a great time capsule as well.

[William Edgar]

Hello Andre and others,

William Edgar here. I was involved in writing and the production of the Paul Newman “Once Upon A Wheel” ABC-TV special that aired prime time in 1971. This was later extended to 90 minutes to include highlights of the Questor Grand Prix won of March 28, 1970 at Ontario Motor Speedway. The 90-minute version was then released in Europe, but not the U.S.

I also wrote, produced and directed the Sam Posey and David Hobbs film shot at Mid-Ohio in 1971. My 7-page article about Sam and David and the making of this film is in Vintage Motorsport magazine’s July/August 2003 issue.

I wrote James Garner’s “The Racing Scene.” It was shot in 1969 and released for a brief theater run in 1971. It is NOT available on DVD.

PLEASE READ THIS: I am very interested in still photographs shot on August 9, 1970 at the Ontario Motor Speedway (California) “Dedication Day” that featured a Pro-Celebrity race using Porsche 914/6 sports cars. Team drivers, among others, included Al Unser, Parnelli Jones, Hugh Downs, Paul Newman, Pete Conrad, Pancho Gonzales, and Dick Smothers/Bobby Unser who “won” the Pro-Celeb race. Officials included Kirk Douglas and James Garner. I am NOT interested in photos shot at any other OMS event, just the “Dedication Day.” THANKS!

For further details on the films mentioned here, check my website: www.edgar-motorsport.com


Regards, with many thanks,

Will Edgar

[Andre Acker]

Hello William,

So, does the "Once upon a wheel" DVD version brings the 1971 Questor GP ?
If so, I will order my copy now !

About "Weekend of a Champion", it seems it is not available anywhere.

Does anyone have any idea where I can get a copy of it ?

André Acker.

[Stephane Lebiez]

Nobody Knows about can-am film on dvd ?

http://membres.lycos.fr/canam

[Andre Acker]

Stephane,

The only things I have about CanAm are 3 VHS taken from "amateur" films from Montchenbacher's ex-wife.
Not interesting.
I also have one VHS about the CanAm 30 years celebration in 1996, at Road America, but it has no images from the past.
Regards,
André Acker.

[Emilio]

Hi,

I have the following movies:

-weekend of a champion-
I have a copy in English and it is a movie with Jackie Stewart and the footage of the Monaco Gp 1971.

-Speed fever-
It is the English and German title for the Italian movie "Formula 1 febbre della velocit'". Here in Italy is a "must" for the motorsport fans of the seventies.
It includes a lot of famous crashes of the 70s (f1 and indy)

-Pole position-
It is the sequel of "Speed fever".

-Turbo time-
It is the sequel of "Pole position" and it features a lot of bike scenes.

Here in Italy, during the 80s, I have seen a movie called "the favoloso Fittipaldi" and the audio was in Italian. But I don't have a copy of that.

If you need other info, don't hesitate to contact me.

Ciao
Emilio Boldi, Italy

[Emilio]

Hi,
I have forgotten my email:

monzasport@yahoo.it

Ciao
Emilio

[rudi]

There is here above some reference to Romy Schneider.
In a 1959 movie, she got a ride on Testut's 250F at Monaco.
Here a link to the captures:
http://www.imcdb.org...-auf-Erden.html
There is in this film a strange mix of images with F1 and FJunior cars.
The car of the hero is Testut's Maserati 250F.
Here a pit capture with Jean-Paul Belmondo having both hands in the engine

[RTH]

So how do we go about getting a DVD copy of this film, is there a region 2 version, is there one either dubbed in to English or with English sub titles ? Looks interesting.

[Rob29]

Amazing I have never heard of this film before or seen colour photos of Testut's 250F or the FJ race.Both the Maser & Behra/deFilippis Porsche did not ,of course, qualify for the actual race.

[Ralf Pickel]

Originally posted by RTH
So how do we go about getting a DVD copy of this film, is there a region 2 version, is there one either dubbed in to English or with English sub titles ? Looks interesting.

Thats an easy one:

http://www.amazon.co...20258218&sr=8-4

[Rob29]

Originally posted by Ralf Pickel


Thats an easy one:

http://www.amazon.co...20258218&sr=8-4

thanks Ralf DVD duly ordered.

[Arjan de Roos]

...... The only other 1978 F1 doco that i know of is an odd one with the German title Formel romisch eins, focusing on the journalists & machanics as much as the drivers. ....

 

Saw this on YouTube. Appeared to have been made by a Director called Helmar Spannenberger (1944-2016). With cameraman Heinz Rexer using a high-speed camera. A very fragmented documentary, focusing at a point on the Peterson accident in a (IMHO) rather confronting way. Yet shows some great insight in F1 during the 1978 season.

I wonder who the journo is shown midway movie who asks silly questions to John Watson and Mario Andretti and gets sodded off by BE in the end.

Edited by Arjan de Roos, 27 December 2023 - 09:25.

[Gary C]

You need to check out my 2 dvd documentary on the Lotus72:
www.lotus72dvd.com
4 hours of inside stories by the people who were there.

[ReWind]

I wonder who the journo is shown midway movie who asks ...

It's Yörn Pugmeister (Jörn Gerald Pugmeister 1940 - 2022).

[Arjan de Roos]

Thank you for your reply and apologies for late reply! (happy new year!!!).