Le Mans on DVD
Steve McQueen brings the star power that undoubtedly helped raise the financing
for this unusual racing film.
Its unusual in that this isnt so much a soap opera interspersed
with some racing footage as it is a movie about the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto
race - with some storyline put in to break up the racing action and humanize
the characters.
McQueen isnt really needed here; his role isnt a stretch for an
actor and could have been played by any journeyman performer. He undoubtedly
signed on so he could do his own driving, and we can imagine he must have had
a lot of fun during the filming.
McQueen is Michael Delaney, American race driver rebounding after an accident
the previous year that killed a compatriot. Here hes representing Porsche
in a grudge match with Ferrari in the top class of the race, guiding the beautifully
sleek 917 around the eight mile track.
But, in an unusual move for a movie with a big name star, hes put out
of the race quite early thanks to a lapse in his concentration and it looks
as if hes going to be forced to watch the rest of the classic race from
pit row. Will he ever get a chance to redeem his accident of the past year and
bring Porsche the victory it wants so desperately?
We wont spoil it for you.
Theres a lot to like about Le Mans, the movie. More than just a standard
drama, the film gives you a good feel for the race itself, with camera shots
from the drivers perspective, low shots from all sides of the cars that
really impart the feeling of speed - and even shots of the carnival atmosphere
that surrounds one of the most famous races on the planet.
Le Mans was obviously a labor of love, made by people who love motorsports
and who wanted to bring an accurate portrayal of the race to the screen. Its
obviously Hollywoodized to a certain extent, but still manages to come off surprisingly
pure.
So if youre looking for a human drama, forget it. This is about the pursuit
of speed and the checkered flag, and as such it succeeds on all counts.
Theyve even done a nice job with the audio, which has been remastered
into Dolby Digital 5.1 surround. We didnt note a lot of surround, but
Michel Legrands score uses the main front speakers very well - and the
screaming of cars by the camera is accompanied on many occasions by a delicious
audio pan from right to left channel as the car passes by.
The DVD is also presented in anamorphic widescreen, 16x9 TV compatible and
though theres a tad of grain at times for the most part the picture quality
is very good. We start off with a bit of a strange aspect ratio that includes
black bars to each side of the screen, but most of the film is presented in
standard 2.35:1 and looks great.
Speaking of looking great, car buffs will love the hardware on display here!
We would have loved to see some extras with the DVD, for instance some good
background info on how they made the film and made it feel so authentic, but
twas not to be. You dont even get the trailer!
Drat!
Oh well, if you have gasoline in your veins, youll love Le Mans.
Le Mans, from Paramount Home Video
108 min. anamorphic widescreen (2.35:1, 16x9 TV compatible), Dolby Digital 5.1
surround
Starring Steven McQueen
Produced by Jack N. Reddish
Written by Harry Kleiner, directed by Lee H. Katzin
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