'1' the Movie

[Stu]

Anyone watched Paul Crowder's documentary '1' the Movie?

http://www.firstshowing.net/2013/indie-trailer-sunday-1-the-movie-documentary-about-formula-one/

[Fran]

I havent seen it but did watch the trailer through your linky.

I may be in the minority here, but I don't know that there is anything new to say - there have been endless documentaries on the danger years all with mostly the same talking heads saying the same things with a back ground of pictures showing the same drivers being killed.

I am sure there must still be family and friends of these racers around who wouldnt want to have people still gawping at these scenes after all this time.

Time and safety have moved on, no doubt in large part due to previous generations' misfortunes, and whilst it is still potentially a dangerous sport, I don't think we can view the current drivers as being the exploited victims of a business that is prepared to sacrifice lives just for a bit of product placement so I am not sure what is the point of raking over past errors.

Just my penn'orth.

F

[Boorish Grobian]

I'm with you Fran, more of the same old crash footage being re-packaged and exploited.  If I were one of the same bunch of retired drivers, re-hashing a colleagues tragic demise, at some point one would think, enough of this crap, its pure sensationalism in the name of making a buck.  But sadly as soon as somebody waves a check in front of these guys they're willing to re-live some horrific moment from the past, doesn't matter if the family has to re-live it as well.  I'd have thought by now JYS would be tired of talking about Jochen's death, good buddies & all, but it seem's he'll recount it in all its gory detail if someone will throw some cash his way.
This just sensationalist garbage, no other way to put it.
Fax

[Stu]

Well, I downloaded this last night and watched it and both replies above sum it up. Nothing new. 

[Boorish Grobian]

Fran mentions the talking heads, many of them being ex drivers.  I've become convinced that former racing drivers, especially those that had some notoriety, are pretty weird people.  It seems like anytime, anyone wants to interview them, or throw some attention their way, especially if they're getting paid for it, they'll re-hash just about anything.  They were used to getting attention and being fawned over, and they'll take whatever they can get now.
I had a utterly bizarre encounter with Derek Daly (who had been at the Sarthe working for Speed TV) at De Gaulle airport one year on the way home from Le Mans.  We were both on the same Air France flight to CVG, and while sitting there next to him waiting to board, I mentioned to him that I was a fan of his during his racing days. Mentioned that I still have the Autosport from when he clinched the British F3 title, etc.  He seemed happy as a clam, to talk about this stuff, I brought up some of his lesser known colleagues like Stephen South, Rad Dougall, and what a great era it was for British F3, Euro F2, etc.
He was perfectly happy to sit and chat about his glory days.  I mentioned that Ronnie Peterson was my big hero back then, and was frankly a bit taken back when the first thing out of his mouth was "I was one of the guys who pulled him from his burning car at Monza" (which is mostly incorrect, he stood by like a deer in the headlights while Hunt, Depailler, and Regga pulled him from the Lotus).
However, I soon as I mentioned the race at Le Mans, and asked his thoughts about contemporary racing, and stopped talking about his career, he suddenly buried his head back in his tabloid rag, and continued on with his article about Princess Di's recently discovered alien love child.  Wouldn't look up at me, or give me the time of day.
Like I said, a really rude, weird dude.
I get the impression a lot of these guys are like that.
Fax

[Fran]

I have heard drivers say that to be successful as a racer you need to be utterly self-centred, supremely confident and selfish.  The minute you start to care about anyone else (whether its other drivers on the track beside you or family and home) you start to hesitate and if you hesitate you come second.... or nowhere at all.

On the same basis, I imagine that the average race fan has a broader interest (and knowledge) in racing, the different classes, different drivers, circuits etc than the driver whose main interest is themself, their car, their race and their class.

Possibly a reason why some of them come across as incredibly dull!

F

(Obviously there are exceptions to this... but it seems to fit many)

[jimclark]

I have heard drivers say that to be successful as a racer you need to be utterly self-centred, supremely confident and selfish.  The minute you start to care about anyone else (whether its other drivers on the track beside you or family and home) you start to hesitate and if you hesitate you come second.... or nowhere at all.

On the same basis, I imagine that the average race fan has a broader interest (and knowledge) in racing, the different classes, different drivers, circuits etc than the driver whose main interest is themself, their car, their race and their class.

Possibly a reason why some of them come across as incredibly dull!

F

(Obviously there are exceptions to this... but it seems to fit many)

Is this different than anyone at the top of their field???

[Fran]

...'wuz s'posed to be replying to a different thread on a totally different forum. 

... even so, its pretty appropriate here too!