Ensign Lestat's Film Log, 17/10/2013
I started watching Formula 1 races because of cricket. Here's how - the country I used to live in at one point had a grand total of three sports channels, none of which could fit in a schedule of two live sporting events at the same time, apparently. So, more often than not, my weekend evening cricket watching ended up being unceremoniously cut short by the feed switching to the next live sporting event. Most of the time that would be Formula 1. Frustrated at the inability to watch my game live, I'd wait for the ticker tape to inform me of the goings-on. Cricinfo was always there, but the internet wasn't, so that was my only source.
It didn't take long for me to become enamoured of Formula 1. I was immediately taken in by Michael Schumacher's abilities and his apparent humility after each win. Yes, there was the occasional tactic that I wasn't a fan of, and yes, if he didn't have a supportive partner in Felipe Massa he would most likely not have won that many races. But, all in all, watching him race with dexterity and some pretty fabulous planning (leaving changing tyres to the last minute so he had gained enough traction to smoothly reach the chequered flag before everyone else) made me a definite fan. My favourite cricket team were perennial winners at the time, hence I had dual opportunities to feel triumphant.
Nowadays, unfortunately, I hardly see any Formula 1. I don't know if they show it here, or if I subscribe to the channel. But one good thing is that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is pretty much a mainstay now on the F1 calendar. A few years ago the family bought themselves some tickets for the F1 and I had the opportunity to watch the game live - it's definitely a very spectacular experience. The noise, the energy, the cars.
So, the release of 'Rush' was always marked on our calendars. Granted it came here later than everywhere else (but of course). The story revolves around F1 in the 1970s. That was a very different time. Not surprisingly my mum knew of the characters in the film, she having been a fan of Formula 1 years before I got hooked on it. And, she was an admirer of Niki Lauda, the protagonist of this fascinating tale. Sometimes I think falling in love with sports just runs in the blood.
It's the early 1970s and Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) loves racing, so much so that he throws his father's money and business opportunities in his face, takes out a loan and goes in search of a racing car owner desperate enough to hire a rookie.
In the meantime, James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is revealed to us as a cocky, risk-taking, ladies man, making his name in Britain's Formula 3 circuit courtesy the wealth of his racing fan friend, Lord Hesketh (Christian McKay).
When first they meet, Hunt virtually drives Lauda off the track to win the race. This results in the two of them hurling a number of insults at each other - chief among them being a**hole.
Thus begins a rivalry that will shape both their racing lives.
When Hunt later hears that Lauda has signed on with Ferrari he is desperate to get in to the big league. Hesketh obligingly gets him his very own Formula 1 car and the man goes on to race - except that he is unable to finish his races. With the car not being up to scratch he ends up on the sidelines more often than not.
In between Hunt meets Suzy (Olivia Wilde) and promptly marries her. Lauda also meets a lovely lady, Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara). Marlene appears to be very supportive of Lauda, and she's in the pits when he's racing. Suzy has her own career, which obviously suits Hunt well, since he's up to no good with a lot of ladies.
All good things must come to an end, however, and it isn't long before Hesketh announces to Hunt that he's run out of money and they've got no sponsors, so they can no longer race. Desperate for his next 'drive', Hunt starts knocking on as many doors as he can, before finally getting the nod from McLaren. The McLaren car is better suited to racing and it isn't long before Hunt is climbing the drivers' board. This is very irksome to Lauda, but he remains confident.
Everything changes when it comes to the German Grand Prix. At the time held in the dangerous Nürburgring, Lauda suggests that the risks are too high, given that not only is the track not up to safety standards, but that continuous rain has increased the chances of risk. Lauda goes by numbers, 20%, he says, is acceptable. In this race it is much higher. But, Hunt sways the crowd and the race goes ahead, ending tragically for Lauda.
From here on the film takes a somewhat uncomfortable turn. Having not known the story of Lauda, I'm glad the second trailer hinted at what was to come - because the first just made the film look like a fun racing movie.
While it is disturbing to watch Lauda suffering, the overwhelming feeling is that of inspired determination. Lauda's insistence on returning to the circuit barely six weeks later belies a drive that can't hardly be replicated. These are stories you cannot make up.
At the outset let me say that where I live films still get censored heavily for sex and nudity. There was definitely a significant amount of that in this film which was all cut. There was absolutely nothing in it that we saw, it was all very chaste. I wouldn't have even known that it was censored had it not been for a distinct clicking sound in between Lauda's wedding scene and the following scene of him talking to his wife. Of course, a cursory glance through IMDb's forums tell me all I need to know. The reason for including this is because by now it is evident that I am no fan of either nudity or sex in films. It's rarely ever tastefully done (how that's even possible, I know not), and more often than not there's too much of the ladies and not enough of the gents and it's pandering to one section of society only. Having seen this film without all of that, I can comment on my thoughts regarding only what I saw. Whether, when this is out on bluray, my thoughts and feelings change will remain to be seen. My hope is that it does not have too big an impact on my viewing of this film, but undoubtedly it will affect it at least a little.
Spoilers begin.
I really like Chris Hemsworth - it's obvious from the way I gushed over him in my 'The Avengers' review. The man is a beauty, and in this film his hairstyle really benefits his looks. As does taking his shirt off. This is a very different kind of film from his blockbuster outings, and I've seen him in precious little else.
'Rush' is a drama that happens to have Formula 1 in it. It's a film about two rivals, but we spend more time getting to know the two individuals separate from each other, than we do as opponents. We see their characters grow, we identify with them, we chastise them, we sympathise with them, we love them, we hate them. They are not black and white.
If Hunt won his first race against Lauda in Formula 3 rather unfairly, then Lauda and his team should never have asked the officials to check the dimensions of Hunt's car in the Spanish Grand Prix. It led to Hunt losing points (which were later recompensed).
At the same time, you can't help but feel for Hunt as he desperately searches for a new team, but we do not love him when he abuses his wife with some very unflattering terms. But we can't not fall for him when he takes out a reporter for insulting Niki after his return from the hospital, and our hearts go out to him when he's terrified by the rain-soaked tracks of the Japanese Grand Prix, all masked by bravado. And yes, we are jumping with joy when he wins the championship, there is a mesmeric happiness on his face that almost perfectly duplicates that of the real man who risked it all to get the win.
We go through a similar, albeit a less tumultuous rollercoaster ride with Lauda. We love his determination. But we are wary of a man who so stoically stands by his terms. When he instructs the pit crew to overhaul the car that then runs faster, his exacting terms to the owner are difficult to swallow. But hey, he's World Champion in 1975, so who are we to argue.
It's fun to see him show off to his two Italian fans and his future wife. But he's cold and calculating, he doesn't make friends. He's way too serious. How do you connect with a man like that? But we do. Our hearts break when he is out-voted before the German Grand Prix, and we suffer with him as he recuperates in hospital. And we're all a bit teary eyed when he returns, a changed man, but still with the same devotion. And yes, we love that the film romantises the reasons for him quitting the Japan race, and the quiet way in which he accepts that he is not the champion.
There's good, there's bad - that's what being a person is all about. And that is what I love most about this film. It is about people. Real people with flaws. But real people who can inspire you. The events take place over three decades ago, but they still feel so real today. Both characters are so different from each other, but they are both, as Lauda says at the end of the film 'Champs'. We're all aiming for the same goal, but we make our own paths getting there.
So, yes, I really liked the film. Filming a big sporting event from ground level always gives you a brand new perspective. Ron Howard gave us the opportunity to see what the drivers were seeing, an especially poignant tactic when he filmed Lauda's comeback race. They always say show, don't tell. Howard got that bang on in that scene, showing us how difficult it was for Lauda to see through his now injured eyes, his own fear writ across his face. The real man was absolutely petrified, and despite it all he won that race.
Despite my praise, there were some flaws in this film. First up, not enough of the rivalry is on display. I wanted to see the two of them on the track, using their tactics to beat each other. This was their ring, can't we see them fight? There just wasn't enough one-on-one action. The race headlines were brilliant, imbuing that 70s feel of telecasting into the film, but there wasn't enough of the two of them swerving, accelerating and beating each other. We know they are good, but we do not know how.
Also, with there being so much emphasis on Chris in the promos, it is jarring when the narrative is by Brühl's Lauda. He is the sole narrator, and this makes Chris's entrance bizarre. Had it been from the POV of Lauda, him being still alive and re-telling their story, the narrative would have made sense, but telling the story as it was, the use of narration doesn't fit. If Howard was trying to establish that only Lauda is alive, and can tell his story, it didn't work. I'd read an article so hence I knew that Hunt had passed away, but in the normal course of things, whether I am familiar with the subject-matter of a film or not, I won't read up much on it.
I also wished there had been more wider shots of the races, to give the audience a better understanding of the race situation. We get all angles when watching races on television now, but it's helpful to get an overview, who's in which lap and where. I'm pretty sure the budgets didn't allow for it, which would make sense, but I couldn't, at times, immerse myself completely in the race situation. But, that just may be me.
Since this film veers towards the drama genre, the acting is important. I think the supporting cast could have been better - when we're first introduced to Hunt's friends, Hesketh et. al., I found the acting wanting. It gets better. There's not much of Natalia Dormer or Olivia Wilde (from what I saw anyway), which is seriously a good thing, because I don't like either, though Dormer actually does have some acting abilities which is perennially hidden by her nude scenes. Wilde on the other hand is a lost cause. I seriously don't know how or why she keeps getting roles. She adds nothing to the creds of female stars in Hollywood - she's always in roles as supporting cast, and usually a character with no backbone. Suzy's not that bad, but she still doesn't come across as credible.
Lara is quietly sweet in the film, looking more earnest than doe-eyed. She came into her own as Marlene waits in the hospital and watches her husband suffer. Very touching.
With the entire film riding on their backs, our two main actors certainly do a good job. I felt Chris' accent slipped a couple of times, but he certainly had the false bravado down pat. He bloomed in the Japan Grand Prix scenes where Hunt is terrified. I believe his work came across as effortless, and he looks much like the real Hunt, and made the entire role believable. As I said, it's not always easy for us to love Hunt, but Chris makes it possible.
The star of the film is definitely Brühl. I didn't know where I'd seen him before till my sister reminded me that he was the annoying German soldier in 'Inglourious Basterds'. Man, he was so annoying in that film. Would have killed him myself had I the chance. Here he foregoes his sweet looks for Lauda's overbite and curly locks and very serious demeanour. He completely embodies Lauda and escapes into his role. I enjoyed his performance. People are screaming Oscar-worthy, I don't know if I saw that, but I saw effortless and brilliant acting all the same. I'm glad he's already got another big project under his belt and I hope that he gets more chances in Hollywood. He's definitely one to look out for, and I hope he does his abilities a fair amount of justice.
The film is good, even great, but I still think it could have been better. More interaction between the two would have really benefited the film - after all, it is about their rivalry. Also, the random inclusion of the scene where Hunt punches the reporter was fun but would not have been necessary had they built up the different aspects of the two men's relationship during the film.
The ending is a sweet and quiet one, intermingling scenes from the film with those of the real people. But here we are told how much they respect each other, rather than being shown it throughout the film, which is a pity really, considering this is really a very good film. Maybe a second viewing will change my view, hopefully for the better.
My sister and I had a long chat about the film after watching it. We usually don't get time to chat about what we've watched because we're always in a rush, but this time, with a few days off, we got to chat. While talking we were wondering aloud if it was all worth it. Some drivers died racing, others, like Lauda's Ferrari partner, Clay Regazzoni had ended up paralysed (though Regazzoni continued other forms of racing despite it and had a successful career as a commentator) and Lauda himself, being horrifically disfigured. But the film answers that question for us, 'Rush' is that much-needed adrenaline rush that we all need. You're watching a film that pinpoints tragic events, but you want to be behind that wheel yourself. And if you're me, you'll be wishing you weren't such a pathetic driver, and that you really could get into one of those beasts and drive it at 400kph.
To end with, here's a few lines from 'Cosy Prisons', one of my favourite a-ha songs. It really sums up what this film is about, and also what most of us are always thinking.
"So if you’re careful
I started watching Formula 1 races because of cricket. Here's how - the country I used to live in at one point had a grand total of three sports channels, none of which could fit in a schedule of two live sporting events at the same time, apparently. So, more often than not, my weekend evening cricket watching ended up being unceremoniously cut short by the feed switching to the next live sporting event. Most of the time that would be Formula 1. Frustrated at the inability to watch my game live, I'd wait for the ticker tape to inform me of the goings-on. Cricinfo was always there, but the internet wasn't, so that was my only source.
It didn't take long for me to become enamoured of Formula 1. I was immediately taken in by Michael Schumacher's abilities and his apparent humility after each win. Yes, there was the occasional tactic that I wasn't a fan of, and yes, if he didn't have a supportive partner in Felipe Massa he would most likely not have won that many races. But, all in all, watching him race with dexterity and some pretty fabulous planning (leaving changing tyres to the last minute so he had gained enough traction to smoothly reach the chequered flag before everyone else) made me a definite fan. My favourite cricket team were perennial winners at the time, hence I had dual opportunities to feel triumphant.
Nowadays, unfortunately, I hardly see any Formula 1. I don't know if they show it here, or if I subscribe to the channel. But one good thing is that the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is pretty much a mainstay now on the F1 calendar. A few years ago the family bought themselves some tickets for the F1 and I had the opportunity to watch the game live - it's definitely a very spectacular experience. The noise, the energy, the cars.
So, the release of 'Rush' was always marked on our calendars. Granted it came here later than everywhere else (but of course). The story revolves around F1 in the 1970s. That was a very different time. Not surprisingly my mum knew of the characters in the film, she having been a fan of Formula 1 years before I got hooked on it. And, she was an admirer of Niki Lauda, the protagonist of this fascinating tale. Sometimes I think falling in love with sports just runs in the blood.It's the early 1970s and Austrian Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl) loves racing, so much so that he throws his father's money and business opportunities in his face, takes out a loan and goes in search of a racing car owner desperate enough to hire a rookie.
In the meantime, James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) is revealed to us as a cocky, risk-taking, ladies man, making his name in Britain's Formula 3 circuit courtesy the wealth of his racing fan friend, Lord Hesketh (Christian McKay).
When first they meet, Hunt virtually drives Lauda off the track to win the race. This results in the two of them hurling a number of insults at each other - chief among them being a**hole.
Thus begins a rivalry that will shape both their racing lives.
When Hunt later hears that Lauda has signed on with Ferrari he is desperate to get in to the big league. Hesketh obligingly gets him his very own Formula 1 car and the man goes on to race - except that he is unable to finish his races. With the car not being up to scratch he ends up on the sidelines more often than not.
In between Hunt meets Suzy (Olivia Wilde) and promptly marries her. Lauda also meets a lovely lady, Marlene (Alexandra Maria Lara). Marlene appears to be very supportive of Lauda, and she's in the pits when he's racing. Suzy has her own career, which obviously suits Hunt well, since he's up to no good with a lot of ladies.
All good things must come to an end, however, and it isn't long before Hesketh announces to Hunt that he's run out of money and they've got no sponsors, so they can no longer race. Desperate for his next 'drive', Hunt starts knocking on as many doors as he can, before finally getting the nod from McLaren. The McLaren car is better suited to racing and it isn't long before Hunt is climbing the drivers' board. This is very irksome to Lauda, but he remains confident.
 |
| Lauda and Hunt - polar opposites. |
From here on the film takes a somewhat uncomfortable turn. Having not known the story of Lauda, I'm glad the second trailer hinted at what was to come - because the first just made the film look like a fun racing movie.
While it is disturbing to watch Lauda suffering, the overwhelming feeling is that of inspired determination. Lauda's insistence on returning to the circuit barely six weeks later belies a drive that can't hardly be replicated. These are stories you cannot make up.
At the outset let me say that where I live films still get censored heavily for sex and nudity. There was definitely a significant amount of that in this film which was all cut. There was absolutely nothing in it that we saw, it was all very chaste. I wouldn't have even known that it was censored had it not been for a distinct clicking sound in between Lauda's wedding scene and the following scene of him talking to his wife. Of course, a cursory glance through IMDb's forums tell me all I need to know. The reason for including this is because by now it is evident that I am no fan of either nudity or sex in films. It's rarely ever tastefully done (how that's even possible, I know not), and more often than not there's too much of the ladies and not enough of the gents and it's pandering to one section of society only. Having seen this film without all of that, I can comment on my thoughts regarding only what I saw. Whether, when this is out on bluray, my thoughts and feelings change will remain to be seen. My hope is that it does not have too big an impact on my viewing of this film, but undoubtedly it will affect it at least a little.
Spoilers begin.
I really like Chris Hemsworth - it's obvious from the way I gushed over him in my 'The Avengers' review. The man is a beauty, and in this film his hairstyle really benefits his looks. As does taking his shirt off. This is a very different kind of film from his blockbuster outings, and I've seen him in precious little else.
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| Chris Hemsworth in 'Rush'. |
If Hunt won his first race against Lauda in Formula 3 rather unfairly, then Lauda and his team should never have asked the officials to check the dimensions of Hunt's car in the Spanish Grand Prix. It led to Hunt losing points (which were later recompensed).
At the same time, you can't help but feel for Hunt as he desperately searches for a new team, but we do not love him when he abuses his wife with some very unflattering terms. But we can't not fall for him when he takes out a reporter for insulting Niki after his return from the hospital, and our hearts go out to him when he's terrified by the rain-soaked tracks of the Japanese Grand Prix, all masked by bravado. And yes, we are jumping with joy when he wins the championship, there is a mesmeric happiness on his face that almost perfectly duplicates that of the real man who risked it all to get the win.
 |
| Chris Hemsworth is James Hunt. |
It's fun to see him show off to his two Italian fans and his future wife. But he's cold and calculating, he doesn't make friends. He's way too serious. How do you connect with a man like that? But we do. Our hearts break when he is out-voted before the German Grand Prix, and we suffer with him as he recuperates in hospital. And we're all a bit teary eyed when he returns, a changed man, but still with the same devotion. And yes, we love that the film romantises the reasons for him quitting the Japan race, and the quiet way in which he accepts that he is not the champion.
 |
| Danny Brühl is Niki Lauda. |
So, yes, I really liked the film. Filming a big sporting event from ground level always gives you a brand new perspective. Ron Howard gave us the opportunity to see what the drivers were seeing, an especially poignant tactic when he filmed Lauda's comeback race. They always say show, don't tell. Howard got that bang on in that scene, showing us how difficult it was for Lauda to see through his now injured eyes, his own fear writ across his face. The real man was absolutely petrified, and despite it all he won that race.
Despite my praise, there were some flaws in this film. First up, not enough of the rivalry is on display. I wanted to see the two of them on the track, using their tactics to beat each other. This was their ring, can't we see them fight? There just wasn't enough one-on-one action. The race headlines were brilliant, imbuing that 70s feel of telecasting into the film, but there wasn't enough of the two of them swerving, accelerating and beating each other. We know they are good, but we do not know how.
 |
| Rivals. |
I also wished there had been more wider shots of the races, to give the audience a better understanding of the race situation. We get all angles when watching races on television now, but it's helpful to get an overview, who's in which lap and where. I'm pretty sure the budgets didn't allow for it, which would make sense, but I couldn't, at times, immerse myself completely in the race situation. But, that just may be me.
Since this film veers towards the drama genre, the acting is important. I think the supporting cast could have been better - when we're first introduced to Hunt's friends, Hesketh et. al., I found the acting wanting. It gets better. There's not much of Natalia Dormer or Olivia Wilde (from what I saw anyway), which is seriously a good thing, because I don't like either, though Dormer actually does have some acting abilities which is perennially hidden by her nude scenes. Wilde on the other hand is a lost cause. I seriously don't know how or why she keeps getting roles. She adds nothing to the creds of female stars in Hollywood - she's always in roles as supporting cast, and usually a character with no backbone. Suzy's not that bad, but she still doesn't come across as credible.
Lara is quietly sweet in the film, looking more earnest than doe-eyed. She came into her own as Marlene waits in the hospital and watches her husband suffer. Very touching.
 |
| Niki and Marlene's first meeting is memorable. |
The star of the film is definitely Brühl. I didn't know where I'd seen him before till my sister reminded me that he was the annoying German soldier in 'Inglourious Basterds'. Man, he was so annoying in that film. Would have killed him myself had I the chance. Here he foregoes his sweet looks for Lauda's overbite and curly locks and very serious demeanour. He completely embodies Lauda and escapes into his role. I enjoyed his performance. People are screaming Oscar-worthy, I don't know if I saw that, but I saw effortless and brilliant acting all the same. I'm glad he's already got another big project under his belt and I hope that he gets more chances in Hollywood. He's definitely one to look out for, and I hope he does his abilities a fair amount of justice.
 |
| Danny Brühl in 'Inglourious Basterds'. |
The ending is a sweet and quiet one, intermingling scenes from the film with those of the real people. But here we are told how much they respect each other, rather than being shown it throughout the film, which is a pity really, considering this is really a very good film. Maybe a second viewing will change my view, hopefully for the better.
My sister and I had a long chat about the film after watching it. We usually don't get time to chat about what we've watched because we're always in a rush, but this time, with a few days off, we got to chat. While talking we were wondering aloud if it was all worth it. Some drivers died racing, others, like Lauda's Ferrari partner, Clay Regazzoni had ended up paralysed (though Regazzoni continued other forms of racing despite it and had a successful career as a commentator) and Lauda himself, being horrifically disfigured. But the film answers that question for us, 'Rush' is that much-needed adrenaline rush that we all need. You're watching a film that pinpoints tragic events, but you want to be behind that wheel yourself. And if you're me, you'll be wishing you weren't such a pathetic driver, and that you really could get into one of those beasts and drive it at 400kph.
To end with, here's a few lines from 'Cosy Prisons', one of my favourite a-ha songs. It really sums up what this film is about, and also what most of us are always thinking.
"So if you’re careful
You won’t get hurt
But if you’re careful all the time
Then what’s it worth?"
But if you’re careful all the time
Then what’s it worth?"
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