(Thanks, motorsportzx!)

I still remember seeing Le Mans as a kid and, despite the fancy cars I was so attracted to zooming around that legendary race course, found myself falling asleep before the first hour was up. I think it took another three or four attempts as I got older to get through the entire movie, but today it’s one of my favorite racing films. Granted, it feels like more of a documentary of a particular race day that happens to dip behind the scenes to focus on a few people not talking much mostly about a few things that tie into to the overall story being told. Nevertheless, there’s a story that kicks in if you pay attention that works quite well in its low-key way that sets up a pretty exciting final reel.

Of course, this means as a timepiece of a particular period in auto racing history, it’s really an important work. Where the great-looking and innovative 1966 film Grand Prix got too caught up in its romance triangles and some dramatic sections (and had a poor stunt dummy go flying out of a car in one crash sequence that still makes me laugh), Le Mans is purely and primarily about the race. Continue reading →