Chariots of Fire - Special Edition
Description: 1981. Based on the inspiring true story of two runners competing for England in the 1924 Olympics. One is a Scottish missionary running to bear witness to his faith and the other, a Jewish student who is running to defy prejudice.
Review:
Desperately seeking American distribution, the makers of Chariots of Fire a British epic about two runners making their way to the Olympics -- almost saw it become a TV movie for a sports channel. Lucky for them it didn’t, as Chariots eventually won four Oscars in 1981, one for best picture.
The film’s distribution struggles are just one of the factoids the producer, the director, the screenwriter and the cast sprinkle throughout the special edition’s extras: director’s commentary, a making-of featurette and a film reunion.
Some of the revelations color scenes on repeat watchings. Cross -- who plays Harold Abrahams, a Jew at a Christian university in Britain with something to prove -- reveals that his love interest, played by Alice Krige, was secretly instructed by director Hugh Hudson to rub his crotch under the table with her stockinged foot during their characters’ first date to elicit sexual tension.
On the more highbrow side, Hudson explains during the commentary that he took dramatic license with events in the characters’ lives; for instance, runner and devout Christian Eric Liddell receives a note right before a race from another runner supporting his position not to run on Sunday. The director reveals it was actually a coach, not the runner, but, all things are fair in love, war and film, right?
Viewers can expect behind-the-scenes tidbits and information about the cast’s real-life counterparts here, but not long diatribes about what certain shots were evoking or the complex themes involved.
Extra scenes and two Easter eggs round out the offerings.
The film itself is beautifully remastered, and the Oscar-winning soundtrack from Vangelis, while dated in its keyboard sounds, still sparkles with its strong, recognizable theme. How many times did slow-motion running to the film’s theme show up in comic bits in films and on TV? Too many.
Chariots of Fire was the sort of British epic one would expect to win an Oscar, and it did. While not a work of genius, its plot conflicts between old-world sensibilities and young energy, between religious and secular, and between outsider and establishment will always stir audiences’ hearts and souls. It’s a period picture with romance for the sensitive viewers and enough grit and sports to appeal to men. -- Brendan Howard
Chariots of Fire - Implied Scene?
Moderator: Moderators
- Dead Parrot
- Mod
- Posts: 2368
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2003 8:26 pm
- Location: Inactive
Chariots of Fire - Implied Scene?
I found this snippet doing some research. It doesn't sound like anything is shown though. Dork note - Alice Krige played The Borg Queen in Star Trek.
Please note that I am no longer an active board member.
If you need assistance please contact Nyllover.
If you need assistance please contact Nyllover.
That's the point. You're not supposed to see anything.
The actress was actually doing that to the actor to get a reaction out of him.
I remember the scene. He plays Harold Abrahams the Jewish sprinter and he sees her during a performance of the Mikado. They go for a meal and he's served pork which he can't eat because of his religion.
The actress was actually doing that to the actor to get a reaction out of him.
I remember the scene. He plays Harold Abrahams the Jewish sprinter and he sees her during a performance of the Mikado. They go for a meal and he's served pork which he can't eat because of his religion.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post