Post your list of the greatest running movies of all time. I'll start the thread off with Chariots of Fire.
Post your list of the greatest running movies of all time. I'll start the thread off with Chariots of Fire.
I liked "The Games," about the Olympic marathon, with Michael Crawford (skinny back then) and Charles Aznavour. Dave Kuehls mentioned it recently at the RW website. It's hard to find, either on cable or on video.
Unfortunately, I don't think any non-documentary movie has been as good about running as "Downhill Racer" was about skiing.
Um, is this a joke thread in response to the "Stupidest recurring thread on Letsrun" thread?
God I hate Charriots of fire. It's not a F!cking running movie. It's about freaking 200 and 400 meter sprinters. It is the most boring thing to sit through...ever. The first scene is a classic, but the movie is a freaking yawn. Damn I want that movie to go away.
I love Without Limits. Watching that olympic 5k gets me soo pumped up. I watch it before workouts sometimes. haha
The Jericho Mile.
"Driving Miss Daisy"
It's a real motivator
The Games is a very underrated movie. I know some guys that were extras in the film. They had a lot of respect for Crawford who trained like a demon to get in shape. He was coached for months by Gordon Pirie and ran a 4:20 mile by the time filming got underway.
My collection:
Prefontaine
Without Limits
Running Brave
Jericho Mile
Endurance
Hard to pick a favorite, without limits is most entertaining, running brave has the best race in the end, jericho mile is a cool story, endurance is pure inspiration, geb is the man, and prefontiane is good and more factual than without limits.
Bazza,
I saw the games on TV about 12 years ago. It was a great film - I remember something about an australian guy who ran with no shoes, an american guy who trained hard and partied all the time and raced people on beaches, and then of course there was Michael Crawford who had a tough coach who wanted him to run a 2 hour marathon at the olympics.
The question I have Bazza is - where can you get this film today ?
Wish I knew where you can get a copy. If you find one let me know!
The Games
The spectacle behind the spectacle
This film is set during the Rome Olympics. The film zeroes in on four contestants in the 26-mile marathon race: Briton Michael Crawford, American Ryan O'Neal, Czech Charles Aznavour and Australian Athol Compton. Scenes of the grueling training sessions are placed in context with the personal dramas of the four men. Crawford is being driven to the breaking point by trainer Stanley Baker, O'Neal is suffering from a dangerous heart condition, Aznavour is past forty but obliged to compete by his government, and Compton is an Aborigine fighting a lifelong battle against prejudice. Eric Segal, himself a former Olympic marathoner, adapted the screenplay of The Games from the novel by Hugh Atkinson. Released in theaters in 1970, 97-minutes, rated G. This movie has never been released on video tape, although rare copies have been made from late night tapings from cable television.
just found a couple of pix from the movie here
forrest gump. This shows you I haven't seen much running movies.
Seiously that scene where he is running with that alpine scenery which reflect in the lake and looks beautiful. Man if there was such a place I'd pack up and leave right now.
Agree - Jericho Mile - the scene where he gets the shit kicked out of him and then says 'Stiles was my brother.... Now I gotta go workout'... pure poetry. How many of us have gotten beaten to a pulp and then gone on to do intervals.
The chicken scene in the cafeteria also classic.
"On the Edge" Bruce Dern
At least you learn how to bathe properly.
How many of us have been beaten to a pulp and then gone out to do intervals, you ask? Hey, that's not exactly something I ASPIRE to.
Luke (my son's name) - from your negative post (what can you expect on these boards even in a lighthearted thread!), you probably havent seen the jericho mile. its worth the rental if you can find it. The point is the main character gets unfairly beat up in prison and then says he has to workout to train for the Olympic Trials.
Definitely "Endurance". I watched that movie with my high school team and they were whining the whole time about how boring it was... it totally summed up how impatient we are with our lives/training. Needless to say, my high school team sucked. Maybe some Americans watch it, get super pumped, and then start training a bazillion miles a week.
"Run Lola Run". The woman is whacked out on speed, trying to save her boyfriend's ass from being killed, and she runs in heavy hiking boots like FAST!
Two thums up
THE FUGITIVE - running for days.
RUN LOLA RUN - like dyestat boy genius wrote, running in heavy hiking boots.
ACROSS THE TRACKS - Made for TV - Hilarious to see Brad Pitt and Rick Schroeder portray 800 meter runners.
Those are running movies.
Running Brave - too corny.
Jericho Mile - interesting, but very PC.