Grand Prix, the old movie

[buckaroo]

While the storms were passing through last night, I watched the old movie, Grand Prix which was made in 1966 or there abouts. I've seen the movie several times, but it's always a fun one to watch. The cars in the movie were state of the art automobiles at the time, but now they look like something from the stone age. No wings, fairly narrow tires and no slicks. Of course, none of the drivers wore full face helmets and there weren't any radio communications. I don't really remember, but it seems like the average American car at that time probably sold for around $2,500 or so...maybe less, but those F1 cars cost about $100,000, a mear pitance of what they would cost today. But consider this, the winner of one of the races received $45,000 and the drivers, though held in the highest regard around the world, didn't make all that much money. Here's what got me, during the racing, people would mill around the track with the cars coming very close to them while reaching speeds of 180 mph. Even when there was a wreck, and we know of the local yellow, people would run across the track with the cars still zooming around them. Still enjoy the movie though.

 

[PettyBlue]

It's finally available in DVD on a two disc set, with lots of bonus material on the making of the movie and other related features.

 

[Restrictor Plate King!]

I saw that movie it starred James Garner (Rockford Files). RAcing back then was alot more lacksidaisical than it is now. When they crashed, it was like oh well, he knew the risk and geez was there alot of crashes and fatalities back then. Passion for the trade I guess I don't know what else could keep one going. Superbly filmed movie I thought in the era of the wingless F1 bullet cars...