mild spoilers present...
I did not recognize the title "One by One", when I was searching for this film on IMDb. I recently saw the 1977 release of "The Quick and The Dead" on Speed Channel. The host opens the film by warning the viewer of the disturbing scenes within the film, especially the very beginning. I'll be 3 for 3 in user reviews' commenting on the opening sequence. I can't get it out of my mind. The shock value makes anything on RealTV or YouGottaSeeThis seem tame by comparison. Two track workers cross heavy race traffic to assist a stalled driver who is inexplicably running around his car in a very agitated state. The first worker just misses getting clipped by a passing car, the second worker is not so lucky. I did not know that the driver in the incident was also killed -- the video footage does not show what happens to the car, nor is there any comment on the incident in the film. However, you do see exactly what happens to the stricken track worker. Horrifying, yet strangely fascinating.
The film plays like a documentary of the sport of Formula 1 racing circa 1973. They mainly profile four drivers, Francois Cevert, Peter Revson, Mike Hailwood, and the great Jackie Stewart. Cevert, Revson, and Hailwood all perish in crashes (none shown) before the release of the 1977 version of the film. Stewart is the only one to make it out alive. It gave me a real appreciation of Jackie's talent and impact in Formula 1. I've only known him as the cool Scottish voice of so many races on TV. I'm a Nascar fan, thus the recommendation to watch this film if you are a fan of any kind of racing is true. I only occasionally tune in to F1 these days. Michael Schumacher has made the competition quite boring. However, I knew I would like this film because it was of the same era as one of my all time favorite movies, "Grand Prix (1966)" with James Garner. Both films convey the sense of mortal danger and relative insanity of these drivers competing only for glory, while living lives of basically lonely, idolized heroes -- modern day gladiators.
What is interesting is the difference between the F1 cars depicted in "Grand Prix (1966)" and "The Quick and The Dead (1977)". While the F1 cars of today don't look a whole lot different than the ones in the 1977 film. If you can manage it, treat yourself to both films in one sitting or tape rental cycle.
I did not recognize the title "One by One", when I was searching for this film on IMDb. I recently saw the 1977 release of "The Quick and The Dead" on Speed Channel. The host opens the film by warning the viewer of the disturbing scenes within the film, especially the very beginning. I'll be 3 for 3 in user reviews' commenting on the opening sequence. I can't get it out of my mind. The shock value makes anything on RealTV or YouGottaSeeThis seem tame by comparison. Two track workers cross heavy race traffic to assist a stalled driver who is inexplicably running around his car in a very agitated state. The first worker just misses getting clipped by a passing car, the second worker is not so lucky. I did not know that the driver in the incident was also killed -- the video footage does not show what happens to the car, nor is there any comment on the incident in the film. However, you do see exactly what happens to the stricken track worker. Horrifying, yet strangely fascinating.
The film plays like a documentary of the sport of Formula 1 racing circa 1973. They mainly profile four drivers, Francois Cevert, Peter Revson, Mike Hailwood, and the great Jackie Stewart. Cevert, Revson, and Hailwood all perish in crashes (none shown) before the release of the 1977 version of the film. Stewart is the only one to make it out alive. It gave me a real appreciation of Jackie's talent and impact in Formula 1. I've only known him as the cool Scottish voice of so many races on TV. I'm a Nascar fan, thus the recommendation to watch this film if you are a fan of any kind of racing is true. I only occasionally tune in to F1 these days. Michael Schumacher has made the competition quite boring. However, I knew I would like this film because it was of the same era as one of my all time favorite movies, "Grand Prix (1966)" with James Garner. Both films convey the sense of mortal danger and relative insanity of these drivers competing only for glory, while living lives of basically lonely, idolized heroes -- modern day gladiators.
What is interesting is the difference between the F1 cars depicted in "Grand Prix (1966)" and "The Quick and The Dead (1977)". While the F1 cars of today don't look a whole lot different than the ones in the 1977 film. If you can manage it, treat yourself to both films in one sitting or tape rental cycle.