Plot: What’s it about?
Peter Aron (James Garner) once drove for high profile British Formula One team, but he was kicked off the squad after a vicious crash. At the Grand Prix Monaco, he had some issues with his car and wound up almost killing his teammate, Scott Stoddard (Brian Bedford). As a result, he was booted off the team and didn’t race again until a new offer arrived. Izo Yamura (Toshiro Mifune) is a wealthy Japanese speed enthusiast, a man who seeks to make a name for himself in Formula One. He offers Aron a spot in one of his cars and of course, Aron accepts and so he is back in the race. Yamura has the money and he has the cars to produce a winning team, but he needs top level drivers, so he brought Aron on deck. Aron wants to prove he is still on the top of his game, but his story is just one of countless tales on the circuit. A hot young racer named Nino Barlini (Antonio Sabato) is the talk of the Formula One world, but can he handle the pressure. At the same time as Barlini basks in his rise to the top, veteran driver Jean-Pierre Sarti (Yves Montand) begins to cope with his nearing retirement from the track. All these stories and more, moving at 160 miles per hour, at the Grand Prix.
John Frankenheimer’s Formula One thriller Grand Prix has finally arrived on DVD, in a two disc edition with a new restored transfer, no less. This one hundred and seventy-six minute epic is sure to delight race fans, but what about those of us who don’t have that need for speed? This is as close as you can get to being a Formula One racer without getting the behind the wheel, so when I tell you this is the greatest racing movie ever made, I mean just that. The speed is realistic and you will at times feel like you’re in the driver’s seat, thanks to some superb and inventive cinematic techniques. Grand Prix has a good cast and a decent off the track storyline, but make no mistake about it, this movie is all about the speed of these vehicles. Jim Garner is quite good in a role that was tailor made for Steve McQueen, though of course, McQueen could have done more. Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Jessica Walter, and Toshiro Mifune all have supporting roles and while solid across the board, the show belongs on the race track, not off. The races look and feel incredible too, with unique and varied camera angles, taking us inside each aspect of the blazing speed on showcase. While I love the race footage, the rest of the film doesn’t measure up. Grand Prix is a technical marvel however, worth a look just to see the race sequences, but a rental should suffice.
Video: How does it look?
Grand Prix is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This new transfer shows what Warner can do when the studio wants to knock one out of the park. The restored print on showcase here is gorgeous, free of grain, debris, and softness. The film celebrates its fortieth anniversary with this release, but the print looks almost brand new, very impressive work. The nearly pristine print results in a clean, detailed image that really brings the races to life. Although the visuals move by at a very, very fast rate, the image is always sharp and softness never proves to be a concern. I found colors to be vivid and bold, with bright hues and contrast is also on the mark, with smooth and consistent black levels. A few minor issues do surface, but these are rather minor and on the whole, this is a dynamic, remarkable presentation.
Audio: How does it sound?
The Dolby Digital 5.1 option isn’t as impressive as the visual side of the coin, but it is more than decent and provides some minor enhancements. The surrounds are not put to as much use as I expected and even in the race scenes, they’re not that powerful. You’ll hear the usual race elements, crowd noise and engine roars, but it all lacks the power and depth we’re used to. Then again the elements are four decades old, so perhaps we should keep our expectations a little reigned in. The front channels provide a richer experience however, so there is some range in this soundtrack. I found dialogue to be more than decent, but a little shrill at times, so there are some harsh vocals to be heard here. This release also includes a French language track, as well as subtitles in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese.
Supplements: What are the extras?
A quarter of new featurettes is the main attraction, with running times of between ten and almost thirty minutes. The Making of Grand Prix is the longest and best of the group, with time to cover a lot of ground and not have to rush that much. Another piece examines the history of Formula One, while another looks at how the visuals and sound design were achieved, and finally we have a look at the modern British Grand Prix. This release also includes a vintage featurette, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
