Weekend of a Champion

Last updated

Weekend of a Champion
Directed by Roman Polanski
Written byFrank Simon
Produced byRoman Polanski
Starring Jackie Stewart
Roman Polanski
Helen Stewart
Cinematography Bill Brayne
Edited by Derek York
Production
company
Distributed by Pathé (France)
Submarine Deluxe (US)
Release date
Running time
80 minutes
93 minutes (re-release with postscript)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguagesEnglish
French

Weekend of a Champion (alternately titled Afternoon of a Champion) is a 1972 British documentary film that captures the effort of British Formula One racing driver Jackie Stewart to compete in the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo. Stewart's friend Roman Polanski produced the film and shadows him throughout the weekend of the race.

Contents

The film premiered at the 1972 Berlin Film Festival and— after a small theatrical release in Europe— was unscreened for 40 years. The archive in possession of the negative contacted Polanski, inquiring as to whether they should keep the film or throw it away. [1]

Polanski then restored the film from the original print, remixing and slightly recutting it. An approximately 15-minute epilogue was added, showing Polanski and Stewart reminiscing in present-day Monaco, having a conversation about their friendship, the evolution of racing safety, hairstyles, and life in general. [2]

Production

Having no experience with documentaries, Polanski recruited Frank Simon to direct the film. They both accompanied Stewart to Monaco for that year's Grand Prix.

Four decades later, the Technicolor lab in London contacted Polanski to say that they were getting rid of all their old negatives. In conversations with producer Brett Ratner, the idea of polishing it up for a reissue took shape. [2]

About the film, Stewart said "working with Roman Polanski was very nice for me not only because he was a good friend, but when the movies come out, it's very straightforward. It's cinema vérité and it showed how it was." [3]

Cast

Release

The re-released film was screened out of competition as an Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013. It had a limited U.S. theatrical release on 22 November 2013.

Home media

A Region 2 DVD was released by Universal Pictures UK on 4 November 2013.

Reception

Accolades

AwardCategoryOutcome
22nd Berlin International Film Festival [4] DocumentarySpecial Recognition

Critical reception

Weekend of a Champion received generally favorable reviews from critics. The film has a 71% "fresh" rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. [5] Metacritic rates Weekend of a Champion a score of 63/100 based on 9 reviews ("generally favorable"). [6]

Calum Marsh of The Village Voice stated that "the result is a pleasure, perhaps as much for audiences as for Polanski; it's a chance to luxuriate in the atmosphere of world-class Formula One, here a lavish free-love party interrupted now and again by a few laps on the track. In a way, Weekend of a Champion is less about the sport than the extravagant lifestyle sports stardom apparently precipitates — the tireless carousing, the inexhaustible atmosphere of celebration. Stewart and Polanski potter about Monaco like kings surveying the scope of their lands.". [7]

Mike D'Angelo of The A.V. Club gave the film a B− grade and stated that it "serves as a terrific primer on auto racing. Its climactic chronicle of the actual Grand Prix is a bit pedestrian (forgive that pun), due to the nature of Monaco's street circuit; Simon and Polanski just can't secure many worthwhile angles on the action. [...] All in all, the original 1972 version of Weekend Of A Champion, which ran a fleet 80 minutes, was probably a thorough if minor pleasure. Unfortunately, that's not the version now being released. Polanski says that he felt the need to re-edit the picture in order to make its rhythm more palatable to a modern audience; presumably, that means the new version is punchier, though it's hard to say without being able to make a direct comparison. Much more damagingly, he's added a 20-minute present-day epilogue in which he and Stewart sit in their same hotel room from 1971 and discuss the various ways in which they, Monaco, and Formula One have changed over the past four decades." [1]

Dade Hayes, writing for Forbes , stated that "[f]or fans of 1970s "New Hollywood" cinema, Formula 1 auto racing and exaggerated sideburns, the release of Weekend of a Champion is like Christmas morning. [...] Sensory pleasures abound in the film, which captures the swirl of royalty and celebrity in Monaco, but also the rigors of elite-level racing and the uncanny acumen of Stewart". [2]

Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times gave the film 2.5 stars out of 5 and stated that "[t]he combination of fast cars, gorgeous men and Monte Carlo sounds a lot like heaven, but Frank Simon's Weekend of a Champion will appeal mostly to motor-racing enthusiasts and movie archaeologists. [...] [T]his newly restored and updated documentary offers a minor sidebar to two major careers." [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Monaco Grand Prix</span> Formula One motor race

The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One motor racing event held annually on the Circuit de Monaco, in late May or early June. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, and is one of the races—along with the Indianapolis 500 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans—that form the Triple Crown of Motorsport. It is the only Grand Prix that does not adhere to the FIA's mandated 305-kilometre (190-mile) minimum race distance for F1 races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jochen Rindt</span> German racing driver (1942–1970)

Karl Jochen Rindt was a German-born racing driver who competed with an Austrian licence during his career, despite having German and not Austrian citizenship. In 1970, he was killed during practice for the Italian Grand Prix and became the only driver to be posthumously awarded the Formula One World Drivers' Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacky Ickx</span> Belgian racing driver (born 1945)

Jacques Bernard Edmon Martin Henri "Jacky" Ickx is a Belgian former racing driver who won the 24 Hours of Le Mans six times and achieved eight wins and 25 podium finishes in Formula One. He greatly contributed to several World Championships for Makes and World Sports Car championships: Ford (1968), Ferrari (1972), Porsche (1976–1977) and (1982–1985) by his 37 major World Sports Car wins. He also won the Can-Am Championship in 1979 and the 1983 Paris–Dakar Rally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jackie Stewart</span> Scottish racing driver (born 1939)

Sir John Young Stewart OBE is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland. Nicknamed the "Flying Scot", he competed in Formula One between 1965 and 1973, winning three World Drivers' Championships and twice finishing as runner-up over those nine seasons. He was the only British driver to win three championships until Lewis Hamilton in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">François Cevert</span> French racing driver (1944–1973)

Albert François Cevert was a French racing driver who took part in the Formula One World Championship. He competed in 48 World Championship Grands Prix, achieving one win, 13 podium finishes and 89 career points.

Georges-Francis "Johnny" Servoz-Gavin was a French motor racing driver in both sportscars and single seaters.

<i>Grand Prix</i> (1966 film) 1966 American action film by John Frankenheimer

Grand Prix is a 1966 American sports drama film directed by John Frankenheimer, produced by Edward Lewis, and written by Robert Alan Aurthur with uncredited story contributions by Frankenheimer and rewrites by William Hanley. It stars an international ensemble cast, including James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, Jessica Walter, Françoise Hardy and Antonio Sabàto. Toshiro Mifune has a supporting role as a race team owner, inspired by Soichiro Honda. The picture was photographed in Super Panavision 70 by Lionel Lindon, and presented in 70mm Cinerama in premiere engagements. Its unique racing cinematography is one of the main draws of the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1966 Monaco Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1966 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Circuit de Monaco on 22 May 1966. It was race 1 of 9 in both the 1966 World Championship of Drivers and the 1966 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The race was the first World Championship event of a new era for Formula One, for which engine regulations were altered from 1.5 litres of maximum engine displacement to 3.0 litres. The race was the 24th Monaco Grand Prix.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1971 Monaco Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1971 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on May 23, 1971. It was race 3 of 11 in both the 1971 World Championship of Drivers and the 1971 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers and the 200th World Championship Grand Prix held since the championship began in 1950. This was the last race on the original Monaco circuit, as a dedicated pit lane was created along the harbor before Tabac in 1972.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 South African Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1972 South African Grand Prix, formally the Sixth AA Grand Prix of South Africa, was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 4 March 1972. It was race 2 of 12 in both the 1972 World Championship of Drivers and the 1972 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The 79-lap race was won by McLaren driver Denny Hulme after he started from fifth position. Emerson Fittipaldi finished second for the Lotus team and McLaren driver Peter Revson came in third.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Monaco Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1973 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Monaco on 3 June 1973. It was race 6 of 15 in both the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Swedish Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1973 Grand Prix of Sweden was a Formula One motor race held at the Scandinavian Raceway, Anderstorp on 17 June 1973. It was race 7 of 15 in both the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. The 80-lap race was won by McLaren driver Denny Hulme after he started from sixth position. Ronnie Peterson finished second for the Lotus team and Tyrrell driver François Cevert came in third.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1973 Formula One season</span> 27th season of FIA Formula One motor racing

The 1973 Formula One season was the 27th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1973 World Championship of Drivers and the 1973 International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, which were contested concurrently over a fifteen-race series that commenced on 28 January and ended on 7 October. The season also included two non-championship races which were open to both Formula One and Formula 5000 cars.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1972 Formula One season</span> 26th season of the FIAs Formula One motor racing

The 1972 Formula One season was the 26th season of the FIA's Formula One motor racing. It featured the 23rd World Championship of Drivers, the 15th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers, and numerous non-championship Formula One races. The World Championship season commenced on 23 January and ended on 8 October after twelve races.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1971 Formula One season</span> 25th season of the FIAs Formula One motor racing

The 1971 Formula One season was the 25th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's Formula One motor racing. It featured the 22nd World Championship of Drivers, the 14th International Cup for F1 Manufacturers and a number of non-championship races open to Formula One cars. The World Championship was contested over eleven races between 6 March and 3 October.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrrell 006</span> Formula One racing car

The Tyrrell 006 was a Formula One car designed and built by the Tyrrell Racing Organisation. It was introduced towards the end of 1972. In the hands of Jackie Stewart it won the Drivers' Championship for the 1973 Formula One season, Stewart's third and final title. The car was first raced at the 1972 Canadian Grand Prix with Stewart's teammate and protégé François Cevert at the wheel. The 006 was a very slightly reworked version of the preceding Tyrrell 005 car, but in contrast it was the first Tyrrell-built models to be replicated, the number 006 becoming a model- rather than chassis-number; previous Tyrrells were one-off constructions. In total there were three Tyrrell 006 chassis built: 006; 006/2; and 006/3. The 006 model was gradually phased out in the early part of the 1974 Formula One season as Tyrrell constructed the succeeding Tyrrell 007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Faster (George Harrison song)</span> 1979 single by George Harrison

"Faster" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his self-titled 1979 studio album. The song was inspired by Harrison's year away from music-making in 1977, during which he travelled with the Formula 1 World Championship, and by his friendship with racing drivers such as Jackie Stewart and Niki Lauda. Although equally applicable to other professions, the lyrics address the difficulties of achieving and maintaining success in the field of motorsport, particularly Formula 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship</span> Single seater racing championship

The FIA Masters Historic Formula One Championship is a championship that has old Formula One cars from "the golden era", which caters for 3-litre engine Formula 1 cars, from 1966 to 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">March 711</span> Formula One racing car

The March 711 was a Formula One racing car, designed by Robin Herd and Geoff Ferris, for the 1971 season, and saw continued use throughout the 1972 season.

<i>1</i> (2013 film) 2013 American film

1 is a 2013 documentary film directed by Paul Crowder and narrated by Michael Fassbender. The film traces the history of Formula One auto racing from its early years, in which some seasons had multiple fatalities, to the 1994 death of Ayrton Senna, the sport's most recent death at the time of production. Extensive and often rare archival footage is used throughout.

References

  1. 1 2 D'Angelo, Mike (21 November 2013). "Roman Polanski's 1971 racing doc, Weekend Of A Champion, gets yanked out of obscurity". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Hayes, Dade (22 November 2013). "Formula 1 Racing Gets The Roman Polanski Treatment In 'Weekend Of A Champion'". Forbes . Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  3. ↑ Brian Brooks (21 November 2013). "Jackie Stewart Talks Rediscovering Roman Polanski's Weekend of a Champion". Film Society of Lincoln Center . Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ↑ "PRIZES & HONOURS 1972". Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "Weekend Of A Champion". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 9 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "Weekend of a Champion". Metacritic. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  7. ↑ Marsh, Calum (20 November 2013). "Lifestyles of the Rich and Fast are Documented in 1972's Weekend of a Champion". Village Voice . Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  8. ↑ Catsoulis, Jeannette (21 November 2013). "The Way They Used to Race (and Die)". The New York Times . Retrieved 10 March 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.