There are certain movies that grab the attention of car fans and slot car fans "LeMans" is one of those enduring movies that comes up during any conversation about movies that slotters love and watch regularly. "Love the Beast" a documentary by actor Eric Bana is a movie that I think will be included in future conversations. To say Bana is a car guy is an understatement. He's owned the Ford Falcon XB since he was a teenager, and since then he's loved that car and raced it with his buddies. Over the years Bana has built, raced, rebuilt, etc that car many times. He's had the good sense to keep the car and not gotten rid of it as he's gone on with his life... sadly I'm sure there are many of us who used to own a truly cool car should have kept their first (car) love.
In the movie we learn a bit of history of the Falcon. The car isn't one that many American's would know, but would find quite familiar. It was the car driven by Mad Max and is a similar car to the Mustang of the early 1970's. Sort of a cross between a Mustang and a Torino... all muscle.
Automotive fan royalty like Jany Leno and Jeremy Clarkson appear in the movie along with Dr. Phil... yes, that Dr. Phil, to talk Bana off the ledge so-to-speak late in the movie. I won't reveal too much but the discussions about what the car means to Bana and his friends and to his life in general are as revealing as they are applicable to any car lovers life.
Cars are living things... car lovers get that. This movie explains that fact better than any other movie ever. Yes... ever.
If you've never loved a car, or just see cars as a means of transportation you WON'T get this... but if you're reading this review here, you understand what I'm saying.
In college I read a book called "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", that book's message was of the interconnectedness of everything in a person's life. A car isn't just a car, it's the "stuff" that binds relationships between friends who share a love of a car (or love of a hobby like slot cars too maybe). I don't want to get all Deepak Chopra on folks here but this movie has a lot to offer not only on a superficial way of an interesting story about building a race car, but there's a moving story as well about friendship and the relationship between a father and son. Yeah... it's worth your time on so many levels.
Movie trailer:
Love the BeastThis movie is not only available for sale
from Amazon and from Netflix streaming via the internet.
Dave Kennedy
Publisher, Slot Car News
