|
||||||
|
Saturday, November 19th
Another night at the movies! Yes, our next AONE Pizza and a Movie Night is coming right up on Saturday, November 19th. Our previous screening parties have been big hits — we've shown several interesting car-oriented (but not car-nerd) movies, and had excellent turnouts each time.
Between films, there's pizza! We'll have popcorn available to munch on during the movies, and the club will supply bottled water and soft drinks. Also, this is Casa Pratt, which translates to ... free homebrew! If you prefer an alternative beverage, please bring your own. But wait — there's more! Prior to Le Mans, McQueen starred in Bullitt, which is nearly two hours long and has some violent scenes. However, its car chase scene is the one that started the entire genre, and we'll be showing just that as we're digesting our pizza! All of this, don't forget, will be displayed on our club's spiffy big-screen, multi-channel audio/video system for your viewing and listening pleasure. So here's the agenda: Le Mans the movie will start playing promptly at 4:30PM, so if you want to watch the whole thing plan to arrive sometime before. The pizza will arrive at about 6:30, and the documentary (the "jewel" of the evening) will begin at 7:30. There is no charge for members and their families, but we'll be asking a $10 donation from non-members to help defray the pizza expense. So that we know how much pizza to get, you must sign up with Dave Pratt (dave@dvpratt.com or 781-320-8208) by Friday, November 18th, at the latest. Also, we've determined that 30 people are all we can seat comfortably, so reservations are first come, first served! (We'll keep a waiting list if we're over-subscribed.) See you at the flicks! Directions to Dave & Vi Pratt's Teatro a Casa Pratt is located at 300 Westfield Street, Dedham, MA. Take Route 128 (I-95)
to Exit 16 for Route 109 east toward Dedham. In about 3/4 mile, turn left onto Westfield (if you hit a traffic light you've gone too far). Bear left at immediate fork. 300 Westfield Street is on the left, 0.8 mile from Rt. 109, #300 (and perhaps an Alfa banner) on a tree. Parking in the driveway is limited, so squeeze in or park on the street. GPS users: Key in 320 Westfield Street rather than 300, since it's more accurate. Click here to download a printable map. Phil's Philms The film Le Mans - I did not see this film when it came out but knew that it did not get good reviews. McQueen was hell-bent on making this movie and hoped to actually drive in the 1970 Le Mans race. The people putting up the money squelched that idea early. There never was a script for the movie and they tried hard to make one up as they went along. All in all, the film is one of Hollywood's great fiascos that bombed big-time at the box office. But the racing footage is terrific, and McQueen is the "King of Cool". The documentary Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans - This 2015 film was a selection at the Cannes Film Festival and is quite interesting, principally because it devotes as much time to Steve McQueen's somewhat stormy life as it does to the making of his movie Le Mans. I knew that McQueen had done some dirt bike racing in the Mojave desert, owned a Jaguar XKSS and had a big interest in racers and racing, but I did not know that he entered his Porsche 908 in the 1970 12-hour race at Sebring and co-drove it with Peter Revson. At the time, McQueen's leg was in a cast. He was sponsored by Gulf and Solar Productions. Near the end of the 12-hour race, Revson was running first but with one lap to go Mario Andretti roared out of the pits after a fuel stop and won the race by passing Revson before the finish line. McQueen's car, with Revson driving at the end, finished second. It was this race that gave McQueen his desire to drive in the 24-hour race at Le Mans. This he was not allowed to do, but after the race was over the movie people took over the track and McQueen and his co-driver, Derek Bell, roared around the track in their Gulf Porsche 917 while the cameras rolled. The story of the fiasco of the making the movie is also interesting.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
For this outing, we'll be presenting a Le Mans double feature! We'll start out by screening the 1971 film Le Mans starring Steve McQueen. Those of you who have seen it before know that, as movies go, its overall quality is ... marginal. But then last year a "making-of" documentary entitled Steve McQueen: The Man and Le Mans was released, and this film is excellent! Take a moment to read our mini-reviews below by official club movie buff / collector, Phil Bostwick.