Senna by way of Touching the Void
Fifteen years after his death, the legend of Ayrton Senna continues to grow - he remains one of Formula 1's greatest heroes and books and films of his life are some of the most popular items in the sport's memorabilia.
So it should come as no surprise that a new film about the Brazilian icon is in the pipeline.
A number of Senna documentaries are already available and this new one has some stiff opposition to live up to in the shape of the official Senna tribute and a film made before his death called Racing is in my Blood.
But this promises to be different from anything that has gone before.
While those films were classic TV-style documentaries, this one - looks set to get the full cinematic treatment.
It is by Working Title, the company behind Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill.
And among its producers is Kevin MacDonald, the man who made the brilliant mountaineering film Touching the Void, acclaimed Idi Amin bio-pic The Last King of Scotland, and the recently released State of Play, starring Russell Crowe.
© 2012~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~29~RS~)
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Interesting the blog says:
"A number of Senna documentaries are already available and this new one has some stiff opposition to live up to in the shape of the official Senna tribute and a film made before his death called Racing is in my Blood."
Why are not the BBC showing an Ayrton Senna documentary next weekend to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of his death?
I know the BBC showed several Senna documentaries in 1994 and 1995, and I don't think it would have hurt showing a documetary next Saturday @ 19:00 on BBC Four, or even just behind the Red Button over the weekend.
Any reason why Andrew?
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is it going to be an actual film?
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There have been many such rumours over the past decade, including a film starring Antonio Banderas. I can't see it working to be honest.
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I don't like this idea. Senna's story does not need the Hollywood treatment.
I can see the view that perhaps bringing his life and his achievements into the focus of a younger generation, one that never got to see him race, could be a good thing.
But what's wrong with the old fashioned way of watching videos and reading books? As it happens, I myself never got to see Senna race live but that didn't stop me discovering Donington '93, as well as reading and watching all about his great battles with Prost.
A bio-pic, which will inevitably feature scenes based purely on speculation and conjecture, is not necessary and can only serve to mislead.
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Both Touching the Void and Last King were good films (although Forest Whitaker's performance in the latter played a big part in it's success) so I'm more optimistic than some of the other comments. I also heard that FOM are involved, and are going to be providing some 'unseen' footage from their vaults of Senna racing. Sounds quite promising.
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huge risk. the actor/acting has to be spot on.
Michael Mann to direct - please?
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I hope that this film will be worth seeing. I haven’t seen Senna’s races live and if it bases not on speculations it will be a very interesting one. Only truth and facts without exaggerations and melodrama. And all will depend on who will be there starred. I don’t even know who can play Senna.
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Much as I esteem Senna's incredible technical ability, I feel it is too soon. How can they treat the darker side honestly and fairly, especially the rivalry with Prost?
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It is such a shame that, while we rightly remember the tragic death of Ayrton Senna, we tend to forget that Roland Ratzenberger was also killed that weekend.
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It is 15 years ago but I still got tears in my eyes everytime i read something about him. I was 10 years old when senna won that portugal race in 1985... I thought, wow a young driver holds his nerves and wins this 0,014 seconds in front of great nigel.
People talk about schumacher beeing great but we all know (even schuhmacher knows it) senna was the greatest. no other driver has ever striked that much fear into opposition by just emerging in the mirror ... to see his yellow helmet (thx to hamilton fpr taking that colors and showing senna some respect by doing it) coming from behind made most of his peers kind of dazed, shaky legs and everything...
i watched him for 10 years and what made ma a fan was that senna was not a arrogant superstar, senna was charismatic, well-behaved smart man whom I respected.
Thank you for all the memories, for everything you have ever done.
Senna, the legend, the god of drivin'.
Thx for everything
and sorry for my not-perfect-english
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The real tragedy is that the race went ahead in the first place
Concerns were voiced by a few drivers before the race, plus the death of Roland Ratzenberger should have been more than enough to delay / cancel the race. Senna had a flag tucked away in his car to display on the slowing down lap in his honour.
Safety first. Demonstrated as it should be done at the US GP where more than half the field didnt race. Not popular but if it keeps people safe you have to be behind it 100%
Remember watching Senna race, inspirational, the way he acted, the way he carried himself the way he dealt with the media. Arogant? How, when he was and is largely reguarded as the best
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I have mixed memories of a very intense, perfectly focused driver. Unfortunately they are all tinged with great sadness at the loss of such a great man. I don't think any film could do him justice and I expect it would be so far removed from the truth. To do him Justice the film makers would need to consult with people like myself. I was one of the four race mechanics on his car from 1988-1993.
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Senna died on my 5th birthday. I was a massive fan but I don't truly remember. Nevertheless, this day is always sentimental for me.
People talk about the stats and Schumacher. The plain and honest truth is that Senna had a race winning car for 4 of 10 years. He won the championship 3 times and was disqualified from one with it. Even though he only had a really quick car for about 70 GP, he amassed 65 poles.
The only reason he never reached 10 or more World Championships was because of his constant feuding and his death. He was the fastest and always will be and any film should be welcomed.
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Scumacher was a great driver, no doubt. But he wouldn't have been so dominant if he had raced consistently in the same era as Senna, Mansell and Prost.
The car makes a difference and Schumacher clearly had success while these guys were still racing, but Mansell and Prost were approaching the end of their careers and Senna never had the chance to race Michael in an equivalent car.
Mansell and Senna were probably the bravest and most committed racers I have ever seen and Prost and Pique were so consistent in their performances. All four of these would not have allowed Schumi's on track bullying tactics the way other racers did.
In Michael's defence, nostalgia is a wonderful thing and I perhaps look back at this, my favourite, era (when I was 16 - 24) through rose-tinted spectacles and as the golden age of F1. All you can do is beat those opponents put in front of you, and Schumacher certainly did that.
However, I maintain that had he raced consistently against the four drivers mentioned above he would not have won as many races or championships, regardless of Brawn's peerless management.
Senna, the best ever? Yes he probably was, but only because drivers like Prost, Mansell and Pique were there to push him to his mercurial limits.
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Senna was the greatest of the modern era and I don't think anyone can realistically argue with that. It was a different game altogether when he started out compared to Schumacher.
In many ways the Schumacher era was dictated by the fallout over Senna's death. New safety procedures in every aspect of F1 helped Schumacher more than most, but there is no denying his brilliance either.
It's just a shame we were robbed of seeing two of the true greats battle it out for a much longer time.
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Two Words.
ERIC BANA.
He should REALLY be the ONLY actor playing our wonderful BECO.
I miss you Ayrton!!!
and THANK YOU!!!
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If they are using an actor, what about Rodrigo Santoro? He's Brazilian and a fairly desent actor plus he looks enough like Ayrton to pull it off. It really dependes on what theyre looking for from an actor, if they use one at all.
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strangeIsabel i couldn't disagree with you more. Eric Bana is as shallow and wooden an actor as Senna was complex and passionate. No, my vote goes for Gael Garcia Bernal. And the beauty is, he looks remarkably like Senna.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0305558/mediaindex
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