Senna

[JP]

Starting it's cinema run in June over here.


It's had a lot of positive press and is probably worth watching irrelevant of your interest in Formula 1.

You get so few interesting sports stars these days with teams of people being paid to mold them into easily marketable celebrities so it's always a breath of fresh air when people like Senna come along.

[SuperBeatBoy]

Watched this the other week. Absolutly fantastic documentary about a fascinating incredible man. For a 2hr and 43min documentary it sure flys by.

[Senna]

I've been to see this twice already since Friday, and I rarely if ever do that at the cinema. As Zero9X said, it's an absolutely fantastic documentary on the life and times of the greatest ever racing driver. The 103 minutes touches briefly upon his karting days, but most of the film follows his time in F1 from 1984 to 1994. Understandably, most of the best footage comes from the 1988 to 1991 period. Although I have seen many of the clips in the film before, it's the way they are all put together that makes the film. And there are still some clips I have never seen before, which are both amusing and shocking at the same time.

The only slight criticism I can make is that it is heavily biased towards Senna in his rivalry with Prost, and I can understand why Prost has said he will not see the film, even though it's still a shame. I have read enough of the real events to know that the director has been selective in his use of footage and opinions, so it's a shame that the film glosses over the darker sides of Senna's character.

Watching the film as well I became slightly nostalgic, lamenting the fact that we have lost many of the great circuits and characters along the years. Even though I am of the opinion that the current 2011 F1 driver line-up is probably the strongest there has ever been, none of the likes of Hamilton, Vettel and Alonso get my interest going as the likes of Senna, Prost, Mansell, Piquet etc.

I won't spoil the film anymore for people, but as Jeremy Clarkson said 'this is completely unmissable. If you've got any heart, any soul, you'll go and see this.' I really hope this film encourages people to go away and find out more about Ayrton Senna da Silva, and perhaps attract new fans to the sport.

[cutmymilk]

Where did Zero see a 2hr 43m cut?!

I saw this last night too. It was incredible. Very well put together though missing out some crucial events to protect Senna's holier than thou portrayal in the film is a bit of an injustice. Prost was made out to be the villian of the piece though it wasn't as black and white in reality. I also think the negative light they gave Williams with their superior car was a bit strange too, even though they were Senna's words.

Wasn't there an agreement at a race where Prost and Senna had an understanding that whoever made turn 1 first would win, but Senna didin't stick to his word? That was left out even though it was the origin of their rivalry.

Still, despite that it was one of the best films I have ever watched in the cinema. Such a great experience. Will go again if I get a chance

[Senna]

Where did Zero see a 2hr 43m cut?!

Wasn't there an agreement at a race where Prost and Senna had an understanding that whoever made turn 1 first would win, but Senna didin't stick to his word? That was left out even though it was the origin of their rivalry.

Correct, and this was exactly one of the things I noticed they had left out (Senna doing a 'Schumacher Budapest' on Prost down the Estoril start/finish straight being another). It was the 1989 San Marino GP at fateful Imola - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1989_San_Marino_Grand_Prix

The race was originally stopped due to Berger's accident at Tamburello (where Senna crashed and died 5 years later). Prost got past Senna at the restart but then Senna passed him going into Tosa and this was the start of their feud, which would probably have started due to something else anyway such was the underlying tensions. I think morally Prost was correct in the view that he took on the agreement and the overtake (I seem to remember Ron Dennis also admitting this) but then Senna also had a valid argument as well. Either way, it was the beginning of 3 of the best years in F1's history.

[SuperBeatBoy]

An extended cut was leaked online a while ago. It featured alot more interviews than the shorter cut. The shorter cut is much better because of it, but its still great to see both cuts with extended information.

[Flabio]

Saw this this afternoon up in London. Manly tears were shed, and I wasn't the only one.

I hadn't watched any of that final Imola footage since I saw it live the first time. It brought back memories of exactly where I was and even what I was eating for lunch at the time.

I hadn't seen that Martin Donnely crash before though, I think that was the year before I started watching F1. How on earth did he not die?

I'd imagine we'll see the longer cut on DVD later in the year, nearly 3 hours for a documentary that isn't going to pull massive crowds is pushing it a bit so I can see why the cinema release is a tighter edit.

[bash]

Just finished watching this now, its pretty breathtaking stuff. I never really had an appreciation of Senna growing up, being born in 1980 in England meant that I was always used to hearing the name Mansell and Hill bandied around and rarely Senna or Prost. I cant believe they showed the 2 crashes at the end, theres a bit when you can see Senna looking at the news when they're pulling the German out of the car and he just turns away in horror. Its pretty amazing the clips and footage they managed to grab for this documentary but the sign of a good one is one that can draw anyone into it and the story, not just F1 fans which this film exactly does. I'll be surprised if it doesnt get any awards if it hasnt already.

[Wools]

After a long wait for the film to get to these shores, I finally managed to see the film last night.

I was worried the film would not be screened at any location where I live, but Guildford Odeon announced a few weeks ago there would be a one off screening in Screen 1. It?s good to see that tickets must have sold fast as the room was at capacity and they had an extra showing in Screen 7, hopefully positive word of mouth will give Senna a decent run in the UK.

I?ve been a lifetime Formula 1 fan but I?ve never been a fan of Senna. I was aware that he was a dangerous driver, prepared to do anything to win, and witnessed the amount of shunts, crashes and his general aggressive behaviour. When he had his crash at Imola, it was a huge shock to witness but somewhere in the back of my mind, I was not surprised to see him be killed, considering what I had witnessed in previous years.

As time went on, the acclaim Senna received was countered by my own feelings and journalists like Nigel Roebuck, who?s praise of his driving was just as easy to talk about as his aggressive nature on and off the track. With those mixed emotions, I watched the film and emerged with a different attitude towards the man and the situations that I?ve always held aloft as negatives towards his life.

The film uses documentary footage throughout, with no narrator or single voice. The images are entirely of the time and the voices are a mixture of historical recording of the people involved in his life, and recent interviews with Ron Dennis, Senna?s Sister and close relations. The film plays out in a structure like Goodfellas, where the film opens from his humble beginnings racing Go Karts, quickly jumps to him joining Formula 1 in the Toleman, his continued success in the McLaren, but then slows down as he becomes unhappy in the car, in till it all slows to a crawl at the final race in Imola where everything goes wrong.

I?ve never seen a documentary that is so involving or feels as cinematic as a film. Senna is as charismatic as any lead, with the on-board footage of the old cars looking far more fast and far more terrifying than any of the 2011 F1 cars. The open cockpit exposing the drivers shoulders, large steering wheels and manual H Shifter gearbox looks beautiful to behold on the big screen, with the drivers moving and being slammed about as they negotiate the bare concrete circuits of the day. As is predictable, there are some hair raising crashes shown on the film and with nowhere to look but the screen, you feel helpless as a drivers body lay lifeless on the track as cars are driving round him.

The film communicated to me what Ayrton Senna was about in 2 hours, where the live TV footage and a decade of books have failed to. He was a dedicated driver, passionate about winning, genuinely cared about what his wealth could contribute to the world and hated the politics involved with the FIA and Formula 1. If you love F1 or especially if you don?t, I urge you to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9SJYmFi0m0

[Darwock]

What is the actual title of this film? Is it something like "beyond the speed of sound"?

[Wools]

No, it's just Senna. Nothing else as far as I'm aware.

[Bort]

Senna in the UK. Ayrton Senna Beyond The Speed Of Sound in other territories.

[bash]

I believe the blu ray and subsequent torrents available on the net are titles Senna: beyond the speed of sound . . .

[cutmymilk]

Its brilliant and doing VERY well at my local cineworld, still there 5 times a day.

[Kieran76]

I was meant to be seeing this tonight, but luckily for me it is doing so well that I will still be able to see it at the weekend. Amazing that after three weeks a documentary is still in the top ten and doing better and better box office.