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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"Chariots of Fire" (1981) is
a riveting biography told in flashback about two
buddies and budding British track stars, Harold M.
Abrahams (Ben Cross) and Eric Liddell (Ian
Charleson) who are set to compete in the 1924
Summer Olympics. Eric, a devout Scottish
missionary, pledges his victory to God. Harold, a
Jewish student from Cambridge, seeks fame and the
chance to escape prejudice. Both are cocky, and
neither is willing to concede defeat.
While other sports films ("Rocky," "Field of
Dreams," "Hoosiers") tend to go for the gusto in a
prerequisite finish of brouhaha and flag waving,
"Chariots" arguably goes for the gut, because
director Hugh Hudson has correctly determined that
it is in the gut where heroes and legends are born
to flourish. This film plays like a vintage
newsreel, brought vividly to life. Its passion for
deriving grandeur from the everyday, rather than
transforming the everyday into the grandiose, is
precisely where the film most brilliantly
succeeds.
Colin Welland's script is a masterful tapestry
that fully explores the private demons and public
destiny of these two titans. It poignantly
captures the agony and the ecstasy of competition
in the face of an uncertain and defiant world.
What is even more remarkable about "Chariots of
Fire" is that it lacks a singular star turn to
buttress its seemingly straightforward plot, and
yet there are star caliber performances
throughout. The acting is superb -- particularly
Ian Charleson's Eric Liddell -- an incarnation of
subtle masculine beauty that is marked and
contrasted through his considerable ease and joy
in running competitively against the emotionally
raw and physically tortured Abrahams, the other
outstanding acting achievement. As prospective
love interests, Cheryl Campbell (Jennie Liddell)
and Alice Krige (Sybil Gordon), add to the air of
documentary style that develops this film into its
epic race-to-the-finish-line finale. Sam
Mussabini's (Ian Holm) reaction to that final high
note of victory is memorable, and will leave even
the most cynical of cinema critics with a lump in
his throat.
A note to remember when viewing films based on
real life for historical accuracy: Due to the
refusal of several key participants to lend their
real names to the film, director, Hugh Hudson was
forced to take artistic liberties with two key
characters, that of Watson (Stephen Mallatratt)
who was in fact Arthur Porritt, father to
environmentalist Jonathan Porritt, and Lord Andrew
Lindsay (Nigel Havers) who is actually a knock-off
for Lord Burghley.
Warner Home Video's DVD is, at long last, a reason
to get excited. The previously issued release of
this contemporary classic was barebones and not
widescreen. Both shortcomings have been rectified
on this 2-disc special edition. The image quality
on this anamorphically enhanced and newly
remastered disc is outstanding. Colors are rich
and vibrant, capturing all the subtle palette of
nuances in the original cinematography. Blacks are
solid, rich and deep. Whites are sharp and clean.
Occasionally flesh tones will appear somewhat
pasty or a bit too orange but these momentary
lapses in color do not distract from the lush and
lovely presentation. Fine detail is fully realized
throughout. Only during the slow-motion
photography do details tend to look a tad soft.
The audio has been remastered into a 5.1 sound mix
that is dated but really stands out during the
race sequences. Occasionally dialogue sounds
strident or too frontal but again, this is a
soundtrack from the early 1980s. Extras include a
very interesting commentary track by Hugh Hudson,
a newly produced documentary, "Wings on Their
Heels: The Making of Chariots of Fire," "Chariots
of Fire -- A Reunion" in which key cast members
reunite to discuss the film's impact on both their
careers and on cinema, seven deleted scenes and
some actors' screen tests.
Bottom line: "Chariots of Fire" is thrilling
entertainment, poignantly realized and a classic.
It's reintroduction on DVD -- properly formatted
and properly realized -- has been long overdue but
has been well worth the wait! |
