Thumbing through my Charlotte weekend entertainment section of the paper today, I saw the following headline:
Thunder in Carolina Coming to Charlotte
I thought, "Great," and had thoughts of going to see the old 1960 Rory Calhoun Darlington classic on the big screen again. I was fooled, though. Here's the rest of the release:
Thunder in Carolina coming to Charlotte
The video Thunder in Carolina, which tells the story of the first settlers in Mecklenburg County, is playing Tuesday, Sept. 6, at Sugaw Creek Presbyterian Church.
The video is being shown by the Mecklenburg Historical Association Docents, which provides support to all local historic sites through programming assistance, research and consultation. For more information, visit their website at www.meckdec.org .
The movie will be shown at the church, at 101 Sugar Creek Road West, at 11 a.m.
I did, see, also, that the film SENNA is opening here today. While not a stock car flick, I am still looking for good racing movies to see. I hope it will be and will catch it when it makes it to the TV movies.
Here's one review of SENNA, from Minneapolis, if you might be thinking of seeing it.
'Senna'
By COLIN COVERT
Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
COLIN COVERT Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
The Brazilian Formula One champion Ayrton Senna is widely considered the greatest race car driver of all time. Killed in a 1994 crash, he dominated the sport in the 1980s and '90s, becoming the sport's sex symbol and standard bearer. He was also a symbol of national pride in his homeland as it emerged from decades of authoritarian military rule and death squads.
Asif Kapadia's documentary "Senna" brings him vibrantly to life through archival racing footage, home movies and news reports dating back to his teenage years as a go-kart competitor. There's not an ounce of fat or a wasted shot throughout. The film boasts electrifying sequences from Senna's most important races, including car-mounted mini-camera shots that virtually put viewers in the driver's seat. It finds compelling personal drama in Senna's feud with French champ Alain Prost, his sometime racing team partner, whose cool, calculating approach to driving and political infighting made him the Brazilian's nemesis.
The film charts Senna's rise, rivalries, reign and demise, presenting the man in all his paradoxical glory. He hit more cars in three years than most F1 drivers do over the course of their careers. Yet he was a campaigner for stricter safety regulations. He was born rich but committed to uplifting the poor. He was religiously devout, yet he had a penchant for nubile beauties, including Xuxa, Brazil's gene-splice of Charo and Anna Nicole Smith, guest-starring on her sacrilegiously tacky Christmas TV special. He was humble but not immune to hubris.
He was lucky in a dangerous sport until he wasn't. And above all he had drive.
SENNA
3 stars
Documentary directed by Asif Kapadia
Rating: PG-13 for some language and disturbing sights.
--
"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM