It used to be that films about car racing catered to a specific
audience, mostly young and predominantly male. But recently, car racing
films have tried to reach across the aisle and bring in more female
fans. With more complex plots and terrific action sequences, car racing
films have grown in popularity in recent years.
Much is expected
of a new biopic film released in September 2013. "Rush" tells the story
of the Formula One rivalry between James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the
mid-1970s. Directed by acclaimed American master Ron Howard, the film is
a joint production effort between Universal Pictures (United States),
StudioCanal (United Kingdom), and Pathé Productions (France). Chris
Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl take on the roles of Hunt and Lauda,
respectively. The film was released to critical acclaim, with many
calling "Rush" the best sports drama film in a long while. Apart from
"Rush," there have been many other car racing films that have achieved
success at the box office. Some of the most memorable are elaborated
upon in greater detail below.
"Days of Thunder"
Directed by
the late Tony Scott, "Days of Thunder" features Tom Cruise teaming up
with "Top Gun" director Scott once again. The film, which also stars
Nicole Kidman, Robert Duvall, and Cary Elwes, follows the fortunes of a
young NASCAR racing driver, Cole, played by Cruise. The early part of
the film sees Cole and his archrival Rowdy Burns battle it out on the
racetrack. At the Firecracker 400 in Daytona, each of them suffers major
injuries from crashes that bring them together in the process. Cole
takes longer to recover than Rowdy, and as a result he is shut out from
the racing team. After Rowdy suffers another accident, Cole is allowed
to get back on the race track. The final race is the Daytona 500, in
which Cole overcomes the new hotshot Russ Wheeler to become the new
champion. Film critics were mostly positive about the film, but some
called it "Top Gun" on wheels.
"The Fast and the Furious"
The
first film of what ultimately became the most successful car racing
film series of all time, "The Fast and the Furious" showcases the very
best street racing has to offer. Director Rob Cohen got the inspiration
to make the film after reading a magazine article about street racing in
New York City. Featuring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, and Michelle
Rodriguez among others, the film follows the fortunes of LAPD officer
Brian O'Connor (Walker), who is tasked with going undercover to
infiltrate a street-racing gang led by Dom (Diesel). The pair forms an
unlikely friendship, and they engage in an impromptu street race at the
end that O'Connor wins.
The film was mostly panned by the film
critics, but this feeling was not shared by many moviegoers. "The Fast
and the Furious" became a commercial success worldwide, making back
almost five times its production budget. Film executives were so pleased
that a sequel was ordered, followed by another a few years later.
Twelve years after the original, the series is still going strong, with
six films produced so far. Another film is scheduled for release in the
summer of 2014; it will be called "Fast & Furious 7."
"Cars"
A computer-animated film, "Cars"
was released in 2006 and surprised many experts in the film industry.
The film was the last to be produced by Pixar before its takeover by
Walt Disney Pictures. Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, and Tony Shalhoub lend
their voices to some of the key characters in the film. "Cars" was
widely praised by film critics, some calling it one of Pixar's best
films ever. The film also appeals to more than just kids, with viewers
of all ages able to enjoy it. "Cars" held the number one spot at the
U.S. box office for its first two weeks and made more than $450 million
worldwide. This made it the highest grossing animated film in the United
States for the year it was released.
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