If you could have any biopic made, who would you choose?
If you had it in your power to have the story of a cyclist told in film, who would you like the film to be based on? And why?
For me, Fausto Coppi. Great rider, fascinating background, lots of wierdness, the war getting in the way of his career and the ultimately sad end to his life.
For me, Fausto Coppi. Great rider, fascinating background, lots of wierdness, the war getting in the way of his career and the ultimately sad end to his life.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
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Yeah I think I'd go for Coppi too, lots to make an interesting story (romance, intrigue etc) against a backdrop of the political turmoil of post-War Italy. In fact rather like The Damned United, you could get away with showing very little cycling, to instead focus on other aspects of his life.
I'm a sucker for films with a sad ending, so I'd probaly also suggest the obvious - Pantani or how about Jose Maria Jimenez, directed by Pedro Almodavar.
Of course I could also envisage some wacky, 24hr Party People style biopic of Ullrich 8)0 -
Mine.
It would be short and dull, but hey...0 -
What about the Armstrong movie? It's been in production for years now. I at least remember seeing a picture of Matthew McConaughey and Jake Gyllenhaal rehearsing for the role and that was at least five years ago.0
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I'd do one on Bartali. He interests me as much as the otherworldly Coppi, but doesn't get the same appreciation. You could say he is almost Salieri to Coppi's Mozart. You could do it as him looking back on his life as an old man and you could cover a lot of Coppi in that. But also you have a guy who when he should have been monstering the world in cycling was instead being a hero and borderline saint during the war.
Gentleman and legendIt's a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired. You quit when the gorilla is tired.0 -
Coppi and Bartali, if only to play up the contrasts between them as riders and characters - and, most importantly, their wartime experiences.
Anquetil for his exploits on and off the bike0 -
"The Other Ferrari Man".
Only I'm not sure Scarlet Johanssen is up to the starring part.
More your, dig up Roy Schneider. :shock:
How about for something different, the Henri Desgranges, Geo Lefevre invent the Tour sort of thing?"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Robert Millar would be an interesting one.0
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A proper documentay about Graeme Obree a la touching the void that was a mix of live footage, talking heads and re-enactment. Obree's story is so magical I found myself watching Flying Scotsman thinking theyt actually they'd played it down and made it all sound less mesmeric and incredible.\'You Come At the King,You Best Not Miss\'0
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Pantani!Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.0
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Has to be Armstrong.
Outline cast list would include:
Armstrong - Sir Cliff Richard
Ulrich - Arnold Schwarzennegger
Bruyneel - Richard Briars
Pantani - Patrick Stewart
"Big" George Hincapie - Richard Kiel
Linda Armstrong - Tammy Wynette
AFLD testers - The Harpies from Jason and the Argonauts, as animated by Ray Harryhausen
Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs0 -
Raymond Poulidor. I think it would be a real interesting look at a man who was one of the bbest cyclists every year for 15 years, yet could never win the big one.He battled the best across those 15 years, amazing. (He was 3rd TDF in '62 annd 3rd TDF in '75)0
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Pantani with a 'hollywood' ending where he was celebrated rather than castigated.
RIP Marco.Powered by Haribo.0 -
Ferdi kubler.
The narration would be done by whoever played him in the way he used to address himself in the 3rd person."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
pottssteve wrote:Has to be Armstrong.
Outline cast list would include:
Armstrong - Sir Cliff Richard
A good choice, seeing as how he may be going on a "Summer Holiday", thanks to the AFLD
I'll get my (lab) coat.......'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0 -
Gino Bartali by a long way - concentrating more on his war activities than the cycling
For those who don't know what he did, from Wikipedia:Bartali used his fame to carry messages and documents to the Italian Resistance.[18][19] Neither the Fascist police nor the German troops risked discontent by arresting him.
Giorgio Nissim, a Jewish accountant from Pisa[18], was a member of DelAsEm,[20] founded by the Union of the Israelitic Communities to help Jewish Italians escape persecution. The network in Tuscany was discovered in autumn 1943 and all members except Nissim sent to concentration camps. He met Pope Pius XII and, with the help of the Archbishop of Genoa, the Franciscan Friars and others he reorganized DelAsEm and helped 800 escape.
Nissim died in 2000. His sons found from his diaries that Bartali had used his fame to help. Nissim and the Oblati Friars of Lucca forged documents and needed photographs of those they were helping. Bartali used to leave Florence in the morning, pretending to train, rode to a convent in which the Jews were hiding, collected their photographs and rode back to Nissim. Bartali used his position to learn about raids on safehouses.[21][22]
Bartali was eventually taken to Villa Triste in Florence. The SD and the Italian RSS office, Mario Carità questioned Bartali, threatening his life.[22] Bartali simply answered "I do what I feel [in my heart]".
Bartali continued with the Assisi Underground. In 1943, he led Jewish refugees towards the Swiss Alps himself. He cycled pulling a wagon with a secret compartment, telling patrols it was just part of his training. Bartali told his son Andrea only that "One does these things and then that's that".[22]
Oscars all round for that kind of story.Twitter: @RichN950 -
FCE2007 wrote:Pantani with a 'hollywood' ending where he was celebrated rather than castigated.
RIP Marco.
Celebrated???? mid-90s??? A winning Italian rider? Hellooo??? :P0 -
For me Charly Gaul the Angel of the Mountains his exploits in the 58 tour was the stuff of legend particulary stage 21 where he took 15 mins out Gemianini and he told Bobet exactly where he was going to attack and he did as well in the pouring rain possible one of the greatest mountain wins in post war Tours. Has any other rider liked the wet conditions as much as the little Luxemburger. His personality was somewhat melancholic which adds to the intrigue and the fact he hid away in a forest for 30 years even more so. There is something about cycling in the 1950s and the rivlaries that facinates me no end and him in particular.Gasping - but somehow still alive !0
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sing_for_absolution wrote:Robert Millar would be an interesting one.
Yeah I'd go for Millar after reading the book quite an interesting biopic it could be.
Marco Pantani, Sean Yates et al, too many really aint there.?'Collapse the Light into Earth'0 -
Just about any grand champion's story would make a great film, really - that's one of the compelling things about the sport0
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Except Miguel Indurain, 'cos let's be honest... he was pretty flippin' dull.
I think a film about Jean Stablinski would be pretty cool. Son of poor Polish immigrants, sent to work in a coalmine at 14 years old after his father was killed, won a bicycle after winning an accordion competition, went on to be world champion.
Plus of course he was the guy who suggested they use the Arenberg forest for Paris-Roubaix because that's where he worked down the mine. I don't actually know if he used to ride over that road every day to get to work, but hey, it could be in the film anyway... a little artistic license never hurt anybody.0 -
If you want a more hollywood film, why not Cippolini? 8)Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.0
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Ludo Dierckxsens - worked in a DAF factory painting trucks and didn't turn pro until he was 30, though he'd always wanted to be a cyclist0
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teagar wrote:If you want a more hollywood film, why not Cippolini? 8)
Because those sort of films are usually light on plot and character development... hemhemhem"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
It has to be Louison Bobet
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louison_Bobet
This extract alone conjures such a distinct rider/man -
Tour de France 1958
The 1958 was the last that Bobet finished. One account said:
He has 400,000 kilometres in his legs. He has conquered glory and fortune but he is badly ill. Despite the formal advice of his doctor, he has decided to ride the 1958 Tour de France. He will suffer. He knows that. In the heart of the gigantic rocks of the Cassé Déserte, Bob is arced on his bicycle, his kidneys crushed by the effort and his head, like a heavy, painful balance, oscillates above his handlebars. The sun beats down on him. Around him, the whole mountain smokes like a giant witch's cauldron. As he breathes, what burns his throat and his lungs is the dust that rises around him... Abandoned, alone, without help, streaming with sweat, he has no other weapon against his adversaries but the mountain, the bad weather and his crazy willpower.[13]
He came seventh.
Side comment, my daughter is nicknamed Louison, in honour of Bobet!Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom0 -
I'd quite like to see a flim on Willy Voet / Festina. Anything that reminds the public at large what a charlatan Virenque was.0
