Chariots of Fire

Rating:
Summary: Run for God
Review: Chariots of Fire, the 1981 winner of Academy Best Picture, depicts the true life stories of two young runners, Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, who ran for Great British in the 1924 Olympic Games.

These are two young men who shared many commonalities.
• Both love running;
• Both were outside the British establishment - Eric is a Scottish missionary in China (later died in China), while Harold is a secular Jewish who felt prejudice;
• Both are determined to win;
• Both run for a reason;

Yet they have fundamental differences, and the movie is about what makes them run:
• Harold runs for himself, while Eric runs for God;
• Harold runs by passion, while Eric runs by faith;
• Harold uses running as a weapon, while Eric uses running as a means of worship;
• Harold runs to beat the world, while Eric runs to enlighten the world;

Harold said, "I don't run to take beatings; I run to win!"
Eric said, "God made me for a purpose, and He also made me fast, and when I run I feel His pleasure!"

Eventually, both won the Olympic gold.
Eric rejoiced for he has won it for the glory of God, while Harold felt lost in the very purpose of winning.

Harold confessed to himself: "I am forever in pursuit, but I don't even know what I am chasing...I've labored for this moment for years like a madman...I raise my eyes and look down that corridor, 4 feet wide and 10 lonely seconds, to justify my whole existence - but will I? I've known fear of losing. I am now almost too frightened to win..."

Eric praised God: "The everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth, paint not, neither is weary...He give power to the paint, and to them that have no strength...He increase might...but that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strengths...they shall mount up with wings as eagles...they shall run, and not be weary..."

We may not have the gift of running, but we surely have other talents, for God create us each uniquely. Look within first to locate that gift of yours and then look outside for God's purpose and plan for you. When you are using your talent for God, make the full of it with all your strengths and all your drive and all your heart, and do it to the perfection so that you can feel God's pleasure...
Life on earth is just like that 10 lonely seconds on the 100-meter track...only things we do for God will last...

Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: One of the all time great movies based on a true story! No villians, just two men consumed with a driving purpose to run. One man runs for himself, and one man runs for a higher motive. Wonderful acting, music and editing. Great script. A contemplative drama that one cannot fully comprehend with just one viewing. It is on my top 10.

Rating:
Summary: Holds your attention
Review: It is the 1924 Paris Olympics. Who will represent Great Briton? The decision will not only be based on athletic abilities but on social standing and religion. Everyone has his or her agenda from the promoters to the runners themselves. In the end compromises must be made but for the final chosen there can be no compromise to win.

This is a movie that holds your attention on several levels. Many of the actors are easily recognizable but they do not overshadow the characters they represent. The scenery is switched from Scotland countryside, to Cambridge, and to France (actually shot in England). Of course as depicted in the cover picture the most notable is the run along the beach (West Sands Beach, St Andrews, Scotland, UK.) Then the music, most noticeable in the beach scenes but permeated the movie will stay with you for years (Original music by Vangelis.) The story is based on true events with scriptwriter Colin Welland bringing what would just be facts to life making you feel that you are back in the time and taking part in race.

Rating:
Summary: Digging Dirt in Slow Motion
Review: A soporific movie that seems to drag on forever. One scene summarizes the movie perfectly: in preparing for a race, one of the stars is shown digging into the dirt in slow motion (starting blocks didn't exist in the 1920's).

I'd recommend this movie to those who have trouble sleeping but want to avoid sleeping pills.

Rating:
Summary: Exemplary Character
Review: You can read other reviews for the movie details; I on the other hand, want to commend the film?s two main characters to you. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), an over achieving son of a prominent (Jewish) Financier, and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleston), a Rugby hero son of Scottish Presbyterian missionaries.

Both men have many characteristics in common and other characteristics that are quite different. Harold must WIN -- until he raced against future Olympic teammate Eric Liddel he NEVER lost. He is Jewish fighting for respect in the upper English society he is a part of because of his financial status and ability. He hates being judged by his religious heritage and not because of his personal achievements and he WILL prove to one and all that he is a better man than English society says. Eric on the other hand must RUN, because when he does "God made me for a purpose, and he made me fast and when I run I feel His pleasure!"

Both men battle the entrenched English code -- Harold because of the prejudice he endures as a Jew and Eric because he dares to place God over king in his refusal to run for English glory on Sunday.

Do yourself a favor and get this movie -- watch it often -- K.K. Dunn, Kansas City

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant piece of art
Review: This film has been my favourite ever since I saw it in 1981. The musical score by Vangelis made me curious, but the elegant, untypical filming, the actors, the settings and the storytelling is really wonderful.
You can watch it many times, and still find multiple gems hidden in the details, the understatements and the shifting temperature.
The film relays old-fashioned ideals to a new audience in a credible and intriguing way. It gives us insight to an important period of the main characters lives in a time not very far away.

Rating:
Summary: An Inspirational And Unforgettable Movie
Review: CHARIOTS OF FIRE is a movie about two British track athletes who compete in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. The acting is excellent and the tension building up to the climactic races is superbly managed. Ian Charleson and Ben Cross have the leading roles. The cast also includes Ian Holm, John Gielgud and Lindsey Anderson. The score is memorable to say the least and the movie itself is nothing short of inspirational.

CHARIOTS OF FIRE won Oscars for Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Score and Costume Design. It was also nominated for Best Director, Supporting Actor (Ian Holm) and Editing.

Rating:
Summary: The current DVD is poor quality, but help is coming in 2004!
Review: I love the content of Chariots of Fire. From it's compelling storyline, heartfelt acting, mesmorizing Vangelis score and cinematography, it richly deserved the 1981 Oscar for Best Picture.

Unfortunately, this 1997 DVD treatment of it for the American market seems to have been rushed into production. First and foremost, it suffers from a being viewable solely in pan and scan format. In other words, those long shots on the beach or wide shots of the track lanes are compressed and narrowed to 'fit your screen'. A consequence of this is the loss of the 'impact' of those shots as they were in their original aspect for theater release.

Additionally, the picture quality for the DVD transfer is spotted and flecked. The sound is passable, but not rich as it ought to be for the Oscar winning score.

However, I recently learned that Warner Brothers - the firm which owns the right to this film, confirmed at a recent DVD industry trade show that Chariots of Fire: Special Edition (presumably with widescreen aspect, clean film transfer, enhanced stereo sound and other goodies) is due for release some time in 2004.

Thus I'd recommend holding off on purchasing this phenomenal film until the new DVD is released -- which will show it exactly in the manner that swept over audiences in the theaters two decades ago.

Rating:
Summary: My favorite movie of all time!
Review: My favorite movie of all time!

Everyone was well chosen.

It is a perfect film.

Rating:
Summary: We Need Widescreen
Review: What the heck? Best PictureAward, fabulous panoramics,ship scenes, great sport shots - in full screen???? Yuck. I am waiting for the widescreen version of this classic sports movie before I pluck down my cash. Then we see 5 stars. Awesome movie - please give us the full effect.