by Wallace Wyss –
Yes, there are even reviews of trailers. Why? Well, here on My Car Quest (and other car sites) because this is shaping up to be an important movie to car enthusiasts, actually to two separate groups–the rah-rah-America-wins group championing American engines and the exotic-is-best group flying Ferrari (and other) flags.
This movie’s success (it comes out November 15, 2019) could well determine if any more car films get funding because RUSH tanked. It could be, on this new film Ford v. Ferrari, director James Mangold’s approach–telling the human story behind the car story–is the way to go.
We’ve had it with mechanical details–we want motivations! Now the trailer promises plenty of action–you see race cars hurtling through the air.
You see fisticuffs (though in interviewing many Shelby former employees while researching my three Shelby books I never heard of fisticuffs between Shelby and any employee)
You see an actor who doesn’t look like Shelby playing Shelby and an actor that doesn’t look like Miles playing Miles. And an actor that doesn’t look like Henry Ford II playing HFII aka “The Deuce”. What, they never heard of makeup? Or a prothesis?
Nevertheless, I recently bought a book on Ford vs Ferrari hoping, as promised by the intro, it would have some behind the scenes info but again it had the same old litany of mechanical changes when now I want to read about why Henry Ford wanted to go for a LeMans win, why Ford rejected working with Lotus’ Colin Chapman (as they had on the Ford Indy car) I want the personalties, because now that we can look up the mechanical bits on Google we don’t need to take up time with them anymore. We want to know the motivations.
Elizabeth Blackstock, reviewing the same trailer on Jalopnik, echoes my view saying “That said, the trailer is compelling as hell! In between just enough exposition to let us know that we’re all going to love the no-bullshit Shelby and the take-no-shit Miles are some really beautiful racing shots that honestly make me kind of glad I live in the 21st century so I can see iconic race battles recreated at extreme angles in glorious HD. There are crashes, fist fights, fires—there’s romance, family, humor, and, well…just take two minutes to check out the trailer. It looks so good.”
Blackstock even goes into how the movie was supposed to be based on AJ Baime’s book Go Like Hell but the producers say it wasn’t and how unfair that is, but neglects to mention that AJ Baime took to the bank at least $100,000 when his film rights were first bought by Fox, so I don’t see why she or Baime are complaining. The rights were resold to a TV production company.
So in the next few months between now and November–I predict more trailers will be released, each one revealing more of the storyline. I even suspect Mangold may recut the film according to feedback on the trailers “A little more Enzo here, a little more Charlie Agaipou there…”
I even predict a big move upward in value for genuine CSX2000 series and CSX3000 series Cobra values and likewise, genuine GT40s. Ferrari prototypes with documented LeMans histories are already up there. If this movie is boffo at the box office, all ships will rise.
And by the way Disney has been raking in beaucoup cash on a new Star Wars theme park and I can even see, if this movie pulls in, say $500 million, a LeMans type park being built at Disneyland. Let’s see, a little village using the sets built for the movie, where you–the tourist–can select your race car and pull on your stringback driving gloves and….
Watch the 2:24 trailer below.
Read more about Ford v. Ferrari here.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR: Wallace Wyss, a fine artist, reports he is busy making oil portraits of LeMans racers that were joined in this titanic battle. For a list of prints from his originals, write mendoart7@gmail.com
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Very excited to see the movie. The trailers hint at a great story….personalities and the CARS! I agree that the actors don’t resemble the real folks and that’s unfortunate in a way. Christian Bale looks much more like Carroll Shelby than Matt Damon does. I have a feeling that this movie is going to hit it out of the ball park. Lots of excitement amongst my Cobra friends and by the “shares” I see on Facebook, this is getting a lot of attention. I’ll be in the theatre on the first day, that’s for sure!
In the ever progressing way that Hollywood promotes films, Motor1.com website reports Fox is offering a theatre in LeMans the opportunity to screen a 10-min. preview of the film.
The rest of us will have to wait until it hits theaters.
Ford v Ferrari, also known as Le Mans ’66 in some regions, isn’t hitting theaters until November 15 even though we want the movie now. However, those attending this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans will get an exclusive first look at the movie thanks to a 10-minute clip that will air Friday, June 14, before the race begins.
The movie will screen at 7:15 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the Pathe theatre in the city center with a second screening at the CGR Saint Saturnin in the suburbs of Le Mans. Free entry coupons will be available at both locations beginning Monday, June 10.
More Ford V Ferrari Info:
⠀ford v ferrari movie trailer Ford V Ferrari Movie Trailer Drops, And Looks Great ford ferrari film teased twitter Ford V. Ferrari Film Teased On Twitter, Looks Fantastic
Ford v Ferrari is based on the true story of how Ford wanted not only to challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, but win, too. The movie follows Ford as it approached Carroll Shelby (played by Matt Damon) to make it all happen, and chronicles the rapid development of the famous Ford GT40 race car. While we already know the outcome of the race – Ford claims a 1-2-3 victory – seeing the lead-up to the race and how the racing team overcame tremendous obstacles get its Hollywood adaptation with Damon and Christian Bale on the big screen is exciting.
While the movie is set at the famous Le Mans race track, the movie wasn’t filmed there. Instead, the crew used Agua Dulce Airpark, a private airport in Santa Clarita, California. The track today no longer resembles what it did more than 50 years ago. Instead, the film crew used over 300 archival photos to recreate the Ford and Ferrari pits, three large segments of grandstands, and the international press box.
So, if you’re attending this year’s Le Mans and have a few free hours Friday evening, head to the local theater to catch 10 minutes of Ford v Ferrari. You’ll get to see more of it before anyone else. The rest of us will have to wait until November.
Source: 24 Hours of Le Mans
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