I was reminded by a friend that I can find a dark cloud around any silver lining. I've heard that so many times before that I'm sure that my reputation is ripe in that regard. I'm also sure that to some my comments on "Senna" fall perfectly in that category.
Oh well, I might have suggested to my friend that he take two pills and call me in the morning . . . but a more productive suggestion might have been that he go back and reread what I've offered with his own negative filters turned off.
Ayrton Senna had an enormous impact on my life. I can't say that he became my all-time favorite F1 driver, but from a distant vantage I was captivated by the manner this man scantly 14 months my elder so intensely attacked the world's greatest, most challenging form of motor sport.
I remember that it was right around Senna's 1985 season with Lotus that on-board cameras began to appear in sparse use. It was the dawn of a sensational new era for those who followed the sport and Senna was taking center stage. In the following years television audiences worldwide exploded.
Yet despite those staggering numbers, F1 has remained largely overlooked in the cinema. Very few motor racing films have been made, and most are arguably disappointing. "Le Mans"and the racing sequences in Frankenheimer's "Grand Prix," (both made prior Senna's era), are the most notable exceptions.
With this in mind, the movie "Senna" is a remarkable accomplishment simply in the fact that it arrives as one of the stronger films on the topic.
I could have focused on those things which work so well . . . the unbelievable archival footage, the fantastic score, the fluid editing, and poignant ending. No doubt, I am fully appreciative of the film on many levels. Perhaps I should have left my commentary on that point.
However, my broader reaction to the film is almost identical to the contradictory nature I sometimes recognized in Senna's career. If the film and ensuing discussion serves to keep Senna's impact on motor sport vibrant, then let's have at it.
I want to leave the topic with two further viewing recommendations.
"A Star Named Ayrton Senna" is a noble documentary effort that comes close to presenting a more complete picture of the man, albeit with some handicaps such as a very weak score.
I would also recommend Senna's 1989 qualifying lap at Suzuka as presented on the DVD "50 Years of Formula 1 Onboard." The fascinating aspect to this narration free clip is not the lap alone but the intensity clearly evident in Senna's approach as he studies his competitor's times (probably Prost's!), climbs into his car, and pulls on his gloves. Stunning.
SPA
Has Spa-Francorchamps ever produced a boring Grand Prix? I highly doubt it.
Despite the fact that Sebastian Vettel has pretty much run away with the title, I continue to find each round in this year's championship incredibly exciting, and Spa was no exception.
This year's weather brought back memories of our trip there in 2008.
I can't wait to return!
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