Hell on Wheels
starring: Rolf Aldag, Lance Armstrong, Santiago Botero, Hagen Boßdorf, Baden Cooke
directed by: Danquart, Pepe
directed by: Danquart, Pepe
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Product Description:
A Film by Academy Award-Winning Director Pepe Danquart On the Road... Behind the Scenes... With the Riders of Le Tour de France!LOVE LANCE, ZABEL & VINO? You'll love Hell on Wheels, the first film about professional bike racing for both hardcore fans and newcomers to the sport! Le Tour de France, the toughest bicycle race of all, recently celebrated its 100th birthday. Year after year this spectacular event fascinates millions of people worldwide. But within the beauty of the French coutryside and the tensions of the race, Academy Award Winner Pepe Danquart chose to illustrate the torture and the pain, the fear and the courage of the riders of the Tour. In the process he captures the thrill of the race, the essence of the stunning landscape, and shines light on the Tour's supporting cast - the masseurs, managers, fans and more. Adding a fine sense of history, Hell on Wheels transcends the sport it celebrates to reveal an astonishing human endeavor. Featuring the world's best bike rac
Amazon.com:
There may never be a better documentary about the Tour de France bicycle race than Hell on Wheels. Directed by German filmmaker Pepe Danquart (who won an Oscar® for best live action short film in 1994), this breathtaking documentary covers all aspects of the 2003 edition of the Tour de France, and it's likely to remain the definitive record of the event from an immediate you-are-there perspective. Outstanding cinematography, award-winning editing, and the extreme challenge of the Tour make this a truly unforgettable film, full of real-life drama and fascinating competitors who bring a deeply human dimension to cycling's annual extravaganza. This was the year that American cycling legend Lance Armstrong won his fifth consecutive Tour de France victory, but Danquart's film wisely avoids overemphasis on Armstrong's dominance, focusing instead on German teammates Eric Zabel and Rolf Aldag, whose 11-year history as Tour de France roommates lends the film a more personal quality that gets you right inside the Tour's physical and psychological endurance test. The July 2003 event marked the Tour's centenary celebration, and French scholar Serge Laget provides valuable perspective on the race's cultural importance in France, with vintage film clips to illustrate how the grueling 2,500-kilometer Tour has evolved--and stayed the same--throughout its 100-year history. Highlights are abundant (including Armstrong's nearly devastating crash late in the race), but Hell on Wheels goes beyond basic sports reportage to achieve the dramatic impact of a feature film. Danquart strikes a satisfying balance between beautiful travelogue footage of the French countryside (including the Tour's scenic stages in the Pyrenees mountains) and the veteran's perspective of Zabel, whose honest assessment of his own cycling abilities makes you realize that even great cyclists view the Tour with awe, fear, and inspiring courage. In capturing the beauty, pain, and glory of cycling's most daunting competition, Hell on Wheels caters to a specific audience while retaining its universal appeal as a colorful and exhilarating film that anyone can enjoy. --Jeff Shannon
A Film by Academy Award-Winning Director Pepe Danquart On the Road... Behind the Scenes... With the Riders of Le Tour de France!LOVE LANCE, ZABEL & VINO? You'll love Hell on Wheels, the first film about professional bike racing for both hardcore fans and newcomers to the sport! Le Tour de France, the toughest bicycle race of all, recently celebrated its 100th birthday. Year after year this spectacular event fascinates millions of people worldwide. But within the beauty of the French coutryside and the tensions of the race, Academy Award Winner Pepe Danquart chose to illustrate the torture and the pain, the fear and the courage of the riders of the Tour. In the process he captures the thrill of the race, the essence of the stunning landscape, and shines light on the Tour's supporting cast - the masseurs, managers, fans and more. Adding a fine sense of history, Hell on Wheels transcends the sport it celebrates to reveal an astonishing human endeavor. Featuring the world's best bike rac
Amazon.com:
There may never be a better documentary about the Tour de France bicycle race than Hell on Wheels. Directed by German filmmaker Pepe Danquart (who won an Oscar® for best live action short film in 1994), this breathtaking documentary covers all aspects of the 2003 edition of the Tour de France, and it's likely to remain the definitive record of the event from an immediate you-are-there perspective. Outstanding cinematography, award-winning editing, and the extreme challenge of the Tour make this a truly unforgettable film, full of real-life drama and fascinating competitors who bring a deeply human dimension to cycling's annual extravaganza. This was the year that American cycling legend Lance Armstrong won his fifth consecutive Tour de France victory, but Danquart's film wisely avoids overemphasis on Armstrong's dominance, focusing instead on German teammates Eric Zabel and Rolf Aldag, whose 11-year history as Tour de France roommates lends the film a more personal quality that gets you right inside the Tour's physical and psychological endurance test. The July 2003 event marked the Tour's centenary celebration, and French scholar Serge Laget provides valuable perspective on the race's cultural importance in France, with vintage film clips to illustrate how the grueling 2,500-kilometer Tour has evolved--and stayed the same--throughout its 100-year history. Highlights are abundant (including Armstrong's nearly devastating crash late in the race), but Hell on Wheels goes beyond basic sports reportage to achieve the dramatic impact of a feature film. Danquart strikes a satisfying balance between beautiful travelogue footage of the French countryside (including the Tour's scenic stages in the Pyrenees mountains) and the veteran's perspective of Zabel, whose honest assessment of his own cycling abilities makes you realize that even great cyclists view the Tour with awe, fear, and inspiring courage. In capturing the beauty, pain, and glory of cycling's most daunting competition, Hell on Wheels caters to a specific audience while retaining its universal appeal as a colorful and exhilarating film that anyone can enjoy. --Jeff Shannon
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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- Simply amazing
This is one of the best cycling documentaries I have ever watched. A beautiful combination of great camerawork, a stunning setting, great soundtrack and engaging subjects. It goes beyond the highlight reel and goes into the day to day life and musings during the tour. It delves into the deep friendship between Erik Zabel (6 time green jersey winner) and one of his trusted helpers on the team, Rolf Aldag. The frankness, humility and emotion displayed by the racers is a welcome contrast to the typical ... Read More
Rating: - best pro cycle film .
I have watch every world compcycle film I can get my hands on
and this is the best . Great 2hr trainer.
Rating: - MOTIVATOR
Best film I ve foundfor conveying the expierence
of ultra endurance sports. Wonderfull moviefor training
motivationand a great depiction ofone of the worlds
great sporting events.
Rating: - Excellent Insight into Riding in the Tour
I can think of no better vehicle than this documentary to capture the physical and psychological realities of competing in one of the world's most gruelling athletic challenges.There is no glorification of the race here, but the nobility of suffering and doing what it takes to meet a tremdous challenge show the higher ideals of sport.Good characters and wonderful race scenes round it out.
Rating: - Best recent film on cycling
As cyclist and fan of cycling for most of my 50 odd years, I love this movie and have watched it many times, especially during the off season as the vivid sights and sounds remind me of how much I love the sport. My favorite scenes are in the mountain stages, like the nearly slow motion climb of a lone rider up a steep Alpe gradient against the score of a wailing electric guitar, the rider straining, sweat pouring down his pain-stricken expression -- oh how many times I've been there myself.
Read More
- Simply amazingThis is one of the best cycling documentaries I have ever watched. A beautiful combination of great camerawork, a stunning setting, great soundtrack and engaging subjects. It goes beyond the highlight reel and goes into the day to day life and musings during the tour. It delves into the deep friendship between Erik Zabel (6 time green jersey winner) and one of his trusted helpers on the team, Rolf Aldag. The frankness, humility and emotion displayed by the racers is a welcome contrast to the typical ... Read More
- best pro cycle film .I have watch every world compcycle film I can get my hands on
and this is the best . Great 2hr trainer.
- MOTIVATOR Best film I ve foundfor conveying the expierence
of ultra endurance sports. Wonderfull moviefor training
motivationand a great depiction ofone of the worlds
great sporting events.
- Excellent Insight into Riding in the TourI can think of no better vehicle than this documentary to capture the physical and psychological realities of competing in one of the world's most gruelling athletic challenges.There is no glorification of the race here, but the nobility of suffering and doing what it takes to meet a tremdous challenge show the higher ideals of sport.Good characters and wonderful race scenes round it out.
- Best recent film on cyclingAs cyclist and fan of cycling for most of my 50 odd years, I love this movie and have watched it many times, especially during the off season as the vivid sights and sounds remind me of how much I love the sport. My favorite scenes are in the mountain stages, like the nearly slow motion climb of a lone rider up a steep Alpe gradient against the score of a wailing electric guitar, the rider straining, sweat pouring down his pain-stricken expression -- oh how many times I've been there myself.
Read More
