Graham Obree film : The Flying Scotman

2006 Edinburgh Film festival saw the debut of the film "The Flying Scotsman" which is based upon Graeme Obree's excellent autobiography of the same title.

The film, starring american actor Johnny Lee Miller has opened to good reviews.

 

Thanks for mentioning this, LM, I'll look forward to the movie. I read the book several months ago and recommended here in the forum.

 

No problem.

Yeah, I read the book and it is a very very good read.
I always admired Obree - and this has only increased since reading his book.

 

The world premiere is tomorrow night is it not? I'm going to see it.

 

Is the world premiere tomorrow night?

I read the Guardian review a few weeks back and the film had a special showing at the Edinburgh Film Festival - to very good reviews

Can you drop a line here Loto, to let us know what you thought of it??

 

The film is opening the International Film Festival tomorrow. The "World Premiere" is at 9.30 but I have tickets for the 9.45. Only two showings. I'm hoping to catch the man himself before or after the showing. Loto will return Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

 

Good stuff.

You're not hoping to catch him via the bike, I presume?
Rumour has it that GO is still in excellent shape and is still pedalling.

 

I read an interview with him in Scotland on Sunday. Even took the supplement home from work. He looks fit, always has. No I plan on going early to have a look. I do hope it's a relaxed affair. I'll be in jeans and t-shirt. Will try and get a photo to make you all jealous.

 

I arrived in the festival city of Edinburgh at 4 on monday. After leaving my things at my friend's accomodation I headed down Lothian Road to collect my tickets. I also decided to go and find where Cineworld was just to save on any kerfuffle that evening. Greeting me at Cineworld was a red carpet bordered by barriers advertising the "Edinburgh International Film Festival". In attendance were two satellite vans and a reporter doing a piece to camera. I return to the city centre most impressed and mildly in awe of what I have just seen.

I headed for Cineworld at around 9.10, arriving at the venue at around half past. The red carpet has been rolled up but I hear from a group of people that they haven't seen the actors and the man himself arrive. After standing for a few minutes I decide to head inside and take my seat in the hope they will show inside the theatre. True enough they arrived and briefly spoke before the start. Graham was dressed in kilt and full evening attire. He got a very lengthy, and very deserved, round of applause.

The film itself was a minor disappointment. Unfortunately a chunk of it is dramatised and after reading the book you are left with a feeling of "What if". Johnny Lee Miller is a very good likeness to Obree and I felt he handled the character well. The film is also without any official branding in it. The UCI are the WCF and the rainbow jersey is more like the old World Cup leader jersey. These are only small points which lower the overall quality of the picture but on the whole it was a very enjoyable experience. Obviously I would have preferred if the film followed event's in Graham's life exactly. I have to say I prefer the book but don't bypass this film if you have a chance to see it.

 

El,

Thanks for that review - and great to hear that GO himself was there.
I hope that he will get some "readies" from the film.

I read the book and I know that the film has a very hard act to follow but I hope to get to see it over here - even if it doesn't go on general release.

 

Well they still need a distributor as far as I know. I wish it had been entirely true to life though.

 

04.05.2007 - Bill Zwecker - Chicago Sun-Times "Turmoil and victory meet in remarkable 'Scotsman'" and "Miller is a revelation here" and "Unlike so many motion pictures, where all forms of mental illness are interpreted by over-the-top acting, Miller's approach is far more realistic and likely similar to the true fight that millions face with this wide-spread affliction worldwide." and "Even for audiences who normally would not be interested in cycling, "The Flying Scotsman" is a good choice, because this film is about so much more."

04.05.2007 - Tom Keogh, Seattle Times - ""The Flying Scotsman's" inspirational tale sends spirits soaring" and "Jonny Lee Miller ("Trainspotting") is enormously sympathetic and appealing as Obree"

04.05.2007 - Kyle Smith in the New York Post writes ""The Flying Scotsman" is different. It's an underdog story with teeth." and "the movie is refreshing in its suggestion that even victory may not cure every ailment"

04.05.2007 - Capone on Ain't It Cool writes "THE FLYING SCOTSMAN is a decidedly darker version of a sports movie because of Obree's mental health issues, but it still manages to tell its difficult story with a great deal of humor and hope." and "There is definitely something a bit different about watching a film about a guy cycling around in circles alone (as opposed to competitive racing in such a film as BREAKING AWAY), but Mackinnon pulls off getting us inside the head of someone whose only real competitors are the clock and his own unstable mind. It's easy to be impressed by THE FLYING SCOTSMAN."

04.05.2007 - S.James Snyder - The New York Sun "screenwriters John Brown, Declan Hughes, and Simon Rose turn those rules upside down in a third act that is less a celebration of celebrity than a sobering look at the costs that accompany it." and"...there are flashes of brilliance here. Director Douglas Mackinnon's racing footage, which cuts between a telescopic technique that offers the vantage point of the spectators and a closely mounted camera that shows Graeme's tunnel vision from the racetrack, is riveting." and ""The Flying Scotsman" is the rare film that stays with its hero after the gold metal is placed around his neck and the chase for glory has come to an end."

04.05.2007 - Steven Rea, The Philadelphia Inquirer Movie Critic - "Directed by Douglas Mackinnon, The Flying Scotsman boasts exciting competitive track cycling footage"

04.05.2007 - Sarah Kaufman, Washington Post review -" a classic tale of the heroic little guy that goes beyond the sport of cycling, told with elegant restraint in this sensitive and beautifully rendered film" and "Miller is key to the film's success, with his earnest, sweet-faced looks and evident dark side. He plays Obree with just the right understated intensity, a believable competitor who fights back fiercely with his wits and a few tight-lipped words."

03.05.2007 - John P. McCarthy, Catholic News Service, writes "Obree's bouts with depression prevent this film from being just a sentimental movie with a formulaic outcome. Director Douglas Mackinnon uses his subject's troubled psyche to generate suspense; and the cyclist's friendship with a Protestant minister, the Rev. Douglas Baxter (Brian Cox), lends a subtle religious dimension." and "Exemplifying the movie's good taste and sensitivity, lovely music and scenery don't overwhelm the central plight of this lionhearted athlete."

03.05.2007 - Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune, writes "Mackinnon, a TV star director making his theatrical feature debut here, has a flair for pace, colour and performances. The writing is more heartfelt than usual for a movie like this; one of the writers, Rose, has been working on the project for 12 years. "The Flying Scotsman," like many movie bios, invents some characters and plays with the truth, though not too much. But the movie, which endured a few bumps and trials of its own on its path to the screen, tells a tale both fast and moving. And when Miller as Obree takes his whirls around the track, it gets your heart pumping and your blood up".

 

Rented The Flying Scotsman - Graham Obree Story - last night on DVD.

Superb movie : very very enjoyable.
The film doesn't stick rigidly to the book - but even if you have read the book, you'll enjoy the film.
Quite moving in parts - especially with the scenes of his depression.

Cycling scenes were superb - the track in Norway where Obree broke the world record is well recreated.
I reckon that the film does justice to Obree : he's portrayed as his own man.
Have to say the Moser and Boardman characters come out very well in the movie too.

I strongly recommend it.

 

I saw it, very good film, enjoyed it. A couple of cycling mistakes, but I still recomend it

 

I managed to rent the DVD a week ago. Enjoyed it very much.

This made me laugh (no sure of the exact words)...

WCF Bloke: (heavy european accent) "You English are crazy"

Obree: "You wanna see crazy, call me English again"

 

Is this movie on Netflix? I rent all movies through them!

 

Yep, I rented it last week through Netflix.