100 Movies - No. 95: The World's Fastest Indian

95. The World's Fastest Indian (2005)
Biography, Drama, Sport, 127 minutes
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Starring Anthony Hopkins and Diane Ladd

This film wasn't on my radar until a friend recommended it. The title seemed meaningless and I really couldn't imagine what it might be about. As a fan of Anthony Hopkins, I decided to buy it and give it a chance.

Good decision.

Forget that it's labeled as a sports movie or a biography. It's a great human interest story showing how passion and determination can overcome the odds.

The film opens with a shot of Burt Munro (Hopkins) waking up. Until he speaks, he's just Anthony Hopkins. Then the New Zealand accent is revealed and Munro starts to emerge.

Burt Munro lived in Invercargill, New Zealand and had a dream to go to Bonneville Flats, Utah, to see how fast his motorcycle could go. He tinkered with the bike for 25 years to make it as fast as possible. He was born in 1899 and first visited Bonneville in 1956, setting the speed record for bikes under 1,000cc in 1967. So while the choice of Hopkins looks strange, he was the right age and a perfect fit for the part.

Munro held several speed records in New Zealand before making his first trip and was something of a celebrity. He annoyed his neighbors by working on his bike in the early mornings and urinating on his lemon tree. He was quite a character.

Hopkins plays him as an eccentric with passion for his hobby and a lot of charm. He has the ability to win people over to his way of thinking and borrows the money he needs to make the trip to the US from the local bank. He also has heart trouble, but hides that from most people. His honesty and the way he accepts when he is wrong makes him easy to like.

The film really takes off when he makes the trip. He travels by boat and pays for the passage by working as its chef. After arriving in the US, he has to face the reality of the high prices and the chance that people will try to rip him off. He books into a motel, more often used by prostitutes, and befriends the night clerk.

Although he's initially naive, he turns out to be perfectly capable of surviving in his new surroundings.

The movie works because Munro is so likable. If you only know Anthony Hopkins for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, you're in for a surprise. Hopkins is easily one of my favorite actors because he's so versatile and you often don't notice that he is acting. He brings a lot of warmth to the character of Munro and there are many humorous and touching moments. I promise you that you'll root for Munro and care about what happens to him.

The special features show the real Burt Munro and Hopkins played him perfectly. Hopkins is also on record as saying it's probably the best thing he has ever done. Quite a statement when you look at the roles he has had throughout his career. I don't quite agree, but it's certainly up there.

This is one of those films that shouldn't work. Few people would think they have any interest in the subject matter, but the story and the acting make you care. You don't have to be a fan of bikes. Just give this a chance and see what magic Hopkins has worked to bring Munro's character back to life.

Director Roger Donaldson had wanted to film this story for 25 years. His script is excellent and his passion for the subject matter comes shining through. 

If you like The World's Fastest Indian:

In many ways, The World's Fastest Indian reminds me of The Straight Story, directed by David Lynch. Both movies tell the story of a journey and focus on an older character. Each man interacts with the people he meets along the way and we see the good side of humanity.

Anthony Hopkins is surely one of the best actors working today. If you want to explore some of his other performances, consider The Edge, The Remains of the Day, 84 Charing Cross Road and The Elephant Man.

Return to index of 100 movies to see before you die.

Return to index of every review on the site.

100 Movies - No. 82: The Silence of the Lambs

82. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Crime, Thriller, 118 minutes
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster and Scott Glenn

It's rare for a film to win Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay Oscars, but The Silence of the Lambs did just that. Hannibal Lecter (Hopkins) is often regarded at the top villain in cinema history and he's probably the first character that springs to mind when you think about the movie. It's hard to believe that Hopkins was only on the screen for about 16 minutes.

The story begins with Agent Clarice Starling (Foster). We see her tackling an obstacle course at the FBI's Quantico training center. Her boss, Jack Crawford, (Glenn), calls her in and asks her to visit Lecter. He's in a secure cell and the warnings she receives appear excessive, but they seem justified by the end of the movie.

Lecter is intelligent, polite and eloquent. Although he's a monster capable of eating people, he has a twisted sense of honor. It's clear that he likes Starling and he rewards some of her honest revelations with help and insight into how she might track down serial killer, Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine).

It's curious that the movie is often placed in the horror genre. I watched David Fincher's version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo recently, and compared the two films. Both are essentially investigations into murders as the protagonists attempt to track a serial killer. Each includes a colorful character, although one is a hero and the other a villain. If Lisbeth Salander and Hannibal Lecter were more conventional characters, the two movies would lose a lot of their power. I think it's wrong to label The Silence of the Lambs as a horror movie, but I understand why that's often the case.

The movie works because we love how monstrous Lecter is and how human Starling can be. Foster's performance made Starling seem incredibly vulnerable. She's a young cadet finding her way in the FBI and this is her first big break. Then we see that she has to contend with Lecter, who is ruthlessly insightful and able to read her easily. Much of the story is seen from Starling's point of view and it's easy to identify with her fears as she tries to catch the killer.

The final showdown is extremely effective. You can sense the evil in Buffalo Bill and Starling's fear is audible and visible. The song playing during this sequence (Hip Priest, by The Fall) holds special meaning for me as it was played at the first concert I ever attended.

Scott Glenn can be very likable and I enjoyed his performance as Crawford. The movie drew considerable praise from the FBI for it's realism and it was easy to imagine Glenn as a member of the organization.

Hopkins is a versatile actor capable of playing just about any role. I would rank him among the top tier of my favorite actors. Maybe it's because of the characters he plays, but he strikes me as a very intelligent man.

The Silence of the Lambs is constructed simply, but the acting and the ominous mood elevate it to the level of greatness.

If you like The Silence of the Lambs:

Director Jonathan Demme has never created a better movie, but he was also responsible for Stop Making Sense and Something Wild. The former documents a Talking Heads concert and is easily one of the best concerts captured on film. The latter is a quirky road movie of sorts and stars Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith and Ray Liotta.

Anthony Hopkins also plays Lecter in Red Dragon and Hannibal, although he's not the focus of the story in either. Red Dragon is comfortably the better of the two and isn't far below the level of The Silence of the Lambs. Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes head a strong cast.

Return to index of 100 movies to see before you die.

Return to index of every review on the site.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (comedy, romance)

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Gemma Jones and Freida Pinto

Sony Pictures | 2010 | 98 min | Rated R | Released Feb 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio:

English, French: DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French

Disc:

Single 25GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

When you watch a Woody Allen film, you can expect several things: There will almost certainly be a narrator, the story will be dialogue-driven, the cast will be fantastic and there will be a few insights about human nature. He'll probably make you laugh too. There’s an honesty about his writing that’s often lacking in similar films.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is about an old married couple, a younger married couple and a few single people who are woven into the mix. They all live in London, England. The older couple is Helena (Jones) and Alfie (Hopkins) and they are separated. Helena reacts by trying to commit suicide and Alfie by proposing to Charmaine; a woman half his age.

Their daughter, Sally (Watts), has a relationship with both parents and is married to Roy (Brolin). Sally and Roy have become bored with each other and are starting to notice other people. Sally has a crush on her boss, Greg (Antonio Banderas), while Roy has his eye on an attractive neighbor, Dia (Pinto).

Helena regularly visits a psychic who assures her that her life is about to get better. She will find a new love and be happy. Sally plays along to keep her mother happy and hopeful.

We learn that Alfie’s wife-to-be is called Charmaine and he lies about how they met. She was actually a call girl. Her motivation seems to be to take Alfie for all the money he has. Roy meets Dia for lunch and continues to pursue her even when he learns that she’s engaged. Sally doesn’t notice Roy’s behavior because she’s too busy spending time with Greg.

Roy’s other motivation in life is finding a publisher for his latest book. His first was a success, but he’s having trouble selling his fourth. When tragedy strikes some of his friends, Roy’s true nature becomes clear.

The four principal characters are all flawed. They lie routinely to protect their fragile relationships and we rarely see a true exchange between them. When we do, the outcome is usually damaging to their relationships.

Each character has hopes and dreams and is willing to make big changes in order to fulfill them. All four suffer setbacks when their lies and unethical behavior catches up with them. These are not bad people; they are just tired with their boring existence. It’s human nature to reach for something better, but it’s not always easy to do so without hurting people you are supposed to love.

Allen is a master at exposing the weaknesses in people. He realizes that we all have them to some degree. His actors all do the material justice and I would expect nothing less from such a talented group.

The stories and subplots held my attention throughout. I found myself wanting to see what happened to these well-defined characters. There are a few twists and turns and Allen doesn’t tell us what happens to every character. He doesn’t need to. This is a fascinating snapshot of people’s lives and it’s entertaining as it is.

As our narrator tells us at the end, “sometimes the illusions work better than the medicine.”

How many people are doing exactly that in their lives? It’s often easier to fool yourself rather than face up to the truth.

Video Quality 4/5

The Blu-ray presentation of the film isn’t something you would choose to show off your home theater, but it looks decent enough. Detail is moderate, but the images are clean and natural-looking. I have seen similar settings in London and felt completely at home.

Audio Quality 3.5/5

It’s rare for a film to feature a DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0 mix, but it works. Sort of. Allen’s films tend to focus on dialogue and this track presents it clearly. Where it misses the mark is in scenes featuring background noise. The rear speakers won’t enhance the sound of heavy rain or traffic in the way that you would expect. That doesn’t detract from the experience too much because of the nature of the film.

Special Features 0/5

Aside from a trailer and a few promos, there’s nothing included apart from the film itself.

Would I recommend the film? If, like me, you enjoy Woody Allen’s films, this is well worth seeing. Its structure is similar to other Allen films or something like Mike Nichols’ Closer (which is superior). Casual viewers might be disappointed as the film deals with the subtleties of human nature. It’s interesting rather than thrilling.

Overall score 4/5 for Allen fans, 3/5 for those unfamiliar with his work.

Return to index of every review on the site.

The World's Fastest Indian: Weak title, wonderful film

The World's Fastest Indian (biography, drama, sport)
Directed by Roger Donaldson
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd

Magnolia Pictures | 2005 | 127 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Feb 13, 2007

Video:
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio 2.35:1

Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:
English SDH, Spanish

Disc:
Single 50GB Blu-ray disc (region free)

The Film 4.5/5

This film wasn't on my radar until a friend recommended it. The title seemed meaningless and I really couldn't imagine what it might be about. As a fan of Anthony Hopkins, I decided to buy it and give it a chance.

Good decision.

Forget that it's labeled as a sports movie or a biography. It's a great human interest story showing how passion and determination can overcome the odds.

The film opens with a shot of Burt Munro (Hopkins) waking up. Until he speaks, he's just Anthony Hopkins. Then the New Zealand accent comes out and Munro starts to emerge.

Burt Munro lived in Invercargill, New Zealand and had a dream to go to Bonneville Flats, Utah to see how fast his motorcycle could go. He tinkered with the bike for 25 years to make it as fast as possible. He was born in 1899 and first visited Bonneville in 1956, setting the speed record for bikes under 1,000cc in 1967. So while the choice of Hopkins looks strange, he was the right age and a perfect fit for the part.

Munro held several speed records in New Zealand before making his first trip and was something of a celebrity. He annoyed his neighbors by working on his bike in the early mornings and urinating on his lemon tree. He was quite a character.

Hopkins plays him as an eccentric with passion for his hobby and a lot of charm. He has the ability to win people over to his way of thinking and borrows the money he needs to make the trip to the US from the local bank. He also has heart trouble, but hides that from most people. His honesty and the way he accepts when he is wrong makes him easy to like.

The film really takes off when he makes the trip. He travels by boat and pays for the passage by working as its chef. After arriving in the US, he has to face the reality of the high prices and the chance that people will try to rip him off. He books into a motel, more often used by prostitutes, and befriends the night clerk.

Although he's initially naive, he turns out to be perfectly capable of surviving in his new surroundings. He buys a car and negotiates well, making another friend in the process, then makes the trip to Utah. The Indian in the title is a type of motorcycle manufactured in 1920. He tows it on a trailer that he made and somehow gets it to Bonneville on time.

Having made the long trip from the other side of the world, he's informed that he can't race because he hadn't registered.

Another friend, who he met casually on his arrival in Utah, tries to persuade the officials to let him race. They say no because not only did he fail to register, his bike is totally unsafe and he doesn't even have safety gear. Munro isn't having any of it and persuades a couple of people to help him test the bike one morning. The officials agree to the test to shut him up, but his passion and determination convince them that he knows what he's doing. He's allowed to race.

The rest is history. He's accepted and admired by the fans and made the trip several more times.

The special features show the real Burt Munro and Hopkins played him perfectly. Hopkins is also on record as saying it's probably the best thing he has ever done. Quite a statement when you look at the roles he has had throughout his career. I don't quite agree, but it's certainly up there.

This is one of those films that shouldn't work. It reminds me of Seabiscuit in some ways. Few people would think they have any interest in the subject matter, but the story and the acting make you care.

You don't have to be a fan of bikes. Just give this a chance and see what magic Hopkins has worked to bring Munro's character back to life.

Director Roger Donaldson had wanted to film this story for 25 years. His script is excellent and his passion for the subject matter comes shining through. 

Video Quality 4/5
The presentation is decent for the most part although some of the scenes set in the dark of Munro's shed are thick with grain. It didn't stop me enjoying this unusual story. Although the MPEG-2 Blu-ray was an early release for the format, it's actually pretty good. The decision to change from the film's original aspect ratio was the choice of director Roger Donaldson.

Sound Quality 4/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix is up to the task. It is particularly effective once the story reaches Bonneville Flats and we hear Munro revving the engine to see what the Indian can achieve. The film is shot in such a way that you feel as if you're riding the bike, and the sound completes the effect.

Special Features 4/5

Audio commentary with writer/directer Roger Donaldson.

The making of The World's Fastest Indian (45:27) - Comprehensive feature.

Deleted scenes (4:08) - Four additional scenes.

Burt Munro: Offerings to the god of speed (27:30) - Meet the real Burt Munro. Hopkins doesn't look much like him, but sounds like him and captures his personality.

Southland: Burt's hometown of Invercargill ( 2:55).

Soundtrack promo.

I would recommend this film to anyone. It doesn't matter whether you are male, female, young or old. Hopkins will charm you and hold your interest for the whole two hours.

Overall score 4.5/5

Return to index of every review on the site.