In one of his earliest starring roles, Robert Redford gives a memorable portrait of an inarticulate, self-absorbed, but gifted world class skier obsessed with being the best, no matter the cost.
Taking on the sport’s best downhillers on the circuits of Europe with dreams of Olympic glory, David Chappellet’s (Redford) selfish clashes with his U.S. national team coach (Gene Hackman) can be summed up when he tells him, “I ski fast and that’s all there is to it”.
Is that all that matters? In informing his father why he skis, Chappellett says “so I will be famous, a champion”, to which his father retorts, ‘ the world’s full of them’.”
Based on the screenplay by acclaimed novelist James Salter, Michael Ritchie, in his feature directorial debut, presents a popular theme he would employ again and again – winning and losing.
It is a film that holds up remarkably well, both thematically as well as the stunning location photography throughout the European Alps.
“Downhill Racer”(1969), like the Redford-Ritchie political drama that would follow “The Candidate” (1972), the young beauty pageant tale -”Smile” (1975) and the youth baseball comedy, “The Bad News Bears” (1976), the late director had a sharp sense of how our culture is permeated with a drive to win at often ridiculous levels.
As the Olympic ski champion, Redford would win a British Academy Award in this finely understated performance.
SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES – New, restored high-definition digital transfer – New video interviews with screenwriter James Salter; film editor Richard Harris; production manager Walter Coblenz; and former downhill skier Joe Jay Jalbert, who served as technical adviser, a ski double, and a cameraman – Audio excerpts from a 1979 American Film Institute seminar with director Michael Ritchie – Theatrical trailer – PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Todd McCarthy.
Happy 40th anniversary to “Downhill Racer”.
Look in any endeavor- champions have got to be, to some degree, fanatics. To be the world’s best you’ve got to overdevelop that area of your ability while ignoring almost everything else.
This is Redford’s Chappellet and what “Downhill Racer” is all about.
This is such a GREAT DVD. Finally we get Redford’s views on why he wanted to do it and what it took.
really a fine title. Criterion is a superb DVD distributor.
simply superb cinematography that captures the essence of Alpine skiing circa the late ‘60s and Redford took a sport that was not really done as a film story and created a winner with rookie Michael Ritchie at the helm.
alot of documentary-style shots here at a time when live sports coverage was just beginning and would soon turn The Wide World of Sports into a global phenomenon.
Downhill Racer was ahead of its time and of its time. Good movie.,
Downhill Racer is a very atmospheric picture from the Alps to the Rocky Mountians.
What’s more is that it is a still-relevant commentary on the nature of the modern athlete. Redford captures that so well in his commentary about why he did the picture.
Criterion does a great job as usual with the picture quality and bonus material.
Redford captures it all both in his performance and in his DVD commentary when he says that- winning truly is everything in this country — so much that it can provide an excuse for abhorrent behavior. Ron Shelton would show that later with “Cobb”. It is a good subject for sports films.