Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Le Mans Blu-ray Movie Review

Race on out and pick up this unique and exciting motion picture.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman May 13, 2011

They will drive day and night.

Auto racing isn't exactly a stranger to motion pictures, nor is general automobile mayhem; cars are fast, flashy, and require incredible amounts of skill to precisely control at high speeds and through dangerous pathways and around various obstacles, making them the perfect tool to showcase high-speed action and establish the skills of heroes and villains alike as forces to be reckoned with within the confines of the story. Real-life auto racing might not have the Hollywood sheen about it, but the inches-from-death reality that hangs over it certainly makes it as dangerous, dramatic, and heart-pumping as even the best of the cinematically-staged events. Le Mans uniquely combines a Hollywood flair with a real-life race; it tones down the plot and emphasizes the very real emotions and dangers of the race, giving audiences the best of both worlds and resulting in a movie that's as breathlessly exhilarating as it is dangerously real. Foregoing all but the most necessary dialogue, toning down the out-of-the-car drama to a bare minimum, and showcasing only the realities of the 24-hour race condensed into a tidy and ever-excited runtime, Director Lee H. Katzin's picture is a definitive racing movie that zooms on past others of its kind because of its no-nonsense approach.

Game face.

Racer Michael Delaney (Steve McQueen, The Towering Inferno) is a veteran driver who's participated in the famed 24-hour Le Mans race, and he has the emotional scars to show for it. A violent accident in which he was involved from a year ago left another driver dead, and with this year's edition of the race right around the corner and his unavoidable interaction with the deceased driver's wife (Elga Andersen), he's forced to struggle with his despair but prepare for another turn at the wheel. Le Mans isn't just another ordinary race. It begins on a Saturday afternoon and concludes 24 hours later. There are 110 drivers assigned to 55 cars, and pit stops frequently change out drivers as often tires. It's also not a race confined to an oval track that requires the drivers only to make left-hand turns. No, it's a windy course that's tough to navigate at speeds well in excess of 100 M.P.H., going as high as 230. One lap requires several minutes and the drivers's utmost concentration to navigate not only the course's twists and turns -- through any weather condition, day and night -- but maneuver around other drivers filling up precious space on the road. Delaney, representing Porsche, is driving for his brand against rival racer Erich Stahler (Siegfried Rauch) driving for Ferrari. With so much on the line and so many physical and emotional battles to wage, can Delaney navigate his way safely through the world's most enduring race and come out on top?

Le Mans ranks as one of the finest Racing movies ever crafted because of its strict adherence to immersing the audience in the world of the race. There's only a minimal plot which pretty much begins and ends with the emotions of the race. There's no phony drama or disingenuous love story angle; this is a real Racing movie in every sense, the film absolutely focused on the race and its peripherals and nothing else. The film is busy, always moving, and not always absolutely clear; it's almost partly a first-person perspective type of experience as the viewer often feels like a spectator, sometimes with special access but merely a spectator nonetheless, privy to the general overview but not aware of every critical behind-the-scenes development. It places the viewer very much "in the moment," so to speak, providing a no-nonsense look at the world of racing that remains focused on the task and never becomes skewed, confused, or watered down with superfluousness. In fact, Le Mans is almost completely free of dialogue; the film takes more than half an hour to offer anything but hard-to-hear loudspeaker announcements, and only afterwards comes sparse, intermittent dialogue that's mostly background chatter down in the pits with only a few true behind-the-scenes, apart-from-the-raceway exchanges between characters. Le Mans lets the emotions, thrills, and ever-present dangers of the race do its talking. It's a little disconcerting at first to be sure, but it quickly becomes clear that this style is, for this movie, a strength rather than either a weakness or a curiosity. Three cheers for focus and three more for something different.

Le Mans is more than even that. The film's heartbeat comes from the raw emotions of the race and the people involved and the very real life-and-death dangers that come with the high-speed action. That fear hangs over the entire movie; it's conveyed in characters's eyes and actions, established with the emotions of the past year's deadly accident, and punctuated time and again by race cars severely damaged at high speeds through sharp turns and failing to avoid already-damaged or broken-down vehicles. It's as if the drivers, spectators, and viewing audience altogether await the cry of the alarm claxon that alerts to the tragedy of an accident. The dark chill that hangs over the movie is palpable from the very first moments, and is only escalated once the race is underway. This is all a byproduct of the strong direction and quality acting that make Le Mans a complete experience. Despite the absence of steady dialogue and, indeed, an intricate storyline -- it seems more like a framework than anything else -- the acting is superb. Both Steve McQueen and Elga Andersen act with their eyes and postures, conveying more in a glance and the way they carry themselves than could be communicated through pages of dialogue. Director Lee H. Katzin's and Cinematographers René Guissart Jr.'s and Robert B. Hauser's camerawork is superb, not only capturing the speed and dangers of the race but doing so from several unique perspectives that give the viewing audience both a long look at the action from nearby the track as well as from the perspective of the drivers as they maneuver the course and avoid dangers both on the track and from within their own psyches alike, resulting in some of the most spectacularly intense racing scenes ever captured on film for a motion picture.

Le Mans Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Le Mans pulls onto Blu-ray with an oftentimes striking 1080p high definition transfer. Once the film moves past a stretch of rough and soft imagery that occupies the same space as the opening titles, Paramount's Blu-ray cleans up beautifully. A hint of softness remains in a few places, but as a general rule the image is sharp and detailing is strong. Whether good-looking facial surfaces, the subtle texture of McQueen's suede jacket that he wears at the beginning of the film, or the stitching and general wear-and-tear of the white racing uniforms decorated with sponsor and flag patches, this Blu-ray reveals all of the critical details that enhance the quality of the presentation. A layer of film grain is retained over the image, suggesting the absence of debilitating noise reduction and providing a quality film-like texture. Colors are bold and beautiful in that 1970s-era look, while both blacks and flesh tones are pleasantly natural in appearance. There are a handful of pops and speckles and stray vertical lines, but the image is far more often than not clean and pristine. Blocking, banding, and the like are non-factors. This is an incredibly strong transfer and a borderline reference-quality presentation for a title from its era.

Le Mans Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Le Mans zooms onto Blu-ray with a satisfying and energetic DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack. Despite the film's age, Paramount's 7.1 presentation is utilized extensively, with strong, natural surround elements playing a large part in bringing Le Mans to life. Music delivery is quite good, airy and open at first, floating through the soundstage with ease and accompanied by plenty of surround support. Subsequent tracks also feature a robust low end and continue to play with fine spacing and back-channel assistance. The warning alarm plays with a wonderful crispness at the top of the high end, and opposite are explosions and crashes that play with a solid rumbly low. The pre-race loudspeaker announcements are sometimes a little hard to hear and play more as a secondary background element, but more pronounced proclamations throughout the movie are played with a true-to-life room-filling energy and clarity. Of course, the true highlight of the track is the sound of the racing automobiles. This 7.1 track spits out the sound of revving engines and the speedy raw power of cars zipping down the racetrack with an amazing level of control that vibrates and zooms and puts the listener in the middle of the action. Absolute clarity seems slightly lacking, but there's no denying the sheer intensity of every up-close racing sequence. What little dialogue there is is suitably clear. Le Mans might be untraditional insofar as its lack of excessive dialogue, but this 7.1 lossless track is nevertheless a wonderful addition to the Blu-ray presentation.

Le Mans Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Le Mans contains only the film's trailer (1080p, 3:45) and the behind-the-scenes feature Filming at Speed: The Making of the Movie 'Le Mans' (480p, 23:46). The making-of piece offers a fascinating account of the rich history behind the film. It features Director Lee H. Katzin and McQueen family and friends recalling the production history, Steve McQueen's vision for the film, shooting real racing footage, filming the remainder of the movie, the picture's documentary-style tone, its anti-Hollywood style and the conflict between the artists and the studios, cobbling together an ending, and much more. This is a strong feature that's a fine compliment to a great picture.

Le Mans Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Le Mans is a strong contender to represent cinema's finest racing movie. Uniquely crafted, incredibly focused, and never pandering to a lower common denominator, the film is exceptional for its willingness to break the mold and allow the story to play out through the action and danger on the track and the palpable emotions that surround it, all with minimal dialogue. This is smart and absorbing cinema, and while it would be nice if more pictures followed suit, that might take away from the very things that make Le Mans such a special motion picture. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Le Mans is disappointingly absent a more thorough collection of extras, but the high-quality technical presentation more than makes up for the shortage of bonuses. Highly recommended.