Ever wonder how a gem like Downhill Racer, which Roger Ebert called “the greatest sports movie ever made,” could get lost in the Hollywood shuffle? In an interview for our release of the film (out next week), the star of and force behind it, Robert Redford, spoke frankly about the trials he faced getting his project made—and seen (including a mortifying, though very humorously recounted, screening experience with his friend Natalie Wood). The excerpt is presented here exclusively.
1969
101 min
Color
1.78:1
Categories: Video
6 Comments
Fri 13 Nov at 09:45 AM
Chris Decker
I remember “Downhill Racer” playing at the Elmwood Theatre in Berkeley when I was a kid. (To this day, I’m so grateful that my only neighborhood theatre was an art theatre.) Skiing was always a big thing for UC Berkeley-ites because the Sierras were only several hours drive away, and skiing was of course the ultimate in being cool. It was the students that kept this movie going — mostly because after “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” it was the perfect date movie because it had Robert Redford. It was also the time when Jean-Claude Killy was the heartthrob of the world from the 1968 Winter Olympics. And you always knew whoever talked about “Downhill Racer” at a party was either a skiier or a student — or both. It lost a lot in translation when it was shown on television, which was too bad. Nice to see it re-released again.
Mon 23 Nov at 01:32 PM
bill theobald
Thanks for putting this movie on a DVD. I agree with Roger Ebert that this is the greatest sports movie ever made. The sensation of speed is really portrayed well. As a pretty high caliber skier and former racer I really appreciated the effort that was made. The interview with Redford is classic.
Mon 07 Dec at 01:27 PM
Danny Gallagher
Sometimes you wait so long for something it loses its cache….not this. As a teenager in 1969 who had only been skiing once and was beginning to be disillusioned by sport (as manipulated by television), this film was a surprise and a delight. Finally, a character with real human flaws, put center stage and challenging our conditioning to Like the main character.
What’s Dave Chappelett doing these days? Pumping gas or teaching skiing?
Sat 16 Jan at 02:28 PM
Paul Kapustka
Too bad nobody copy-edited the review in the booklet… starts out by claiming that Dave Chappelett said “it’s not a team sport” when in fact that quote was said by Dabney Coleman’s character (when he confronts Creech for bad-mouthing Chappelett). Otherwise, all the new stuff and the interviews add depth to an old favorite. Wonder what a remake would look like, with the Bode Millers and the new circus ski racing has become.
Sat 23 Jan at 03:39 PM
Rezaul Hasan
Another terrific addition to my collection of Criterion DVDs, and the best part was that I won this one in a contest on a website. Great movie and great DVD. Keep up the great work.
Sun 24 Jan at 05:21 PM
Liz Helfgott
Dear Paul,
Thank you for pointing out that error in the opening of the essay, for which we apologize. You’re correct, of course, as another reader pointed out when we posted the essay online. We were able to make the fix there, as you can see here: http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1297. Unfortunately, it was too late to change it for the first printing of the booklet. It will be corrected in the next printing, I assure you.
Please keep keeping us on our toes. We hope we don’t make another mistake like that again—and haven’t made too many in the past, thank goodness—but it’s good to know that if we ever do, readers like you will alert us!
Thanks again for your note.
Liz
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