Re: bmw-digest V9 #216

["Greg Koenig" <gregk@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Just got back from watching the movie Ronin (Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Natascha 
>McElhone, Johnathan Pryce) and wanted to recommend it to all you Bimwads out 
>there who like to see bimmers haul ass on the big screen.  There's this 
>fabulous chase scene in the film where Robert DeNiro and Jean Reno (in a 
>Citroen I couldn't identify) chase Natascha McElhone (whatababe) and Johnathan 
>Pryce in an ///M5 through the streets of Paris.  Kick f$#$in a#$!!  Forget the 
>7er scene in 'Tommarrow Never Dies'; this is way cooler!  Man!  ....there's 
>something about a woman who can drive the hell out of a car.  Unfortunately, 
>the car (the ///M5) mets a tragic end.
>
>There is also an Audi S8 and a Volvo TR-5 in the film (the former gets plenty 
>of screen time)  Cars and such aside, it's a pretty darn good film.  I highly 
>recommend it.

Of course it is the best chase sequence on film, Ronin was directed by John
Frankenheimer, who, if you didn't know, was the man who directed the 1966
movie "Grand Prix".
Footnotes to this WOB: 
1, all the scenes where you see the drivers feet and arms working in the
cars were filmed with Phil Hill and another driver on th strait at Watkens
Glen.  They both knew the circuit so well that they simulated all 400+
gearchanges required to make it around Monaco, on the front strait!
2, If you ever saw Grand Prix, you have to remember Monza, and how
incredible a circuit Monza was.  The thing that made it so cool was the
banking (banking that makes Indy look like a wheel chair ramp) and though
the banking is no longer used, it serves to recall what racing was like back
in the days.  Unfortunately, the green tree environmentalists seem to think
the banking needs to be destroyed, and trees planted instead.  You can help
save this historic piece of motor racing by visiting
http://wkweb5.cableinet.co.uk/ferrari/monza_camp.htm and signing the
petition.

Greg Koenig

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