Little Darwin

I just watched American Flyers, and just like when I saw it before, it is a wonderful movie with great cycling scenes with bikes that have down tube shifters, non-aero brakes and toe clips... and they all seemed to be traditional steel frames.

Have I got a deal for 7 lucky people!

I went to a local discount store today, and bought a copy of American Flyers from among a pile of DVDs on sale... For about $4.

Do you have your own copy? Do you want one?

I bought seven copies, and I will send them at my expense in exchange for your promise to consider donating to my Livestrong Challenge ride... You don't even have to donate, just send me a PM and tell me that you will consider it.

If my supply runs out, I will go see if I can find some more... I didn't dig very deep in the bin.

As I type this, I am letting the movie run in the background again... Here comes Eddie!!!!

So, my offer is a copy of a great cycling movie in exchange for you just thinking about donating to my Livestrong ride.

My hope is two fold. First, that my investment in these videos will lead to at least that amount of money being contributed to my ride. Second, to give people a chance to own the movie that haven't bought it yet. A suggested minimum donation would be $10 (slightly more than my cost), but again, you just have to promise to think about it.

All donations are tax deductible, the gift I will send should not detract from the deductability since I am sending it to you whether you donate or not.

I know there are some of you that will enjoy this movie but haven't seen it, or would like to see it again.

By the way, I have removed all the plastic wrapping and tape to save you the trouble, and allow me to tuck in a note. It includes a two sided DVD, wide screen on one side, and full scren on the other.

Let me know an address in PM, and I should get your copy out within a couple of days.

The link to donate (if you choose to) will be in my signature shortly, if it isn't there already.

Otis

I'll make a donation to Livestrong if you promise to burn (as in incinerate, not copy) all 7 copies. Sorry but in my opinion that is one rancid piece of celluloid. Maybe try the same with "Breaking Away"?

Little Darwin

Interesting, I actually don't care for "Breaking Away" as much as "American Flyers."

As far as movies in the sense of what one usually calls a great movie, both have some weak points, but there are only a few cycling movies to choose from.

BTW - One is already promised.

divineAndbright

haha, I agree American Flyers should be incinerated. That movie was just awful, even the cycling scenes hurt to watch for the most part. I did enjoy Breaking Away however.

Picchio Special

Not incinerated - venerated. And yeah, it's a pile of %^&*. But where else can you find group-ride-worthy lines like the following:

"Enough of this Sunday stroll - let's hurt a little!"
"Big ring, Danny!"
"Let them go - they'll die in the hills!"

This last one shows just the proper degree of retro cool while you're being dropped.

(Already have my copy, but thanks for the offer. Couldn't get through a winter on the indoor trainer without it.)

Little Darwin

The only part of American Flyers that I couldn't get past was the fact that Davey could compete at a professional level without knowing the intricacies of racing... although he was in theory physically well trained.

At least with dissenting opinions, the people receiving the videos won't have their expectations set too high.

BTW - Three videos promised...

Based on response so far, I will go pick up some more tomorrow.

EDIT: People are welcome to contribute, even if they don't want the video.

Picchio Special

Well, and then there's the part where the bad guy tries to literally shove the hero over a cliff. Guess the race referee stopped for a pee.

And his name is "David."

Little Darwin

Yeah, that was a stretch too, especially when everyone leading any race (at least today) has dozens of cameras on them...

Maybe I am unsofisticated, but if I find myself distracted by what is feasible or not, I try to pay attention to the story the movie makers are trying to tell.

As in the theme song for Mystery Science Theater 3000:

If you're wondering how he eats and breathes
And other science facts,
Repeat to yourself "It's just a show,
I should really just relax."

sop

American Flyers....was that the one that had the Kevin Kostner character dying from some rare disease? The only thing I can still remember about that movie is the dog and shoe bike-chase scene. I had a dog like that on my daily training route...he'd chase me every single time I'd ride past the farmhouse.

It was a pretty bad movie. But for bike geeks any movie with bike racing as the main theme would be interesting.

Picchio Special

Not bad, bad a**, like a 10-second Rae Dawn Chong wheel change.

Little Darwin

Yes, that dog was Eddie.

digitalbicycle

+10!

Little Darwin, you got a PM comin' your way!

oopfoo

Look, American Flyers was one of the things that got me racing, back in the day. It is spoken of in hushed, reverent tones around MY house.
Rarely a day goes by that I'm not quoting from it.

"I AM half-human."

"Look into the crystal light, and release meat."

DiabloScott

Those were Specialized's first road bikes! Also - Russian team rode Saninno bikes... which was what they rode for the 1980 Olympics which USA boycotted.

I was a course marshall for the Coor's Classic in San Francisco in 1985 and they gave us tickets to a private showing afterwards - the writer was there and gave a little speech too.

Costner didn't want to wear short socks - so they let him do the training scenes in long socks but made him race in short ones. He thought they made his legs look too skinny.

On Rae Dawn's wheel change, she actually threw the flatted wheel into the path of another rider and made him crash (they cut that part out) and then they made it up to that guy by giving him some extra screen time - he's the guy on the wall that makes Davey crash right at the finish.

I had a friend who was one of the bike racer extras, he has some interesting stories. Russian guy smoked between takes.

Little Darwin

I obviously thought of the Coors Classic when I watched the race. It is fun that someone here has a personal connection.

I watched a couple of Bay Area stages (a criterium in San Francisco and a Circuit Race in Oakland a different year).

I hope at least one of the other American races sticks around and doesn't fade away like the Red Zinger/Coors Classic...

Mooo

I enjoyed the riding scenes in the Midwest - some nice lighting on a couple of the shots.
The wheel change too.

Most of the rest was merely forgettable, with only moments of horrible.

Little Darwin

I went and did some digging in the discount bin, and there are now a total of 24 videos, with 5 spoken for. There are 19 more up for grabs, and I will be making a similar offer in other forums on Tuesday... Probably 50+ followed by Road Cycling and Foo.