Silver Dream Racer

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Silver Dream Racer
Directed byDavid Wickes
Written byDavid Wickes
Based onstory by Michael Billington
Produced byDavid Wickes
StarringDavid Essex
CinematographyPaul Beeson
Music byDavid Essex
Production
company
Rank Film Productions
Distributed byThe Rank Organisation
Release date
  • 26 March 1980 (1980-3-26) (London)
Running time
111 minutes (UK)
101 minutes (U.S.)
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5 million[1]

Silver Dream Racer is a 1980 motor-racing film starring British pop star David Essex and Beau Bridges. The film was produced, written and directed by David Wickes.[2]

It was the last film to be made by the Rank Organisation.[3][4]

Plot

Nick Freeman (

US
, and both versions were released.

Cast

Production

Development

In the late 1970s director David Wickes had enjoyed a box office success with the feature film version of The Sweeney and he was approached by Tony Williams of the Rank Organisation asking if Wickes had a film he wanted to make. The director had been sent a script about motorbike racing by actor Michael Billington which Wickes said, "needed a re-write, but I liked it because it was about a very human thing — dreaming the impossible dream. Tony Williams liked it too, so I went to see David Essex. I thought he might be interested because he was a keen biker himself." [5]

Essex was a pop star who had starred in the hit films

Che Guevera on stage in the original West End production of Evita. Essex had recently turned down the title role in The Stud but he not only agreed to appear in Silver Dream Racer, he signed on to write the film's score. Essex later called the film "a blast from start to finish. It was to represent quite a commitment, as I had signed up to write the film score as well as play the lead role, but if I am honest, the appeal to me was all about the motorbikes."[6]

Wickes, who rewrote the script, said the film nearly was not made because of difficulties sourcing a 500cc racing bike ("all the big manufacturers have their own racing teams and they won't give you the time of day") but they were rescued by "a brilliant Welsh engineering company called Barton Motors" who produced "a great-looking bike that could go respectably fast around a track."[5]

Tuesday Weld had talks about playing the female lead. She eventually took another role, and Cristina Raines, who had been in The Duellists, was cast instead.[7] Beau Bridges was imported from the USA to co-star.[5]

Shooting

Filming took place in August 1979 at Pinewood Studios and on location. Some scenes were filmed during the 1979 Grand Prix at Silverstone, Northamptonshire. "I think we still hold the record for using 16 Panavision cameras on a single day," said Wickes.[5]

The Silver Dream Racer was a real motorcycle, designed by Barry Hart of the Barton company.[8] The cost of this was more than £40,000.[2]

English motorcycle racer Roger Marshall did most of David Essex's riding for the film.[9][10]

Two different endings were shot. Rank wanted one ending and Wickes and Essex another; the latter got their way.[2]

Essex wrote the score in association with John Cameron. The two enjoyed working together and Cameron subsequently collaborated with Essex on the latter's next album, Hot Love.[11]

Release

The film had its premiere on 26 March 1980 at the Dominion Theatre in London before opening to the public the following day.[12]

Reception

Critical

The Guardian said "the story is as boring as hell".[13] The Evening Standard said the story "is nothing to write- indeed drive - home about... But Wickes' hand and eye are acute... you'll get more than you expect."[14]

The Los Angeles Times called it a "lively genre piece".[15]

Box office

According to Wickes, "The picture did pretty well in the UK but a lot better overseas. Most of the reviews were favourable, and David’s song ‘Silver Dream Machine’ went to number two."[5] Essex wrote the film did "spectacularly well in South Africa, where it seemed to run for years."[16]

It holds a 33% fresh rating on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.[17]

References

  1. ^ Perry, S (Summer 1980). "FINANCE FOR LOCAL TALENT". Sight and Sound.
  2. ^ a b c "Essex beyond the silver dream". Reading Evening Post. 15 May 1980. p. 12.
  3. ^ John Huxley (7 June 1980). "Losses of £1.6m sound the knell for cinema production". The Times. London. p. 17 – via The Times Digital Archive.
  4. ^ Nicholas de Jongh, A. C. (7 June 1980). "Rank films poised for final cut". The Guardian. ProQuest 186155411.
  5. ^ a b c d e Fairclough, Robert (2019). "The Wickes Man". Infinity Magazine. No. 20. p. 59. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  6. ^ Essex p 190
  7. ^ SCHREGER, C. (22 July 1979). "THE CASTING DIRECTORS--WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 158885421.
  8. ^ "Whatever Happened to the Silver Dream Racer". Motorcycle News. July 2016.
  9. ^ "Silver Dream Racer". Visor Down.
  10. Motorcycle News
    , 23 May 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2019
  11. ^ Essex p 194
  12. ^ "Entertainment: West End Cinemas". Evening Standard. 26 March 1980. p. 29.
  13. ^ Malcolm, Derek (27 March 1980). "Anatomy of an American dream". The Guardian. ProQuest 186245002.
  14. ^ Walker, Alexander (27 March 1980). "At last - the movie that moves". Evening Standard. p. 24.
  15. ^ Thomas, K. (31 March 1984). "'SILVER DREAM RACER' AIRS ON THE Z CHANNEL". Los Angeles Times. ProQuest 153766963.
  16. ^ Essex p 196
  17. ^ "Silver Dream Racer". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 21 October 2017.

Notes

  • Essex, David (2012). Over the Moon : my autobiography.
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