Love the beast: SPEED Channel.

[On_Her_Face]

Did anybody see this show? What did you think?

I caught the show about half way through a week ago. I can not wait for it to air again so that I can watch it again. I thought it was a great storyline then having Jeremy Clarkson, Jay Leno, and Dr. Phil (LOL) just added to the story.

Discuss.




P.S. Made me want one of these little coupes.

[Elbow]

What's the show about?

[On_Her_Face]

Australian native Eric Bana, the star of such blockbuster movies as Hulk, Troy and director J.J. Abrams’ recent Star Trek reboot, makes his directorial debut when the documentary feature Love the Beast premieres December 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. exclusively on SPEED – the definitive network for NASCAR, high-performance competition and the automotive lifestyle.

The two-hour presentation focuses on the actor’s 25-year ownership journey with “The Beast,” his Australian-built 1974 Ford GT Falcon Coupe. In the film, self-proclaimed ‘petrol head’ Bana and his fully restored, race-prepared machine take on Targa Tasmania, one of the world’s most dangerous automotive competitions – a race that proves to be too treacherous for even his sturdy mount.

Along the way, Bana enlists the guidance of long-time friends and fellow car fanatics Jay Leno (The Jay Leno Show), Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear) and Dr. Phil McGraw (Dr. Phil Family) to help explain and describe his life-long passion with the automobile.

“Both in front of and behind the camera, this project was clearly

a labor of love for Eric Bana,” said SPEED VP of Programming Robert Ecker. “We are extremely pleased that Love the Beast is making its U.S. television premiere right here on SPEED.”

According to Bana, the ’74 Ford GT Falcon Coupe - a limited production Australian ‘muscle car’ - became one of his life’s draws after watching the 1979 Australian blockbuster Mad Max, in which Mel Gibson drove a black 1973 Ford DT Falcon Coupe ‘Pursuit Special’ as a ‘souped up’ chase vehicle. The aggressive body style and rumble of the V8 immediately hooked the youthful actor, sparking the ‘love affair’ around which this feature was constructed.

Love the Beast attempts to capture and represent the intense enthusiasm that Bana feels for the challenges and collective memory inculcated in his 1974 XB Ford Falcon coupe. One of the central metaphors is that of a campfire. The car functions as a 'campfire' around which Bana and his lifelong schoolyard mates congregate.

The film explores the complexities of the relationship between Bana and his car through the various forms of action punctuating their dual biography. To provide an insight into these complexities Bana attempts to stitch together the multi-dimensional relationships that have formed over the years. I can picture it in my head a little like a schematic for a fun park ride, an influence from here, a tension over there, and the ways the social and socio-technical challenges posed by the car mobilise the enthusiasm of Bana and his mates in differentially repeated ways.

Bana faces the challenges inculcated in the car differently as a young bloke growing up (modifying the car, attending car shows, hanging out with his mates, etc) compared to the challenges manifest when a movie star/adult (going racing, getting the car built, etc). I would've liked to have seen more of this, more of a focus on his younger days. He rebuilt the car three times, I think the second one was just before the car appeared in a magazine and Bana raced at Targa Tasmania for the first time

Both of these summaries do not make the story/movie very good but I can not wait to catch it again.

[nreggie454]

I remember seeing a preview of it loooong ago, and always wanted to catch it. I will definitely put that in the Tivo now that I know it is airing.

[HypnoToad]

i thought it was pretty good,i agreed with him.....ive always loved those falcons after i watched Mad Max.

[nsany(atl)]

thought it was a great show, so much better than nascab nation or pass(ing) time

[EJ25RUN]

I watched it when it was released in Australia.

I do anything with an XB Falcon.

[EJ25RUN]

Before the crash (Obviously)

[MidLifeCrisis]

I watched it when it premiered on SPEED, it was awesome. i can't wait to catch it again.