DVD Review: ON ANY SUNDAY – The Quintessential Motor Cycle Movie

Think of Steve McQueen and you most likely think of him astride a Triumph motorcycle in The Great Escape or racing through the streets of San Francisco in a green Ford Mustang in hot pursuit of a black Dodge Charger in the film Bullitt or dressed head to toe in white racing overalls with his Porsche racing car in Le Mans. McQueen has always been synonymous with motor vehicles and it is common knowledge that his main interest outside of movies was motor sport, in particular a passion for off road motorcycle racing. When Bruce Brown, director of the seminal 1966 surf documentary Endless Summer, decided to turn his hand to documenting the lives of motorcycle racers and racing enthusiasts with his 1971 film On Any Sunday, it is no surprise that he turned to Steve McQueen to not only appear in the film but to produce it as well through his own Solar Productions company. Considered by many to be the best documentary of its kind, On Any Sunday receives a welcome re-release on 2 disc DVD this week. Nominated for the 1972 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature, On Any Sunday features McQueen along with Mert Lawwill, Malcolm Smith and many other stars of €˜60s and €˜70s motor sport, not to mention a roll-call of iconic bike brands from Yamaha and Suzuki to Husqvarna and Harley Davidson. The film provides a fascinating insight into the riders who risk their lives every weekend in pursuit of the ultimate motor sport experience. The film opens with a touching 10 minute tribute to McQueen added in 1991 using unseen footage and outtakes not featured in the main documentary. The tribute offers a chance to see the real McQueen doing what he loved best and an opportunity to see beyond McQueen the movie star and glimpse aspects of his personal and family life rarely seen on camera. Following the tribute to McQueen, the documentary starts with footage of a group of young boys riding early BMX bikes before going on to cover the whole spectrum of motorcycle based sports. The film delves into the world of Speedway, Road Racing, Moto-Cross, Sidecar Racing, Drag Racing, Ice Racing, Hill Climbs, Trail Riding and Speed Trials on the Bonneville Salt Flats. No stone is left unturned in what must be one of the most comprehensive, all-encompassing documentaries on the subject. The main focus of the film is on two specific riders, Mert Lawwill, a dirt track and road race specialist who is competing to maintain his number 1 plate during the 1970 season and Malcolm Smith, a cross-country motorcyclist as he competes in the Baja 500 desert endurance race. The documentary is narrated by Bruce Brown and features no talking heads, just constant footage of racing and riders. In the few instances where riders are seen talking on film, Brown suggests what is being said rather than the riders talking for themselves. Brown narrates with a good sense of humour and gives the impression that he has spent a lot of his time with the riders to get to know individual personalities and riding styles. The film footage has not been greatly restored but has a real authenticity about it, there are hairs in the gate, scratches and discoloured scenes but it all adds to the encapsulation of the period. By using groundbreaking helmet cameras the documentary features some truly incredible footage that perfectly captures the sense of speed and the sounds of the sport. Spectacular crashes are played out in super slow motion and really highlight the punishment the riders take when they come off their bikes at speed. One thing that really comes across in the film is how committed and a little crazy the riders are. There are fascinating stories of riders sawing off leg casts to get back on their bikes sooner than the doctor recommended, another rider who had broken his back then bathed in water to melt off his body cast so he could return to the saddle and Steve McQueen, riding under the pseudonym Harvey Mushman, crashed out of the Elsinore Grand Prix breaking his foot part way through the race but still managed to ride across the finish line. Much like Brown€™s Endless Summer, the film is a time capsule of a particular period in America€™s history. It perfectly captures the sights and sounds of this era of motor sport and is constantly engaging, even to someone with little knowledge or interest in motorcycles there is no denying it is an exciting sport to watch. I think McQueen sums it up best with his only line in the movie;

€œEvery time I start thinking the world is all bad, then I start seeing people out there having a good time on motorcycles; it makes me take another look.€

Extras The second disc in the set features On Any Sunday Re-Visited, a documentary made by Bruce Brown€™s son, Dana Brown in 2000. Essentially a making of On Any Sunday, the film catches up with the stars of the original including Bruce Brown in a talking heads format interspersed with unseen footage from the 1971 film. It also features a number of riders that were left on the cutting room floor that then went on to become world champions themselves in the years that followed. The film is interesting if slightly less engaging than the original. It does however offer some good insights into the making of the original including the development of the helmet camera, a real innovation at the time that sets some of the footage apart from anything that had come before. All in all, this two disc collector€™s edition is a very nicely put together package and recommended to anyone with a passing interest in motor sport. On Any Sunday is out now on DVD.