Out on Blu-ray and 4K UHD July 30, 2024
The world of car racing, seen from through the lives of three drivers and the women who love them.
Written by George Kirgo, Howard Hawks, and Steve McNeil, with Hawks directing, this 1960s car racing film is one that has clearly influenced more recent(ish) ones such as Driven and others, setting the tone for many more films while standing out in its style and the way it approaches car racing, something that was not as explored at the time as it is now, an almost new (well, not quite, but there weren’t quite as many films) subject matter for filmmakers which was becoming more and more popular. Yes, the era has a bunch of car films, but none of them were this modern feeling and showcased racing this way, even allowing cameras inside the cars for some of the scenes. Co-writer and director Howard Hawks had previously made another car film, The Crowd Roars which had been filmed in both English and French at the same time. The man knew his cars, his racing, and how to bring it to the screen, something Red Line 7000 makes great use of. The writing and directing are very much of their era, building a story that feels right at home in a mid-1960s film and filming it in a nicely colorful way, giving the story life and making the lives of the characters almost more interesting than the racing which was shot on real racetracks across the US.
In terms of cast, the film is credited as starting the careers of both James Caan and George Takei, the former in the lead and the latter in a supporting role. The two of them do well here, Caan taking the spotlight for most of the movie. Watching the film, it is clear why their careers are considered to have been launched here. The both of them do great work and Caan shows his leading man charisma in just the right way. The ladies here steal a few scenes, with Gail Hire, Laura Devon, and Marianna Hill getting away with the most stealing. The two of them are charming and fun to watch.
The film makes the most of the locations and car racing, the cinematography by Milton R. Krasner is great here, really getting into the action on the racetrack and giving the characters room to develop off the track. The work shown here is solid and shows that a great look to a film really makes it feel like a cinematic experience. The score by Nelson Riddle also adds to the experience by adding layers to the atmosphere and showing up when the emotions need a bit of a boost.
Red Line 7000 is a solid racing film, one that must be seen by car film enthusiasts and film enthusiasts alike. It’s a solid film with good character, writing and direction that know what they are doing, and a great cast that is fun to revisit 60 or so years later.
This new release coming from Arrow Video looks fantastic and sounds just as good. The extras here good with the visual essay A Modern Type of Woman being the strongest of the extras, closely followed by the interview with assistant director Bruce Kessler, and the audio commentary Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman. The new artwork, booklet, and foldout poster all look lovely.