On Any Sunday [DVD]

What areally great pick me up this is. How I long for those days to return. It's dreams of the highest order.

To give this a poor review on the basis of its content would be completely missing the point. With that said the content is to say the least a bit suspect. It's mostly about speedway racing which doesn't really interest me but it has some great cameos of motorcycle sport at the time and is most interesting on the subject of Malcolm Smith and his achievements and abilities. The Steve McQueen thing is a bit overplayed and you feel he has really been rolled out to promote the film for the friend who's making it. That's the cynical viewpoint - the fact is it is really a very simple film that says very little other than there are a bunch of guys who like racing motorcycles for the sake of it, McQueen being the most famous of the bunch. The filming is sometimes superb other times not. It's a wonder it got made but great to have it in the library.

Remember the 1970s? Dull, grey, strikes, Barry Sheene? Not with this DVD - this is a celebration of bike racing, mostly offroad, at its best. It is all bright skies, optimism, little protection and no advertising with a fantastic soundtrack.Mert Lawill is an inspiration to all bike riders - even those, like me, with only a few percent of his talent. He is so happy to be doing something that he loves, even if it means being on the road for months at a time, little wages, no mechanics, no glory - just because he's there to race.Just remember that it used to be so different, next time you're watching the increasingly corporate world of motocycle racing (particularly Moto GP). Rossi may be a genius, would he have put his neck on the line like Mert?Finally, it's a tribute to Steve McQueen, who was a talented rider in his own right and a complete petrolhead. He helped to finance this film, for which we should be eternally grateful.

If you are a biker of any description and can ignore the slightly irritating, dated sound track you should find this film entertaining. It features all sorts of riding: track racing, desert racing, road racing, riding on ice, hill climbs. The narrative is a bit comic book style at times but is good enough to hold the viewer's attention for the 90 minutes duration. Some of the filming is impressive, considering its 1970's origins and is a tribute to the Director's skill. It's a bit of a nostalgia trip so probably more interesting for someone my age (the wrong side of 50) than for someone younger. I gave it to my 22 year old son to watch and he was less impressed. It is exclusively about American riders and races and the biking scene in 1970's USA. Steve McQueen is mentioned on the DVD cover but he features only as an accomplished rider of bikes and not as the big film star he became. Unusual; a bit of a rediscovered gem.

This is a French version of the legendary film. The packaging and titles are written in French and the main commentary is dubbed into French.It is possible to select the American English commentary but in this mode I was unable to watch it without having French sub titles.Having said that, this is the original film (I think), which is a classic... a bit dated but great none the less. If you can ignore the sub-titles (which I can) then this is a cheap option of owning a copy of this classic motorcycle documentary.

Over the years I'd heard so much praise for this film that I eventually got around to buying the DVD. The quality on my PC monitor is poor by today's standards, so it must be terrible on a big TV. Of course it's very dated now but I still enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm and commitment of ordinary people pursuing their passion with fervour, and for little or no reward.

great thanks

I've been trying to get a copy of this for some years, as I'd heard so much about it. It was well worth the wait. If you're over a certain age, it will bring memories flooding back. The sheer joy of the riders, the untamed events, the skill, the fun, the atmosphere. But best of all - not a sign of the Health & Safety police! The riders just get on their bikes and ride them like they're stolen. My girlfriend isn't remotely interested in bikes, but she watched it, fascinated, from start to finish. You don't have to know anything about bikes to enjoy this great film. An added bonus is that Steve McQueen features in the film, which he also backed financially. Buy it while you can!