Tuesday, July 7, 2015

I Am Evel Knievel (2014)

Director(s): Derik Murray, David Ray. 90 min. Documentary.

Yes, I had an Evel Knievel wind-up motorcycle toy as a kid too. And maybe if I was an adult in the 60s-70s, I too would've been thrilled out of my mind about his next motorcycle jump or him flying over the Grand Canyon. But you expect film-makers and interviewees like Matthew McConaughey to act more maturely than to speak so passionately about someone who was a petty criminal in his youth, and whose goal in his "daredevil" life was more booze, more women and more cars. You watch documentaries to be inspired by great concepts and people, not low-lifes.

Mo says:

2 comments:

  1. I really enjoyed this documentary but like you I can't understand this hero worship over someone who is fundamentally flawed.

    PS. I never had the toy but I do remember being excited about his jumps although disappointed that it wasn't a motorcycle that he attempted to jump the grand canyon with! ;-)

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    1. I thoroughly enjoyed it too, but I don't know - maybe it's just that these days, the stance of the most famous capitalist of all, Donald Trump, hurts the chances of enjoying such a film.

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