Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro


  • #2
    Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

    I've watched World's Fastest Indian several times and enjoyed it.
    I wonder how well Anthony Hopkins played Burt Munro ?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

      I think Sir Anthony did well, though his accent varied a bit from true New Zealand-ese.
      Burt loved the ladies, and loved to ride - who can argue with that?
      Mr. Hopkins claimed that playing Burt was his most enjoyable role in years.
      Act your age, not your shoe size. - Prince

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

        Make sure to read part two of that story. It has an excerpt from a letter written by Burt. Amazing stuff.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

          I just found some interesting facts regarding the historical accuracy of the film and about Anthony playing Burt ...

          Historical Accuracy
          The historical Munro married Florence Beryl Martyn in 1927, whom he later divorced. The couple had four children together. However, no mention is made of children in the film, but it is implied that he was married and either estranged or divorced.

          Munro in the film recalls the death of a twin brother named Ernie, who died when a tree fell on him. However, the historical Munro had an older brother who was killed when a tree fell on him. Munro also had a stillborn twin sister.

          The historical Munro had set numerous speed records in New Zealand during the late 1930s through the early 1970s. However, these records are only implied in the film.

          The Bonneville run in the film is a composite of several runs Munro made, the first in 1956.
          In 1962 at Bonneville, he set the record of 178.971 MPH.
          Munro's fastest complete run at Bonneville was 190.07 MPH.
          He never set a record of 201 MPH at Bonneville as the film portrays, but did reach 205.67 MPH on an uncompleted run, on which he unfortunately crashed.
          Munro does crash after his 201 MPH record-breaking run, which is officialised unlike the 205.67 MPH run.

          Munro was never known to urinate on his lemon tree; film director Roger Donaldson added that detail as a tribute to his own father, who did.

          The May 1957 edition of Popular Mechanics (p6) has a letter to the editor about H.A. "Dad" Munro and his 1920 Indian Scout

          At the end of the film, Speed Week participants throw money into "the hat" and Burt Munro is presented with a bag of cash after he sets the speed record. In fact, Munro had to take up a collection before Speed Week as U.S. Customs required a cash bond before releasing his motorcycle.

          Hopkins' portrayal of a New Zealander
          The Welsh-born Hopkins did not employ the kind of Kiwi accent which the real Munro would have had ? the review in The New Zealand Herald said that "his vowels swoop from the Welsh valleys to the high veldt without ever alighting in Southland" [Munro's home region of New Zealand]. Nevertheless the same reviewer said Hopkins gives a "generous, genial and utterly approachable performance ? he nails the backyard eccentric genius dead centre ? he has inhaled the nature of a mid-century Kiwi bloody good bloke and he inhabits the part to perfection".

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

            Originally posted by studemax
            I think Sir Anthony did well, though his accent varied a bit from true New Zealand-ese.
            Burt loved the ladies, and loved to ride - who can argue with that?
            Mr. Hopkins claimed that playing Burt was his most enjoyable role in years.
            Yeah, I watched "World's Fastest Indian" again last week. But I just skip through all the unnecessary parts with the loose, leathery chicks and the tranny, and go straight to the Bonneville scenes.

            I wish the film was a bit more historically accurate, though. For example, Munro's record isn't quite 200 m.p.h. as the movie seems to imply.

            "In 1967, Munro coaxed his beloved streamlined Indian to 183.58 mph. That set a record in the category of "streamlined motorcycles under 1,000cc." To qualify, he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest ever officially recorded speed on an Indian." http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/hall...age.asp?id=381

            Still, for anyone who's driven on that "holy ground" during Speedweeks, it's a great film.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

              I love the movie, and really appreciate the links in this blog to the real Burt Munro. Thanks for some very interesting reading.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

                nothing like total commitment to a racing operation
                no matter how small
                a great hero to the kids

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

                  Just an FYI for those of you who are readers.....Once I moved here to Australia, I spent a little time at Borders Books and stumbled upon a real gem. It is the actual biography of Burt Munro. It's called One Good Run: The Legend of Burt Munro by Tim Hanna. This book covers it all, and I had not seen it until I got down under. If anyone is interested in a copy and you can't order it anywhere, let me know and I can zip one out through US Mail.

                  BTW, I thought the movie was badass but not a real story until I found a picture in a 1962 issue of Cartoons of Burt firing up the Indian on the salt.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

                    Chicken!!!

                    Good to see you!

                    How were the drags with your pops?

                    Brian
                    That which you manifest is before you.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Site of the Week: All about Burt Munro

                      Brian!!!! Thanks, I had a really good time and appreciate the action shots you got me. The Reunion was really cool. I finally got back a few weeks ago and have been swamped at work and at home, catching up on everything. I will have that Cacklefest video edited soon and send you a link. BTW, got all the plans sorted out for the Bathurst 1000!!!! 5 days of camping, drinking, racecars, drinking, racecars, drinking, camping and finally ....smelling like a giant foot. Can't wait. If you can get a way down here, we can put you up in Camp Carnage with us.

                      OMT, I saw Radar Watkins when I was home and he wanted me to pass on a Hi to you and Chad....he will see you cats at Drag Week again this year. He said he has squeezed Grimace a little harder to see what he can get out of the land yacht.

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X