The Language of Film

Service No Longer Required

Adapted from the screenplay The Terminus this short film by Nigel Fair, Service No Longer Required, puts the spotlight on a homeless ex-army veteran sleeping rough at Waterloo station, in a tribute and call for support for the ex-servicemen and women who struggle with PTSD and homelessness.

Using a cast and crew of mostly ex-military artists, Tip Cullen (former Royal Marines Commando) plays the leading role of ‘Bootsie’ the homeless ex-army medic who is sat bearded and grey on the train station floor watching the commuters pass by. He begins a slow purposeful monologue appealing to anyone who might listen as he recounts the epitaphs and harrowing imagery of battles gone by. In the background we hear the boots of soldiers marching, which swiftly switches to the sound of London’s bustling commuters, from whom Bootsie receives varying degrees of sympathy, as he continues to hear the cries and explosions of the battlefield.

The opening slides of postcard sketches and photographs provide some historical background to the plight of the army veterans’ sufferings: injuries, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and homelessness. They highlight how the homeless and mentally sick have been harshly treated by society over time, but also the support they’ve received from the likes of pioneers such as Sir Oswald Stoll and the Royal Hospital Chelsea (and in the case of this film the Veterans’ Foundation).

The authentic postcards establish the long history associated with these problems going as far back here as the Tudor times and bringing them to the present day to Waterloo station and the obvious yet poignant link between the station and its namesake the battle of Waterloo. The closing captions at the end of the film make grim reading about the more recent conflicts of Afghanistan and Iraq where it says more servicemen and women took their own lives after their deployment than were killed in action.

Following the sombre slides we see images of the busy London traffic combined with a cheerful pop soundtrack, which lifts the mood momentarily, before returning to the subject matter of Bootsie and his homeless struggle. The passers-by highlight the range of opinions often associated with homelessness from the more kindly offerings of a cup of tea to the more disparaging and outright abusive. Meanwhile Tip Cullen’s performance as Bootsie is resolute and well informed in the face of his predicament delivering a steely glazed account of the horrors of his experience shared by his fellow veterans.

A hugely touching short directed by Nigel Fair and produced by Shaun Johnson the film is part of a campaign to raise money towards the full theatre production of the play ‘The Terminus’ from which this film’s poppy scene was taken, and to also continue the support for military veterans by helping them work in the theatre and film industries.

(Bootsie, Albert Lines, was a World War II veteran who lived rough on the streets of Kingston Upon Thames in the 60s and 70s. He is the inspiration for the charity and its theatre production The Terminus.)

For further details about the film go to http://www.hatsoffforbootsie.org.uk

Film: Service No Longer Required

Director: Nigel Fair

Genre: Drama

Stars: Tip Cullen, Drew Patterson, Sarah Davis

Run time: 8mins

Rated: NA

Rating: 3/5

Woolf Women: Now or Never

Woolf Women directed by first time documentary filmmaker Marchella De Angelis follows Jenny ‘Jungle’ a downhill skateboarder on her epic odyssey across Europe with her fellow Woolf Women, a group of young female skateboarders seeking the thrills and spills of downhill skateboarding. In selected UK cinemas from 8th June.

We pick up Jenny Jungle’s story as a child growing up with her family in Bavaria. Her father was a ski instructor who passed away suddenly, which heavily impacted on Jenny’s mental health. As an art student in London at the time, her thesis on adrenaline had led her to discover downhill skateboarding. Soon she began competing, rising to number 2 in the world, but the news of her father’s death sent her mental health into a downward spiral.

Out of work, she left London and headed to the hills living in a converted van. Downhill skating was her salvation and out on the road she discovered the Woolf Women, a group of like minded girls from around the world living a similar nomadic lifestyle seeking a similar peace of mind from the extreme sport.

As part of her healing process and a way to commemorate her father’s passing Jenny ‘Jungle’ decides she wants to embark on an epic journey with the Woolf Women across Europe. Her target is an ancient monastery high up in the Pontic Mountains of Turkey on a trip that would cover 6,000 kilometres, across 8 countries, in 8 days.

In the build up to the road trip Jenny ‘Jungle’ suffers a sickening crash into a roadside barrier leaving her in hospital requiring multiple surgeries. Her road to recovery is spent at home in Bavaria convalescing with her mother as she races to be fit again to take part in her own documentary as Mama Woolf (and that’s if she even wants to skate again).

Downhill skateboarding has to be seen to be believed. Super-fast with speeds of up to 100 km/hr and super dangerous; how they stand up and race on a tiny board with wheels defies the laws of physics. With no actual breaks, the skaters use a perilous looking sliding technique to check their speeds as they throw themselves around corners, that leaves you with your heart in your mouth as they weave and bob down the roads.

The insane riding is caught on camera with some super close ups that provide a real sense of the speed and intensity; there’s some behind the scene insights into how the high speed action shots are captured and there’s also footage of the accidents that the girls have caught on body cameras, which makes for some wincing viewing.

A memorable road trip for a band of young girls with a shared passion for a unique outdoor sport. Their unique bond goes further than just skating and includes all things Woolf, mental wellbeing, female empowerment and an affinity for the environment (as well as skinny dipping) highlighted by their songwriter friend Karina Ramage who joins the girls on the road to sing some eco songs together.

Director Marchella De Angelis looks to have closely collaborated with Jenny ‘Jungle’ to bring together some nice artistic touches that include some funky edits and a grungy soundtrack all wrapped up in a positively affecting story of girl power demanding of respect.

The sparks certainly fly in this documentary as the Woolf Women show a bravery and skill only matched by the insanity of riding downhill without breaks or a steering wheel.

Film: Woolf Women: Now or Never

Director: Marchella De Angelis

Genre: Documentary

Stars: Jenny ‘Jungle’ Shaurte, Anna Pixner, Alejandra Salamandra

Run time: 1hr 16mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

Hitmen

Hitmen is the latest film from UK gangster auteur Savvas D. Michael and it’s another signature feature from him with much to be offended by. A married couple from London, totally out of character, beat to death an obnoxious gap year student from America whose powerful family connections in the US put a $1 million bounty on their heads giving licence to a collection of hitmen to hunt them down. Available 5th June 2023 on DVD, Blu-ray, all VOD platforms and select cinemas.

Luke (Daniel Caltagirone) and Lauren Loveday (Lois Brabin-Platt) are a seemingly ordinary common married couple from London having a drink in an East End pub, owned by Lauren’s brother the physically imposing and East End gruff Tony (Charlie Rawes). Their 10 year marriage is at a crossroads with Lauren wanting a divorce saying they’ve grown apart since she was a young girl. Their conversation is interrupted by Jackie (Max Lohan) a young American gap year student who tries to chat up Lauren and the ensuing argument leads to a violent outbreak resulting in Jackie’s brutal beating.

The news of Jackie’s untimely death gets back to his beloved grandfather Michael Hero (Eric Roberts) in the US. Michael, a powerful self-made immigrant CEO of a blue chip company, puts the wheels in motion to get revenge for his favoured grandson’s murder. He sends his henchmen The Major (Nentley Kalu) and adopted son Danny (Elijah Rowen) (who incidentally narrates the film) to meet Don Salvatore Piazza (Marco Leonardi), a mafioso type character in Italy to make the necessary hitmen arrangements. Meanwhile Michael’s real son and Jackie’s father, Paris (Ronan Summers), is looking to get back into favour with his father by revenging his son’s death himself. Realising there is a ransom on their heads Luke and Lauren go into hiding and so ensues a farcical hide and seek with the pursuing assassins.

Put together under the Saints and Savages production, the clue is in the name here. What Savvas D. Michael does well is put together a stylised film with plenty of swagger but there is also an overt amount of bad mouthing tirades and political incorrectness that would have many a human rights campaigner up in arms.

The script, which has picked out some crowd pleasing genre themes of violence and revenge, is told with a Scorsese like commentary. Unfortunately here’s where the similarities end as Savvas D. Michael’s attempts at a profoundly poignant narration is bewildering at times with lines like, “A great man like Michael would see his resurrection or revenge.”

It has the makings of a good gangster film. The cast is an interesting ensemble of characters with the assassins having various murderous ticks and typically he introduces a headline name or two along with some of his regular cast members. The locations are established with cinematic aerial shots and the violence, gunfire and explosions are pulled off with Hollywood like effects; all emotively pieced together with his eclectic sound track of classical opera and world music.

A UK independent film with an ambitious script reaching out to an international audience, it’s a totally over the top mix of violent action and comedic farce; Savvas D. Michael is clearly on a mission to offend his audience while having a good time making movies.

Film: Hitmen

Director: Savvas D. Michael

Genre: Action

Stars: Lois Brabin-Platt, Daniel Caltagirone, Eric Roberts

Run time: 1hr 49mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

Much Ado (2023)

Much Ado by Hillary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare (yes, their real names are Shakespeare, but presumably no relation) is a film version of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing set in the present day where a rugby team arrives for a house party in the Suffolk countryside. Much Ado will be available on digital download from 24th April.

Using the actual dialogue from the original Shakespeare play (albeit ever so slightly chopped and reformatted) a mini bus with the ‘Aragon’ rugby team breaks-down and calls in at the house of Leonato (Peter Saracen) for some well acquainted hospitality. Leonato welcomes them to his home with his daughter Hero (Jody Larcome) and niece Beatrice (Emma Beth Jones) by putting on a party. Close friends, the girls are looking for love and their affections for Claudio (Luke Hunter) and Benedick (Johnny Lucas) are coyly played out in tandem.

Pedro (James McClellend) is the confident leader of the arriving rugby team who says he will help cupid’s cause by wooing Hero for Claudio. This peculiar offer turns out well for the pair at first whose romance starts to blossom, but this is just the beginning as John (Jack Boal), the unreconciled and malicious bastard brother of Pedro, is hell bent on causing as much mischief as possible for the courting couple with the assistance of his followers Conrade (Ed Francis) and Borachio (Nils Behling).

Meanwhile Beatrice and Benedick are doing everything possible to show they are not interested in each other’s affections with their often scathing insults towards one and other. So it is again down to Pedro to give cupid a helping hand, concocting a plan to get each of them to believe the other is head over heals in love. The farcical conversations are then staged for Benedick and Beatrice to overhear in the hope of igniting their belief in one another’s love.

Set in a very big house in the countryside this one location provides a perfect backdrop with its extensive grounds for a posh teen house party complete with an indoor swimming pool, tennis court, sauna and roof top jacuzzi all put to good use, scene by scene, as the story unfolds through the course of the party.

Emma Beth Jones is in her element playing the feisty Beatrice working with Shakespeare’s dialogue that still fizzes and resonates despite its datedness. Generally you can’t win using the original Shakespeare script – too slow and deliberate it becomes stilted, too fast and naturalistic and the words get lost in the deluge of exchanges. The directors and cast have to be given credit here for the playful way they’ve brought the script to life and there’s even a role for Balthasar the singer (Joseph Emms) who plays his guitar adding a touch of boy band pop to ‘hey nonny, nonny’.

Film: Much Ado (2023)

Director: Hillary and Anna-Elizabeth Shakespeare

Genre: Drama, Romcom

Stars: Emma Beth Jones, James McCelland, Luke Hunter

Run time: 1hr 56mins

Rated: 12A

Rating: 3/5

God’s Creatures

A son’s return home to a remote Irish fishing village brings delight to his mother but when he is accused of a serious crime her loyalty to him tests her own sensibilities of right and wrong, which has devastating consequences on the local community. Opening in UK cinemas from 31^st March.

A mother Aileen O’Hara (Emily Watson) is overjoyed at the return of her son Brian (Paul Mescal) to the family home in a small fishing village in Ireland, albeit he’s arrived during the wake of another young local fisherman lost to the sea, and so revealing the harsh tradition of the fishermen of not learning how to swim in case they try to save one another.

The son has returned home from his time spent in Australia and is now looking to start afresh back in the family business of oyster farming. He’s keen to get on, but it is clear he left to get away from some unresolved family strife between himself and his father, which lends to a troubled atmosphere under the family roof once again, despite his initial warm welcome.

The close knit community is centred around the fishing industry where Aileen fills another matriarchal role at the fish sorting factory, overseeing the workforce in a supervisory role. The largely female workforce show their close camaraderie and dedication to their jobs despite its unrelenting demands. The local pub is another focal point of the community bringing people together for some welcome relief from the daily toil with singing and dancing. It is here Brian meets up with Sarah (Aisling Franciosi), one of the factory girls who later accuses him of the crime that puts his mother Aileen in a scrupulous position. Her instincts make her side with the son she dotes on and in doing so cuts Sarah adrift turning the village on its head.

Produced by Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly and written by Shane Crowley both of whom hail from a similar remote fishing village in Ireland fictionalised here, they look to explore the darker side of life in a community, which may hold more stories and secrets far saltier than the sea they reside by.

Directed by two New Yorkians Saela Davis & Anna Rose Holmer, who were especially chosen to bring a fresh pair of eyes to the enchanting Irish coastline, they’ve conjured a stormy tale, which has been atmospherically enhanced here by a haunting musical score to match.

Paul Mescal who plays Brian has the air of the good son returning home but also has the physical presence and look to know he’s accustomed to handling the menacing conditions. Emily Watson bravely takes on the sea, willing to don the waders and get waist deep in the North Atlantic Ocean and is equally brave in taking on an Irish accent, which has benefited from some pronunciation coaching. Aisling Franciosi’s Sarah has a stoic look of resignation in the face of adversity, initially shown in her soft melancholic Irish folk ballad singing when she does a turn in the pub. The supporting cast include some local Irish characters too that maintain the Irish authenticity and fishery know-how throughout the film, which the production design team especially profited from when they needed to re-create the factory location in order to fit the camera movements in.

The Irish coastal village makes for an epic backdrop with its steep cliff faces, crashing coastal waves and lofty horizons. The action jumps quicker than a sinkhole from the accusation to the aftermath as the mother repudiates her son’s guilt and things quickly career out of control, but from the opening sequence until the end its the humbling continuity of the sea that giveth and that can taketh away.

Film: God’s Creatures

Director: Saela Davis & Anna Rose Holmer

Genre: Drama

Stars: Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, Aisling Franciosi

Run time: 1hr 40mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

Jethica

Jethica is a dark comedy horror about a young woman’s story, told retrospectively from the back seat of a casual lover’s car as she confesses how she killed someone. Jethica is available to own or rent in the UK & Ireland via AppleTV, Amazon, Sky Store, Virgin Media, Google Play and RakutenTV.

Elena (Callie Hernandez) has hooked up with a stranger in the back of his car and after some forced small talk begins to confess her story of how she accidentally kills someone and why she was living alone in her Grandma’s trailer in New Mexico. She flashes back to meeting an old college friend Jessica (Ashley Denise Robinson) at the gas station near there and after inviting her to stay at her grandma’s she discovers Jessica has her own confession to make.

Jessica has a stalker (Will Madden) who has been constantly sending her videos and letters obsessing over their non-existent relationship and when he turns up suddenly looking for her the two girls turn to Elena’s grandma’s mystic ways with the afterlife to get rid of him.

Directed and produced by Peter Ohs as well as being co-written with the leading actors there’s a shared albeit slightly discombobulated vision that comes through in the script as various different tropes are added. The relationship between the two female friends Elena and Jessica is done in a quiet but afflicted way as one advises the other on how they should deal with their stalker situation using some voodoo like witchcraft. All the while the stalker rambles on incessantly with a lisp and painted face not unlike a cartoon caricature as he attempts to get in contact with Jessica. He manages to pitifully evoke a sense of sympathy as his delusional longing for his victim goes undeterred by his absolute rejection.

There’s a morbid poignancy to the film with the wide shots of the arid dessert landscape and its long roads providing a spectacular cinematic backdrop, which also intensifies the loneliness of the characters searching for somewhere to belong as they deal with their own personal strife.

Jethica may not have you hiding behind the sofa but if you manage to watch it to its ambling end it’s the kind of movie that leaves a lasting melancholic thought not least for being the antithesis to the more typical gnawing for brains zombie horrors.

Film: Jethica

Director: Pete Ohs

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Horror

Stars: Callie Hernandez, Ashley Denise Robinson and Will Madden

Run time: 1hr 11mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

On The Line

A late night radio host has to think fast on his feet when a creepy stalker tries to blackmail him live on air after taking his family hostage. On The Line will be available on Amazon Prime from Friday 3rd February.

Featuring Mel Gibson who plays Elvis, ‘the legendary’ late night radio host, a likeable but difficult person with a reputation for pranking his colleagues mercilessly. No one is safe from his scathing roastings especially his fellow host Justin (Kevin Dillon) who he jibes with typical rants that aren’t without humour. Working alongside him is his regular radio show side-kick Mary (Alia Seror-O’Neil) and a new studio intern from London, Dylan (William Moseley), whose English sensibilities and accent are a prime target for Elvis’ pranking.

With 40 years’ experience at the station, he’s attracted his fair share of weirdos on the late night talk show, although he is more than cable of handling these using his smooth talking radio diplomacy but when his family is targeted by a caller’s (Paul Spera) vendetta against him, he finds himself in an all too personal hostage negotiation live on air. Unable to cut the caller off in fear of him harming his family he’s at the mercy of the caller’s demands.

From French Writer Director Romuald Boulanger, who is someone who knows a thing or two about radio broadcasting as a former radio presenter himself with his own popular comedy show, you might guess this isn’t going to be a straight-forward thriller. The tone is set from the very beginning as Mel Gibson sends himself up as a tortured captive and he fits the bill well as the radio station’s star name with his raspy voice and droll acerbic wit. The creepy caller played by Paul Spera has the sinister menace on the phone as the threatening omnipresent force, which builds along with the body count into a farcical parody.

Whilst the script stretches the levels of plausibility and the clichés become predictably leaden there’s enough at stake to carry the movie towards its live on air conclusion(s) in a pastiche tribute call to the late night radio show host.

Film: On The Line

Director: Romuald Boulanger

Genre: Thriller

Stars: Mel Gibson, Kevin Dillon

Run time: 1hr 44mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

I Love My Dad

An award winning festival film, I Love My Dad is about an estranged father who decides the only way to get his relationship back with his son is to catfish him pretending to be his girlfriend but it’s only a matter of time before his desperate attempts begin to backfire as his son wants to meet her (him!) in person.

The son, Franklin (James Morosini), is not in a good place. He’s seeking group therapy for his suicidal thoughts, revealing he’s blocked his dad, Chuck (Patton Oswalt) from his social media contacts as he’s had enough of his lying and broken promises. His dad meanwhile is distraught he’s been cut off by his son and is now even more concerned about his welfare. Opening up to a sweet waitress at a diner Chuck comes up with the idea to create an online profile of the waitress (Claudia Sulewski), to get in contact with his son online. This is clearly frowned upon not least by his colleague (Lil Rel Howery) who tells him in plain English, “This is the creepiest s***t I’ve ever seen.” But Chuck continues undeterred fastidiously putting together the profile and some how manages to friend his son on Facebook posing as a pretty lone girl on the internet looking to make a connection with someone. His son’s early scepticism soon disappears because of the ease in which he is able to communicate with Becca – who is in fact of course his dad.

They get along great chatting online, sharing the same interests and as the feelings grow for one another so does the cringe factor as the son starts to talk more intimately online with his father. There are some obvious stages of a relationship that his dad can’t keep avoiding, firstly actually speaking over the phone, which he manages to get around by persuading his partner to call up as ‘Becca’ on the phone. It isn’t before too long that his son wants to meet her in person, something his dad is desperately trying to avoid so he can keep the relationship going. All the while things are getting more awkward and likely to be leading to messing up his son far more than he was in the first place.

With the strapline, “Inspired by a true story. Like, this literally happened to me.” It’s a story so twisted and dark it would be hard to imagine a loving father wanting to do this in real life without a majorly dark sense of humour. The fact that it is written, directed and acted by the son, James Morosini, provides an empathetic handling of this messed up virtual relationship that is handled with great humour and sensitivity. The relationship is brilliantly played out in the film using the characters’ avatars as they chat online to one another. So when Franklin is speaking to ‘Becca’ online, even though it’s actually his dad doing the typing, we see her and hear her voice sat next to him as they chat, providing a real sense of the intimacy and creepiness going on. This reaches a climatic crescendo when they start sexting each other with the cringe factor reaching another level altogether.

I Love My Dad will be available on Digital Download from 23rd January 2023

Film: I Love My Dad

Director: James Morosini

Genre: Comedy

Stars: Patton Oswalt, James Morosini, Claudia Sulewski

Run time: 1hr 36mins

Rated: 15

Rating: 3/5

Poison Arrows

This is the darts mockumentary that is long overdue, especially for its makers who have taken 22 years to finish it. It’s the story of Rocky Goldfingers, a 6 times world darts champion put in prison for the murder of his darts protege Perry ‘the Poison Arrow’ Peters. It’s a crime he denies doing and his quest to uncover the true culprit is being documented by filmmaker Lewis J Maitland who’s hoping to win himself an elusive BAFTA award.

The film goes back to the heyday of Rocky Goldfingers showing him strutting around the Lakeside Country Club, the one time home of darts, during the 2003 World Darts Championship. Rocky is mercilessly mocking the players in the press area and players’ bar showing off his “different class of sledging” as well as delivering his match winning performances. This all comes to an abrupt end when he’s put in jail after the mysterious disappearance of his protege Perry ‘the Poison Arrow’ Peters.

Documentary filmmaker Lewis J Maitland (Ben Gardner Gray) narrates the story giving a quick history of the darts before bringing us to the present day by which time Rocky has spent 15 years banged up in jail. On his release Rocky discovers the world is a very different place to the one he left behind, not least because his wife has left him and Martin “Wolfie” Adams has moved into his home, “the house that darts built”. No longer the golden boy of darts Rocky is battling against the odds to try to find out who “stitched him up”.

Starring Geoff Bell (Greenstreets, Kingsman: Secret Service) as Rocky Goldfingers, who is full of the kind of cockney swagger that got him cast in Guy Richie’s “Rock ‘n’ Rolla” and James Harkness, as Terence, Rocky’s cellmate and sidekick, who brings another entertaining, this time Scottish accent to a script full of funny one-liners.

There are numerous cameo appearances throughout played with deadpan assuredness from the likes of Barry Hearn OBE (Chairman PDC), Ray Stubbs (BBC sports presenter) and the darts professionals themselves (albeit now mostly retired since filming began) like Martin ‘Wolfie’ Adams, Bobby George and James Wade, that have just the right amount of gusto not to make them cringeworthy viewing.

From director Simon Sprackling (Breakfast with Johnny Wilkinson), known for his bold off-centre low budget filmmaking, the film is a remarkable feat of perseverance having started filming back in 2002. With access to the 2003 World Darts Championship he shot the film between the gaps in the match schedules, mixing real tournament players and crowds with his spoof script. But the film was put on ice due to budgetary restrictions – for 20 years! Eventually with a renewed interest to complete the film the script had to be re-jigged because of the loss of key personnel, like the actor playing Perry “The Poison Arrow” Peters. Not wanting to waste the priceless tournament footage, he’s cleverly used it as genuine archive material in his own mockumentary.

It’s a raucous comedy crime caper, that will appeal to the UK cockney gangster audience as well as the “Eurosport” viewers of darts. With plenty of swearing warranting its 18 certification be ready to cover your ears if easily offended. Nervous? “Just have a lager.”

Available on all major digital platforms from 3rd January 2023.

Film: Poison Arrows

Director: Simon Sprackling

Genre: Mockumentary, comedy

Stars: Geoff Bell, James Harkness, Ben Gardner Gray, Carrie Hilton

Run time: 1hr 35mins

Rated: 18

Rating: 3/5

Hunt vs Lauda: The Next Generation

The sons of two legends of Formula One motor racing, Hunt and Lauda, go head to head in celebration of their father’s epic 1976 Championship dual, as they look to recapture some of the famous rivalry and friendship on and off the track.

Racing team boss Joseph Thomas first hit upon the idea to re-create this piece of motorsport history after watching “Rush“, Ron Howard’s biopic film about the famous F1 Championship of ’76, which still remains one of the most epic title races in motorsport history.

This time around it’s not James Hunt vs Niki Lauda, it’s their sons Freddie and Mathias. Both have been keen racing drivers over the years albeit not quite in the same class as their fathers. Mathias edges things in terms of experience but that doesn’t seem to worry a highly competitive Freddie who doesn’t want to let the family side down particularly in this filmed showdown.

There are some nice video montages re-telling the famous Hunt vs Lauda story as well as interviews providing the back stories to the sons on how they got introduced to racing along with memories of their fathers, with some emotional responses particularly from Freddie, who lost his father at a young age.

Comparisons will be drawn between the two sons particularly as they share similar personality traits to their well-known fathers. James Hunt was considered the glamorous playboy and a bit reckless on the track hence the nickname “Hunt the shunt”, whilst Niki Lauda was more calculated in his preparation and a steadier performer going on to win 3 World Championships. Similarly, Mathias is much more calm and collected, he’s set up home in Ibiza with his wife and children and lives a more carefree existence pursing his sporting interests. Meanwhile Freddie, based in Scotland, has a similar wild side to his father and seems to have had more difficulty finding his way trying to live up to his father’s legacy.

Directed by Charlotte Fantelli the F1 archive footage brings a sense of history to the proceedings, which is always going to be difficult for the drivers to match here, but that doesn’t detract from enjoying this very British motor racing encounter. Shot at the iconic Donington race track, there’s more at stake than meets the eye between two men racing for fun but also for their family bragging rights.

Hunt vs Lauda: The Next Generation will be available on DVD & Digital Download from 19th December and can be pre-ordered here.

Film: Hunt vs Lauda: The Next Generation

Director: Charlotte Fantelli

Genre: Documentary, Motorsport

Stars: Freddie Hunt, Mathias Lauda, Marlene Lauda

Run time: 1hr 20mins

Rated: 12

Platforms: Amazon, iTunes, Google, Microsoft, Sky

Rating: 3/5