PREFONTAINE
US, 1997, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jared Leto, R. Lee Ermey, Ed O’ Neill, Brecken Meyer, Lindsay Krause, Amy Locaine, Laurel Holliman, Kurt Woodsmith.
Directed by Steve James.
Prefontaine is a biography of Steve Prefontaine, the record-breaking long distance runner who died tragically in an accident in his twenties. At the same time, there was another film about Prefontaine, Without Limits, written and directed by Robert Towne and starring Billy Cruddup as Prefontaine and Donald Sutherland as his coach. In this film, Jared Lito (Alexander, Lord of War, Requiem for a Dream) is Prefontaine and R. Lee Ermey (the harsh training sergeant in Full Metal Jacket) is his coach.
The film was written and directed by Steve James, the award-winning director of a number of documentaries, especially 1994’s Hoop Dreams, a documentary about basketball players which won most of the American awards for best documentary of that year. He also took up his sports theme in television films: Passing Glory and Joe and Max, a story of the friendship between Joe Louis and Max Schmelling.
This film also has the documentary touch – interviews with the central characters in later decades are inserted throughout the film to give it a more realistic tone.
The film covers the career of Prefontaine, from his daring as a little boy in Coos City, Oregon, his training at the university, his being coached by Bill Bowerman, his early successes, his ambitions to go to Munich, the failure at Munich, the subsequent career and his achievement in a meeting with Finnish athletes – and his being killed in a car accident at night.
The film also highlights the terrorist episode at the Munich Olympic Games with footage from the telemovie Twenty- One Days in Munich. This episode has been treated vividly in film with the documentary One Day in September as well as Steven Spielberg’s Munich.
Prefontaine appears as a driven young man, ambitious, prickly to his friends, consumed by an ambition but gradually learning to have a more balanced approach to life.
1.Audience interest in Steve Prefontaine? American audiences? Non-Americans? Sports fans?
2.The portrait of Steve Fontaine: from childhood, through adolescence, early adulthood? The tragedy of his early death? The daring little boy, the scene of jumping from the bridge? His relationship with his mother and father, their support of him? His ambitions to run, to win gold at Munich? This driving him through his early years? his training, his accomplishment? The approach to Bill Bauerman, Bauerman recognising his talent? Their interactions, the training, the shoes? His going to college, Pat Watson as his roommate, friendship? Training together, the qualifying for the Olympic team? Rivalries? His friendship with Elly, the relationship, her being hurt when it broke up? His meeting with Nancy, their relationship, her hopes for marriage? The training for Munich, the episodes in Munich, the rivalry with the Finnish athlete, Prefontaine wanting to push past him at the finish? The interruption of the hostages episode, its effect on him, sympathy for the victims, wanting to go home? The games continuing, the running plan, his failure and collapse in the race? The aftermath and his collapse? Return home, meeting with Nancy? Meeting with Bill Bauerman, the continued support? The decision to invite the Finns, the clashes with the athletics union, his deciding to take a stand, the support of his friends? The association caving in? The holding of the meet, the Finnish man not coming? His celebration, the discus thrower and his achievement, the happiness of the party? The tragedy of his death? The funeral, the speeches, the lap of honour in the hearse? The information given about his records? An achievement?
3.The background of his family, his German mother, his genial father? Their continued support and going to watch him? Their going to Munich and their anxiety? Grief at the funeral?
4.His friends, Pat Watson, sharing the room with him, supporting him though not achieving as much as he did? The information about his coaching and his success? The discus thrower, thinking about his career, helping Prefontaine against the athletics union, the achievement and record-break?
5.Bill Bauerman, age and experience, his assistant? Their work with Prefontaine, his personal manner? The clash with the athletics association? The poor conditions for the athletes, especially the accommodation in Munich? Lack of financial support? Money given to the officials going to the games? Bauerman and his clash with the official? His retirement, his stroke, coming out to support Prefontaine, his speech at the funeral? The background of his designing runners, the establishment of Nike?
6.The athletes, the scenes of racing, the fans? Prefontaine’s status?
7.Prefontaine himself, his personality, prickly, ambitious, his drive, relentless? His relationship with women? His work behind the bar, his angers with the criticism? His decision to take on the association?
8.A sports film, Prefontaine as an ambitious role model? His achievement?
