This is really nice. Less artful, less amazing than the more or less contemporary 60 Cycles, but it’s also more event-centered, more textured and typical. Here is narration with a difference. They’ve got a number of experienced people making really insightful observations, sometimes under footage that illustrates exactly, and sometimes independent of what we’re seeing. I guess that this would eventually turn into colour commentary on the TV, but here it’s more spontaneous, more unguarded. The result is real authority and authenticity, on a number of levels.
We see how important this is to France (especially if you’re a nun or a priest)—there’s lots and lots of terrific spectator footage. The pusher part is especially fun, and old-days. The spectators are trying to get involved, and could you ever get away with it in the media-sated present? There’s some lovely footage demonstrating real solidarity between riders, helping each other in any number of ways. The doping discussion properly introduces a shadow and, as always, a crash really stimulates your sympathetic feelings. That skull-cracked guy! Great ending, with that series of extremely close follows of agonized faces. Are they the ones who won? It doesn’t even matter! Cool music, too.