The 1970s is often called the era when the racing was dangerous and sex was safe, and no one lived that more than motorcycle racer and World Champion Barry Sheene. This new biopic seeks to capture his story to share it on the big screen.
If you haven’t followed racing for long, Sheene’s name may be new to you. And that’s okay, but I can assure you he’s someone you want to know more about. He was the James Hunt of motorcycle racing, equal parts skill, looks, and charm.
Until Danny Kent’s Moto3 championship in 2015, Sheene was the most recent Brit to call himself world champion, when he won in 1976 and 1977.
He also had a number of famous crashes, the first of which happened at 170 MPH during the Daytona 200, breaking his left thigh, right arm, collarbone, and two ribs. Doctors thought it might end his racing career, but Sheene was back racing just seven weeks later. The second, which also happened at 170 mph – but this time in 1982 – crushed his legs. Two stainless steel posts, two steel plates, and 30 screws, and one year later - “Bionic Barry” was back in the saddle.
The films is based on Steve Parrish and Nick Harris’s Barry: The Story of Motorcycling Legend Barry Sheene. No word yet as to a release date or actors, and I’m hoping they haven’t gotten far enough with it to start shooting because the clips in that trailer are pretty awful.
Without knowing much of the history of Formula One, I actually really enjoyed the movie Rush. Hopefully this movie is more that and less Torque.
Hopefully.
Contact the author at sean.macdonald@jalopnik.com. Follow Lanesplitter onFacebook and Twitter.