A Sunday In Hell

A great introduction to the core of what competitive road cycling is about. • Lets the imagery tell the story and convey the drama, it's not imposed on us in any way. (I loved this) • Great score.

A unity of poetic filmmaking and the both horrible and beautiful race Paris-Roubaix. With several cameras placed along the way, Leth and his team follow this race - and are lucky to catch one of the most dramatic ones; it's rainy and slippery and the film catches everything, ranging from the glory and excitement up front between the best, to the sour pain of the ones that fell and failed, drowning in both mud and one whole year of disappointment.

It is a little to artistic for my taste with several long choir music pieces. A fascination with cycling is highly recommended.

Leth did a good job having his cameras everywhere, and seemingly capturing everything there is to see in a long, high-speed race. Most of the film is rendered unexpectedly boring, though, by the dry, droningly monotonous narration, an information-oriented text in the spirit of disinterested international sports reportage. In the end of the race (and the film) his vision comes together more, but I usually prefer the sense of poetry and wonder that I see in, say, Herzog's "Woodcarver Steiner".

On this SUNNY day in france Jørgen Leth decides to follow the dramatic race that is, Paris-Roubaix. Overtly pretentious with a opera-like choir humming L'enfer du nord and Paris-Roubaix(hilarious). It's probably the perfect sports documentary - well-told and wonderfully shot.

If you don't get the charm of biking this is the perfect place to start.