Mark and Aaron celebrate the Summer Olympics by exploring Downhill Racer, an independent film about the Winter Olympics. We draw parallels to what is portrayed in the Michael Ritchie with the actual sporting events that take place today, including the thrills of victory and the agony of defeat. We discuss the groundbreaking cinematography, the nature of winning in an individual sport and the the enduring legacy of Sundance that began with this film.

Episode Links & Notes

0:00 – Intro and Welcome

1:30 – Short Takes (The Secret in Their Eyes, Everybody Wants Some, Ride with the Devil, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives)

17:25 – Downhill Racer

• Downhill Racer – IMDB
• Downhill Racer – Criterion
• The Agony of Defeat Skier
• The Newsstand – Episode 63

Episode Credits

• Mark Hurne: Twitter | Letterboxd
• Aaron West: Twitter | Blog | Letterboxd
• Criterion Close-Up: Facebook | Twitter | Email
• Music from Ben Model: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Next time on the podcast: Zatoichi: The Blind Swordsman