The Press, 12 November 1973
The Heatway international rally is a world-class event, so much so that it attracts entries from top factory teams and top drivers. The excitement of international rallying was seen first-hand by thousands of New Zealanders during the 1973 Heatway international rally earlier this year, and at the same time this excitement and action was being captured on colour film by Pacific Films for the first in a new series of New Zealand documentaries.
“Rally.” sets the driving skills of world-famous rally drivers against the grandeur of New Zealand mountains and bush and contrasts the rivers with the people from the backblocks who come to watch them in action. Hannu Mikkola of Finland, the rally leader from start to finish, is shown on a special stage holding his car in a steady dance at 120 m.p.h. on a sodden dirt road
Others observed driving and offering wry comment about the sport are Andrew Cowan (a previous winner of the Heatway and winner of the London to Sydney marathon), Shekar Mehta (winner of the East African Safari), New Zealander Mike Marshall, Australian champion Colin Bond and a dedicated New Zealand amateur, Colin Taylor, who tells why he loves participating and pushing himself to the limit for virtually no reward.
Pacific Films used special camera rigs, well-chosen camera positions and even helicopters to capture the sequences used in the film, which attempts to bring to the screen something of the excitement, the organisation, the personalities and the bravura of the rally which covers 3000 miles of tortuous roads in eight days.
“Rally” screens in colour on the N.Z.B.C. television network this evening CHTV3
Director: Tony Williams
Comments