One - Life at the Limit - DVD

Content: Formula 1 has been exposed to constant changes since then. But one thing has always remained the same: in the racing circus, only those who have proven nerves of steel behind the wheel. Perfect technology and clever tactics are one thing, but without the necessary nerves there is hardly any way to reach the finish at the very front. But there was a time when special courage was required from the drivers. Because at the end of the sixties and in the seventies the risk of losing one's life in a race was particularly high. Rules and tracks could no longer keep up with the rapidly changing technology in the racing cars. Drivers losing their lives was not a rarity, especially in the 1970 season, but almost a sad rule. But the times when design and speed took precedence over safety were soon to be over. And the sale of the television rights then heralded yet another drastic change in Formula One.

In One - Life at the Limit, filmmaker Paul Crowder thrillingly traces a very special chapter in the history of Formula One. Although some attention is also paid to the period from the 1930s onwards and the present day, the film's main focus is clearly on the 1960s and 1970s. With an incredible wealth of archive footage, some of which is very rare, and countless interviews with both old and new Formula 1 legends such as Damon Hill, Niki Lauda, Lewis Hamilton, Jackie Stewart, as well as Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel, Crowder has created a fascinating contemporary document that is sure to delight not only Formula 1 enthusiasts.

Crowder manages very well to show the fundamental changes that have shaped the image of Formula 1 over the past decades. For example, through testimony from eyewitnesses, photographs and video footage, he makes it clear that the relationship between drivers used to have an almost familial quality, and that it was the extremely high risk involved in each race that intensified the bond between individual drivers. But the film also makes clear how much the character of the races themselves has changed due to the power of sponsors and the involvement of a worldwide television audience. Very particular rivalries and friendships are brought out. The respectful rivalry between Jim Clark and Graham Hill is not to be missed, nor is the duel between Niki Lauda and James Hunt, which recently served as the material for Ron Howard's superb Formula One drama Rush.

The race footage is at times extremely impressive, but at times downright shocking. These images are framed not only by interviews with a total of twelve former world champions, but also by conversations with family members, journalists, managers and sponsors. The result is a documentary that is gripping from the first second to the last and is the perfect complement to Rush and the equally great racing documentary Senna. And since you are extremely captivated and very well entertained even as a Formula 1 non-interested, there is also a more than deserved for One - Life at the Limit: Absolutely worth seeing!

Picture + Sound: The numerous archive recordings have some clear qualitative weaknesses due to their age, of course. But measured against the actual interviews, the technical realization of the film is on a good level for a documentary. The picture pleases with a very pleasant colour scheme and decent overall sharpness, and the sound has some really successful surround moments to offer, in addition to the powerfully mixed voices, even during the race footage. Good!

Extras: As a bonus, there is only the trailer for the film.

Conclusion:One - Life at the Limit is an excellent documentary about Formula 1, with the focus clearly on the seventies and eighties. Director Paul Crowder has captured in an exciting, interesting and highly entertaining way the development of safety standards in this popular racing sport and shows impressively how the sport, the relationship between the drivers or even the marketing have changed over the past decades. A really good film, which offers not only Formula 1 fans the best entertainment. Recommended

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp