Steve McQueen: The Lost Formula 1 Movie

Steve McQueen, the Hollywood icon, had a passion for car racing. However, his long lost Formula 1 film project never saw the light of day – until now.

Joining us to talk about this incredible story are the filmmakers behind Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie (2021), director, writer and producer Alex Rodger, and archivist Richard Wiseman.

The film elegantly captures Steve McQueen's stardom and passion for car racing. It is set against the backdrop of the 1960s – glory days for both Formula 1 and Hollywood.

Narrated by David Letterman, the documentary chronicles a race between two identical films. As we watch iconic directors and film studios battle it out, we learn the story behind the story of Day of the Champion – McQueen's lost Formula 1 film.

Just as strikingly, the film brings to the big screen incredible, never-before-seen racing footage that captures the glamour, and the danger, of Formula 1 racing in the 1960s.

Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie is available on SKY Documentaries and NOW TV.

“Car racing in 1960s was unbelievably dangerous, and Steve McQueen saw this as a way into the drama of Formula 1." - Alex Rodger

00:15 - Clip 1: About Steve McQueen and his lost film.
01:30 - Introducing our guests, archivist Richard Wiseman and director Alex Rodger.
02:41 - Where people can watch Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie.
04:03 - The synopsis of the film.
05:14 - Steve McQueen’s connections with car racing.
08:25 - 1960s as the glory days of British car racing.
09:10 - The back story of The Day of Champion,  McQueen's lost Formula 1 movie.
11:40 - What the screenplay was like for the lost film.
15:11 - Clip 2: Panavision and what screen ratio is best for a racing film.
18:00 - How Richard found the never-before-seen footage for this film.
22:50 - Alex's reactions to the quality of the footage.
25:18 - Clip 3: About the technology used to shoot Day of the Champion.
28:47 - When SKY got involved in the project, and how it was filmed under Covid-19.
33:00 - How Alex assembled the story with the elements they had.
38:38 - How David Letterman came on board to narrate the documentary.
44:36 - Britain as the centre of racing car engineering and Formula 1. 
47:50 - Why it’s impossible to compare drivers from different eras of racing.
54:04 - What’s next for Alex and Richard.

Steve McQueen: The Lost Movie (2021)
The Cruel Sport: Grand Prix Racing 1959-1967 by Robert Daley
Natalie Wood: Cinema Icon on Factual America
Alamo Pictures

Connect with Alex Rodger:
LinkedIn
Website

Connect with Richard Wiseman:
Twitter
IMDb

Connect with Factual America:
YouTube
Facebook
Instagram
Twitter

Connect with Matthew Sherwood:
Facebook
LinkedIn
Twitter