''Faster'' is a 2003

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". Bill Nichols has characterized the documentary in term ...

about the motorcycle road racing world championship,

MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start o ...

. Filmed between 2001 and 2002 by director

Mark Neale Mark Neale is a British documentarian and film director based in Los Angeles, California. His best-known work is the 1999 documentary ''No Maps for These Territories'', which profiled cyberpunk author William Gibson. Prior to ''No Maps'', Neale had ...

, it features cinematography by

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

director Grant Gee and is narrated by

Ewan McGregor Ewan Gordon McGregor ( ; born 31 March 1971) is a Scottish actor. His accolades include a Golden Globe Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the BAFTA Britannia Humanitarian Award. In 2013, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British ...

. It was succeeded by a 2-disc "Ultimate Collector's Edition" re-release in 2004 which included "Faster '03-'04 The Sequel". In 2006, ''The Doctor, The Tornado and The Kentucky Kid'' (or DTK) was released, followed by "Fastest" in 2011 and "Hitting the Apex" in 2015.

Overview

The film spotlights the MotoGP world championship, the premiere level of motorcycle road racing, which is a series of sixteen races on five continents contested by twenty-four riders. The film includes appearances by

Valentino Rossi Valentino Rossi (; ; born 16 February 1979) is an Italian former professional motorcycle road racer and nine-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. Nicknamed ''The Doctor'', he is widely considered to be one of the greatest motorcyc ...

Max Biaggi Massimiliano "Max" Biaggi (; born 26 June 1971) is an Italian former professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer who achieved six World Championships. With four 250 cc road race titles and two in World Superbikes, he is one of only two r ...

, Australian veteran

Garry McCoy Garry McCoy (born 18 April 1972 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional motorcycle racer. He has won races in the 125 cc and 500 cc World Championships, as well as in the Superbike World Championship. He is n ...

and young American John Hopkins. Several former world champions are interviewed, including

Mick Doohan Michael Sydney Doohan (born 4 June 1965) is an Australian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racing World Champion, who won five consecutive 500 cc World Championships. Biography Originally from the Gold Coast, Queensland, Doohan attended ...

Kevin Schwantz Kevin Schwantz (born June 19, 1964) is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was the world champion of the 1993 FIM Road Racing World Championship. Early life Schwantz, whose parents owned a motorcycle shop, learned to ride ...

, paralyzed former racer

Wayne Rainey Wayne Wesley Rainey (born October 23, 1960) is an American former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, he won the 500cc World Championship three times and the Daytona 200 once. He was characterized by his ...

Kenny Roberts Kenneth Leroy Roberts (born December 31, 1951, in Modesto, California) is an American former professional motorcycle racer and racing team owner. In 1978, he became the first American to win a Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championship. ...

and

Barry Sheene Barry Steven Frank Sheene (11 September 1950 – 10 March 2003) was a British professional motorcycle racer. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing and was a two-time world champion, winning consecutive 500cc titles in 1976 and 1977. ...

. The film depicts the bitter rivalry between Max Biaggi and Valentino Rossi. Their personality clash is captured in television interviews and they lock horns both on and off the track. Sections of the film feature Dr. Claudio Costa, a physician who follows the riders from track to track. Costa lends his unique style to mending broken bones and advising riders on their suitability to put their broken bodies back out on the track. Garry McCoy's unique style is portrayed. McCoy somehow manages to spin up his rear tire while braking into corners. Despite breaking the "rules of riding" McCoy manages to nab fastest lap times and win races with his impossible style. The film was produced by Los Angeles-based Spark Productions in association with Dorna Sports SL, the rights-holder for MotoGP, and shot around the world between 2001 and 2002. It was executive produced by Neale, Ian MacLean and

Chris Paine Chris Paine is an American filmmaker and environmental activist. His notable works as director include the documentaries ''Who Killed the Electric Car?'' '' Revenge of the Electric Car'' and '' Do You Trust This Computer?'' Paine received a nomi ...

. The film premiered at

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...

in 2003.

Notable appearances

Loris Capirossi Loris Capirossi (born 4 April 1973) is an Italian former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer, currently serving as Safety Advisor to Dorna Sports, the commercial rights holder of Grand Prix motorcycle racing. He is a 9-time Premier Class race w ...

Carlos Checa Carlos Checa Carrera (born 15 October 1972) is a Spanish former professional motorcycle road racer and winner of the 2011 Superbike World Championship. After racing in 500 cc and MotoGP for over a decade, mostly on Honda and Yamaha machine ...

Colin Edwards Colin Edwards II (born February 27, 1974), nicknamed the "Texas Tornado", is an American former professional motorcycle racer who retired half-way through the 2014 season, but continues in the sport as a factory test rider. He is a two-time W ...

Noriyuki Haga is a Japanese former professional motorcycle racer. He won 43 world championship superbike races during a 25 year racing career, making him one of the most accomplished competitors never to have won a Superbike World Championship. Haga was the r ...

Nicky Hayden Nicholas Patrick Hayden (July 30, 1981 May 22, 2017), nicknamed "The Kentucky Kid", was an American professional motorcycle racer who won the MotoGP World Championship in 2006. Hayden began racing motorcycles at a young age. He began his roa ...

* John Hopkins *

Eddie Lawson Eddie Lawson (born March 11, 1958) is an American former four-time Grand Prix motorcycle racing World Champion. His record of not crashing and consistently finishing in the points earned him the nickname "Steady Eddie".Randy Mamola Randy Mamola (born November 10, 1959) is an American former professional motorcycle racer and television sports presenter. He competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing between and . A 13-time Premier Class race winner, Mamola was one of the mos ...

* Shinya Nakano *

DVD

The film was released as a 2-disc DVD on November 16, 2004. In addition to the movie, extras include on-board camera footage from actual races, and a short sequel film called "Faster & Faster" on events after 2003 and the early stages of the 2004 season which mainly focused on Valentino Rossi's transition from Honda to Yamaha.

References

External links

''Faster''
at the Official Movie Site * * 2003 films American auto racing films American sports documentary films Documentary films about auto racing Motorcycle racing films Films set in 2001 Films set in 2002 Films scored by Tomandandy 2000s English-language films Films directed by Mark Neale 2000s American films Grand Prix motorcycle racing {{sport-documentary-film-stub