Customer Reviews

Champions

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In 1992 I was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 20. While in the hospital I watched Champions and took strength from the story. Whenever my body felt tired and my mind became despondent I would relive the story of Bob Champion and realize that through pain came hope. I related to the story in many ways as I was/am a rider of horses. When I was well enough to leave my hospital room, even if only for a short time, I would ride my own mare and pretend to be Bob Champion... living his Grand National moments. When my treatments ended and I was declared in remission I returned to college and acquired a position exercising steeplechasers for a training stable in TN. This movie was more than an inspiration for me and to this day I have no idea how it made it's way into my hospital room. I highly recommend watching this story... it will help you to find your own strength within.

Bob Champion was a point-to-point, or Huntsman Timber rider from Yorkshire,England.He was a success as a teen in this "Steeplechase" circuit and his racing career eventually brought him to America where he rode several winners.In 1979, Champion was diagnosed with cancer and was given six months to live.After enduring grueling chemotherapy in 1980, Champion was "in the clear" and returned to riding.His ultimate triumph was the 1981 Grand National Steeplechase aboard the horse Aldaniti.Such is the true and courageous story as told in the 1983 film CHAMPIONS starring English legend John Hurt as Bob Champion.Though I have seen this film several times since it's theatrical release,the screenplay is still a very hatcheted job of the book "Champion's Story".The screenplay jumps time zones and countries and characters as if it the the Grand National itself.It is an extremely choppy script.What this film does do well is show the wonderfully exciting yet dangerous world of horse racing "over the jumps", and can be viewed for a good,accurate and in-depth look at the dangers that jockeys and horses face.You will be moved by Champion's bout with cancer,but as a film, this movie has better action sequences than it does character development and plot.
Great companion films would be PHAR LAP,SECRETARIAT,NATIONAL VELVET,JOCKEY,BROADWAY BILL,RUFFIAN,BLACK GOLD and DAN PATCH.

What a great story of survival and triumph. John Hurt made me laugh and cry. It must be an oversight that he is not mentioned as 'The Star' anywhere on this page. Wait, there is his name in the picture of the DVD cover, look close, squint. It was fun seeing Kirstie all young and beautiful too. I love her.
Bob Champion had an amazing career, winning over 500 races. After his illness he earned great quantities of money for cancer research. You can learn more about him at bobchampion.com
And, of course, the 1981 Grand National and the horse, Aldaniti. What exciting video of the toughest steeple chase in the world. I'm not an expert, but I believe it is over four miles and has more than 22 huge fences. That any horse and jockey can survive this race when young and healthy is remarkable, to do it, both rider and horse, after fighting back from illness and lameness, is unbelievable. Except that they did, and won! Aldaniti plays himself.
Thanks for finally bringing this great movie to us on DVD.

We thoroughly enjoyed this "based on a true story" movie. My understanding is that the horse plays himself in it, which really adds an extra dimension. Well enough done movie for any to enjoy, but great for any horse lover like myself.

As a horsewoman most movies about horses are either too silly or too saccharine sweet to be enjoyed. This is different; it is a true story and Aldaniti appears as himself in it - how wonderful to see him! The final race scene is very exciting even though we know the outcome.

I first saw "Champions" as a theatrical release and then owned it on Beta (yep, one of those!). I had a horrible time finding it on VHS, even on Amazon, and the only DVD versions were European. But finally, it's out on DVD on this side of the pond and it's everything I remember. Fine acting (John Hurt, Edward Woodward, a very young Kirstie Alley) and amazing horse riding and steeplechasing, ending with the most exciting race of all time, the English Grand National, 40 tall, wide, dangerous fences over a four mile course, at a full gallop, of course. No horses may have been hurt in the creation of the film, but I'll bet you can't say that for the riders!

The story is a little trite: jockey develops cancer that may kill him and prevents him from riding, his favorite horse comes up lame and may never race again, they both recover at the same time, and well, you know the rest. What's amazing, aside from the racing, is that this is a true story (the horse even plays himself, with full screen credit).

Highly recommended for anyone who likes English movies in general, horse racing in particular, and just a genuinely good, but often overlooked, film.

This is a true story of a steeplechase horse and his jockey overcoming serious illness (cancer) and injury (tendon rupture) to win the most challenging race in the world, the Grand National Steeplechase. It is a film that even stars the actual horse that won that race, Aldaniti. A true story of courage, human snd equine, that overcomes the most serious of adversities. Truly a tale of supreme triumph.

Broken down horse (tendon trouble which most horsemen consider the kiss of death in a performance horse). Broken down jockey (lung cancer, which would appear to be a similar kiss of death for a rider). They both heal, slowly, not without set backs and doubts. Then, together they win the Grand National (think National Velvet-yes, that race).

Firstly, sure - a couple of the acting performances are a bit wooden. And, yes, turning a book in to a film will always be a 'hatchet job'. I read the book after the film and felt that the most important fact about the screenplay is that it's as faithful to the book as it could be while holding the viewer's attention right to the end.

The story is not about Bob Champion *only*. It's called 'Champions'. It's about Bob Champion *and* the great Aldaniti (who plays himself in the film). It's about having absolutely nothing left except a small glimmer of hope and holding on to that dream while all the circumstances around you point in a different conclusion to your life.

But it's *true*. Not 'based on' a true story. This one happened as closely to the events as they could make it. And filmed very close to the time when the events actually took place.

One final point - the opening titles soundtrack is magnificent and gets me tearful before the film even starts every time I watch it...

Fabulous true story of 2 champions - jockey Bob Champion overcame cancer and its treatments and Aldaniti overcame soft tissue damage to pair up to win the Grand National - love the real race footage and the fact the horse plays himself -