Chariots of Fire - Movie 1981 - Closing Scenes - Eric Liddell ( Ian Charleson ) wins the 400 meter race in the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Closing scene with British choir singing "...
Chariots of Fire - Movie 1981 - Closing Scenes - Eric Liddell ( Ian Charleson ) wins the 400 meter race in the 1924 Summer Olympic Games in Paris, France. Closing scene with British choir singing "Jerusalem" at the 1978 funeral of Harold Abrahams.
Chariots of Fire is a British film released in 1981. Written by Colin Welland and directed by Hugh Hudson, it is based on the true story of British athletes preparing for and competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won four, including Best Picture.
The title is a quotation from the hymn Jerusalem which is a setting of a poem by William Blake. The film's working title was "Running" until Welland saw the scene with the singing of the hymn and decided to change the title.
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Music
Although the film is a period piece, set in the 1920's, the Academy Award-winning original soundtrack composed by Vangelis uses a modern, 1980's electronic sound with a strong use of synthesizer and piano among other instruments. This was a bold and significant departure from earlier period films which employed sweeping orchestral instrumentals.
The title theme of the film has become iconic and has been used in subsequent films and television shows during slow-motion.
The film also incorporates a traditional work: a British choir singing "Jerusalem" at the 1978 funeral of Harold Abrahams, the event which bookends and presumably inspired the making of the film. Gilbert and Sullivan also features heavily.
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Academy Awards (1981) Chariots of Fire was very successful at the Academy Awards. When he accepted his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay Colin Welland famously announced "The British are coming"
Best Picture - David Puttnam, producer - won Original Music Score - Vangelis - won Writing Original Screenplay - Colin Welland - won Costume Design - Milena Canonero - won
Best Supporting Actor - Ian Holm - nominated Directing - Hugh Hudson - nominated Film Editing - Terry Rawlings - nominated
Nicholas Farrell - Aubrey Montague Nigel Havers - Lord Andrew Lindsay Ian Charleson - Eric Liddell Ben Cross - Harold Abrahams Daniel Gerroll - Henry Stallard Ian Holm - Sam Mussabini John Gielgud - Master of Trinity ( as Sir John Gielgud ) Lindsay Anderson - Master of Caius Nigel Davenport - Lord Birkenhead Cheryl Campbell - Jennie Liddell Alice Krige - Sybil Gordon Dennis Christopher - Charles Paddock Brad Davis - Jackson Scholz Patrick Magee - Lord Cadogan Peter Egan - Duke of Sutherland
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I really like this film. Some of it is historically inaccurate, which is a shame and a bit dangerous as people will look at this and think it is what really happened, but it's still very stirring stuff, and of course the music is Brilliant ! :)
You're very welcome. The ending outside the church after Abrahams funeral when the elderly Lindsay and Montague are walking together and the scene fades back to the young men of 1924 running along the beach is very touching. The chorus singing "Jerusalem" adds to the effect. Like watching them run in heaven.
Did any of you catch that the paper he was holding disappeared in the middle of the race and then came back again in the end? Haha, stupid nit picking, I know. Great film and powerful ending.
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Some of it is historically inaccurate, which is a shame and a bit dangerous as people will look at this and think it is what really happened, but it's still very stirring stuff, and of course the music is Brilliant ! :)