The Vintagent Classics: The films that inspired us.
DUTCH TT ASSEN 1954 (1954)
Run Time: 36:35
Producer: Shell Film Unit
Director: Bill Mason
Animation: Archie Shaw
Key Cast: Rod Coleman, Geoff Duke, Phil Heath
FILM MAKER
As a boom in car ownership in the 1930s stoked competition between oil companies, so Shell looked to make documentary films as a way of raising its profile. The company created its Shell Film Unit 80 years ago under the guidance of the UK’s most influential documentary film-maker of the time, John Grierson (1898 – 1972). One of the first to see the power of motion pictures to educate and shape opinion, Grierson is still widely regarded as the father of the documentary today.
The films Shell produced set out to inform and entertain, using action and animation to explain the mechanical marvels of the age to a wide audience. They demonstrated how people around the world could overcome challenges in health, food and transport. The intention was not to advertise Shell’s brands: the film-makers consciously took a journalistic approach, and the company name and pecten logo appeared only at the end of films.
SUMMARY
The iconic 1954 Dutch TT, where the legendary English rider Geoff Duke stole the show with a historic victory in the 500cc category on an Italian machine. This film captures the essence of the event, as riders raced past serene pastures with grazing cows and horses, while spectators eagerly watched from behind rustic straw bales.
Assen, a charming town in the northern Netherlands, served as the perfect backdrop for this unforgettable race day. Over a hundred motorcycles gathered at the ten-mile circuit, showcasing the latest models from renowned factory teams and privately owned machines. These motorcycles weren’t just about winning races; they were also a testing ground for new ideas and designs.
With a crowd of 150,000 spectators, the day featured four separate races for motorcycles of various capacities, ranging from 125cc to 500cc.
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The Electronic Gladiator
Shell and its competitor Castrol have huge libraries of vintage motorsports films … from M/C’s to classic rally … to Grand Prix ( F1 in todays lingo ) sports cars , Targa Floria etc
What’s surprising is that no enterprising individual has thought to license them all and broadcast the daylights out of them ( is you listening MTTV ? ) Cause honestly … the films are worth it !
[ back in the Speedvision dark ages … they’d play the Castrol films on constant rotation each and every day .. and what a joy that was … especially the vintage rallies ]