1 Across the Tracks     1989 USA 101min Color Feature   Rick Schroder and Brad Pitt are cast as unlikely brothers in Across the Tracks. Schroder is a drug-dealing layabout, while Pitt is a hardworking "model son" (talk about casting against type!) When Schroder begins straightening himself out by becoming a high school track star, Pitt suffers the pangs of jealousy, retreating into alcohol. Now it is Ricky's turn to reform Brad! Filmed in 1989, Across the Tracks lay unwrapped until 1991, by which time Brad Pitt had become a first-magnitude movie star.  It's unusual, and how refreshing, to see an American film about a family that lives in a modest mobile home instead of a mansion, even if its head is a widow who works in a department store. (By way of contrast, look at the lavish digs that Nick Nolte occupies in I'll Do Anything when he is supposed to be an unemployed Hollywood actor and single father.) And the realism of this movie extends beyond socio-economics to psychology. Writer-director Sandy Tung has skillfully portrayed the love-envy relationship between the two brothers, with personality differences characteristic of older and younger siblings. Joe is a motivated athletic and scholastic achiever, but is also rigid and intolerant. Billy is more aimless, more insecure, but also in many ways more realistic, more tolerant of human weakness and more sensitive to the needs of the people around him.

2 Chariots of Fire    1981 - UK - 123 min. - Color Feature   Based on a true story, Chariots of Fire is the internationally acclaimed Oscar-winning drama of two very different men who compete as runners in the 1924 Paris Olympics. Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a serious Christian Scotsman, believes that he has to succeed as a testament to his undying religious faith. Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), is a Jewish Englishman who wants desperately to be accepted and prove to the world that Jews are not inferior. The film crosscuts between each man's life as he trains for the competition, fueled by these very different desires. As compelling as the racing scenes are, it's really the depth of the two main characters that touches the viewer, as they forcefully drive home the theme that victory attained through devotion, commitment, integrity, and sacrifice is the most admirable feat that one can achieve. (Ian Holm was nominated for an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor in his role as Abrahams' coach), and this powerful film ended up with four Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. — Don Kaye

3 Children of Heaven    1998 - Iran -English subtitles 88 min. - Color Feature   Triumphant prize winner at many prestigious film festivals, this uplifting, crowd-pleasing story of family and love was also nominated for an Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film!  This is a unique film in the LARR Movie Club, and at first may not appear to be a running movie, but with you will fall in love with the children characters as the story is told from their point of view as they daily run for their own survival.  Unbeknown to him, the boy is training for a race as big as the Olympics are for adult athletes.  The story begins when Ali loses his sister Zahra's school shoes, and this young pair dreams up a plan to stay out of trouble: they'll share his shoes and keep it a secret from their parents!  But if they're going to successfully cover their tracks, Ali and Zahra must carefully watch their step on what rapidly turns into a funny and heartwarming adventure!  A magical motion picture acclaimed by critics and audiences alike, Children of Heaven is a charming treat you'll love, too!

4 Endurance   1998 - USA / UK - 83 min. -Color Feature  Veteran ethnographic documentarian Leslie Woodhead helmed this U.S.-British docudrama about Ethiopian long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie (with the Atlanta Olympic games sequence directed by Bud Greenspan).  Gebrselassie won the gold medal in the men's 10,000-meters race at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and the Atlanta race serves as a framing device.  Runners will enjoy watching Haile acting as himself (as an adult) in this film, as his stride and rhythm is unobtainable for any actor.  Yonas Zergaw, the athlete's nephew, portrays him as a youth, with Gebrselassie portraying himself from age 18. At his native village of Asela, he ran 12 miles daily to school. When fellow Ethiopian Miruts Yifter won the 10,000-meter race at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, Haile was inspired and became a serious runner at 17, moving to Addis Ababa to begin training. Haile's late mother is played by his eldest sister. Haile's father portrays himself in later scenes, with Haile's first cousin acting as the father as a younger man in the film's earlier sequences. Shown at 1998 film fests (Telluride, Venice).   Roger Ebert wrote, "t he sound of the runner's breathing is like a percussion instrument made of wind. Each exhalation is a thrum of effort. He runs as if he has been running since time immemorial. His name is Haile Gebrselassie, and after he set a new record at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, Runner's World magazine described him as "the greatest distance runner of all time."  John Powell's music is amazingly scored to Haile running the 10K race of his life.   

5 Fire on the Track: The Steve Prefontaine Story   1999 USA- 58 min. Documentary  Director Steve Ogle pays tribute to distance runner Steve "Pre" Prefontaine in this video that charts the runner's career until the auto accident that killed him at age 24. By the time of his death "Pre" had broken every American record for distance racing between 2,000 and 10,000 meters and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated while still a college freshman. The video contains commentary from friends and fellow athletes and includes his failed bid for a medal in the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he competed in the 5,000 meters. The race inspired him for the next Olympics, which he never attended due to the car crash.  This movie was voted best running movie of all time by http://www.letsrun.com/bestrunningmovie.html 

The legendary distance runner Steve Prefontaine blazed across tracks and into America's consciousness before meeting a tragic death in an auto accident at the age of 24. In this tribute to "Pre," narrated by writer Ken Kesey, a number of his contemporaries speak movingly of him as an athlete and a person. After setting high school running records in his native Oregon, Prefontaine went on to the University of Oregon, where as a freshman he began to dominate the American track scene and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated. He was a distinctive character and archival films demonstrate the charisma and astounding confidence he brought to his sport. His race in the 5,000 meters at the 1972 Munich Olympics is shown in detail, with other runners in the race offering commentary on the gutsy performance of the 21-year-old. Pre didn't win a medal in the race, but as his sister puts it, the race "matured him" and made him determined to win gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics (which he wouldn't live to do). Though one of the world's best athletes, after college he was forced to survive on food stamps, and he became a spokesman for the plight of amateur athletes. This is a touching look at a brilliant athlete and a charming character who still inspires runners today. --Robert J. McNamara

Description
"Pre" embodied the spirit of athletic excellence. He had a belief in self and sport that transcended all but the outer reaches of human speed and endurance. As a freshman, he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, which hailed him as "America's Distance Prodigy". By the time he died in a tragic auto accident at the age of 24, Pre held all 7 American records between 2,000 and 10,000 meters. Off the track, he fought relentlessly for the rights of amateur athletes to prosper for their sacrifices. Narrated by Ken Kesey, Fire On the Track is the story of this young lion's life, as told through rare footage and the memories of those who knew him best - his teammates, coaches, family and friends. Interviews include David Bedford, Frank Shorter, Ian Stewart, Bill Bowerman, Jeff Galloway, Dick Buerkle, Lasse Viren, Dana Carvey, Mac Wilkins, Kenny Moore, Dave Wottle, Alberto Salazar, and many more.

6 The Four Minute Mile  1988 USA- 187 min Color Feature.    The Four Minute Mile tells the compelling story of Roger Bannister, who, in 1954 was the first man ever to run the mile in under four minutes. Inspiring and captivating, The Four Minute reveals the true power of the human spirit. Together, Englishman and Oxford medical student, Roger Bannister, Australia’s John Landy, Kansas farm boy Wes Sartec and Finland’s flamboyant Denis Johanson stunned and captured the hearts of the world as they triumphed in the battle for the role of the world’s fastest runners. Along with glory, they found a special friendship and formed a bond even the fiercest competitions could not sever. From the brilliant triumph of the win in the Commonwealth Games in 1954 to the bitter disappointment in the Helsinki games of 1955, The Four Minute Mile takes you on a sweeping journey through history to a time when the world ws bursting with optimism and achievement and four young runners pursuing neither gold, nor glory were its greatest heroes. Running time 187 minutes.  This is a BBC and (Australian)ABC Production. Starring Richard Huw, Nique Needles, Adrian Rawlins and Special Guest Star Michael York, 1988.

7 The Jericho Mile 1979 - USA - 97 min. - Color Feature Director Michael Mann co-wrote the teleplay for The Jericho Mile with Patrick J. Nolan. Peter Strauss stars as "Rain" Murphy, serving a life sentence in Folsom Prison for first-degree murder. To break up the boredom of prison life, Murphy begins running laps around the prison recreation track. Prison officials take notice when Murphy runs a mile in less than four minutes. They lobby to enter Murphy into the Olympics, an act of largesse that not only pulls Murphy out of his misanthropy but also helps to unify his racially divided fellow prisoners. Originally telecast March 18, 1979, The Jericho Mile was filmed on location at Folsom Prison, with several inmates playing small roles—and talking the talk of prisoners, never mind the TV censors.  Note that the running scenes were shot silently and later the breathing and footfalls were added for sound. 

8 The Jesse Owens Story    1984 USA - 174 min - TV Color Feature 

9  The Loneliest Runner   1976 USA NBC TV - 74 min - TV Color Feature
Uplifting Story Of A Boy's Growth Into Manhood Michael Landon is the producer, director, and writer of this autobiographically themed drama that was made for television. This movie was scheduled by NBC to premiere December 20, 1976 in the 9:30 PM timeslot, directly following Michael Landon's top-rated TV series Little House on the Prairie. The VHS release appeared in 1984 by Warner Home Video. The story is of a fourteen year old bed wetter who runs home from school every day to retrieve the wet sheet his mother has hung from his bedroom window to punish him. He races to get there before any of his friends pass the house. This enforced training prepares him to become a competitive runner. For a short review, biography, and to view the film using Real Player go to wetbuster.com. Interestingly, Michael Landon, born Eugene Orowitz, was a javelin thrower and won the New Jersey state championship for Collingwood High School with a throw of 193-4 (58.92m), the best high school throw in the nation in 1954.

10 The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner 1962 - UK - 110 min. - Feature, B&W Directed by Tony Richardson   In this drama about juvenile crime by Tony Richardson, Tom Courtenay made a smashing screen debut in his role as Colin Smith, a young punk with a chip on his shoulder and wings on his feet. Colin is caught robbing a bakery and sent up to Borstal, a large juvenile reformatory. He manages to slowly rise through the ranks of inmates by demonstrating his ability to win foot races, so much so that he catches the attention of the governor (Michael Redgrave), a pompous, wrong-headed bureaucrat who sees Colin as a way for Borstal to win a big cross-country race against a competing public school. While Colin is out running in the morning mists, he remembers his years with his trollop of a mother and how he ended up in Borstal. These memories and the governor's behavior suddenly inspire him with a plan to get even.

11 The Long Run 2001 South Africa 113min Color Feature Academy Award -nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl ('96 Shine) stars as Berry, a demanding but dedicated coach who's just been stripped of his job and his self-esteem- until he meets Christine (Nthati Moshesh), a beautiful and fiercely independent runner who may have what it takes to win the toughest race in the world, the Comrades Marathon, a punishing 54-mile race that stretches between two cities through the arid desert in South Africa.  But does Berry have what it takes to help mold this inexperienced runner into a champion?  And despite her raw talent, can Christine beat the odds and finish the grueling race with a victory that might change both of their lives?  Uplifting and unpredictable, The Long Run proves that some dreams are worth the struggle.  Renowned South African vocal group Ladysmith Black Mambazo contributed several songs to The Long Run's terrific soundtrack.

12 The Loretta Claiborne Story  2000 USA 90min Disney Color Feature Loretta Claiborne's fellow Americans became aware of her many remarkable achievements when she garnered numerous awards throughout her lifetime.  Now, here is her true story starring Kimberly Elise (Beloved) and Emmy Award-winner Camryn Manhein (TV's The Practice) as the dedicated social worker whose compassion inspired Loretta to remarkable heights while overcoming all odds.  Your entire family will be moved and enthralled by the amazing life of this championship runner and dedicated advocate for the physically challenged that the Los Angeles Daily News applauds as "a smart and moving tribute" to two courageous women.  Loretta was a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1981, 1995, and 2000. Her awards and accomplishments include the 1996 ESPY- Arthur Ashe Award for Courage and "Runners World Special Athlete of the Quarter Century."  Her's is a very moving and inspiring story.

13 Marathon 1979 - USA - 97min TV Color Feature  directed by Jackie Cooper, starring Bob Newhart, Herb Edelman, Richard Gautier.  A light comedy/romance about a middle-aged man who runs for exercise, and one day while doing so, meets a ravishing woman who threatens both his marriage and morals.  This movie is hilarious and features Bob and his buddies running in the same LA vistas back in 1979 where LARRs now train.  Did you know that there was once a phone booth back on San Vicente & Ocean?  Walter Burton (Bob Newhart) has everything a man could want: a loving wife (Anita Gillette), a happy teenage daughter, a good job and two of the best buddies a guy could ever have. But what Walter doesn't have is excitement. This problem is soon remedied when he meets Barrie (Leigh Taylor-Young), a beautiful female runner, in a local 10K. Suddenly Walter has more excitement (and trouble) than he ever dreamed was possible. Walter's obsession with Barrie escalates as he goes to hysterical lengths to possess her. Finally the conflict between his love for his wife and his infatuation with Barrie culminates with Walter running the grueling 26 mile New York Marathon where he learns a valuable lesson about himself and life in general. Under the hand of two-time Emmy winning director Jackie Cooper, Newhart and his friends are delightful in this look at a man facing his first mid-life crisis. The special guest Race Starter at the 10K in the opening is Hungary's Laszlo Tabori (6th in the 1956 Olympic 5000 meters).

14

15 The Olympiad Series THE MARATHON 1974 USA 46 min documentary written, produced, directed by Bud Greenspan. The Marathon brilliantly brings to life the history of the Olympics single most grueling competition, the 26 mile 385 yard marathon run.  Bud Greenspan brings you some of the rarest and most exciting Olympic marathon footage.  Highlights include the event’s ancient origins on the Greek battlefield of Marathon, the 1908 London Games story of Dorando Pietri's victory and disqualification, Abebe Bikila striding barefoot to victory in Rome, Joan Benoit’s historic win in the first Women’s Olympic Marathon (in Los Angeles) and the closest finishes in history at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics by winners Hwang Young-Jo and Valentina Yegorova.  Using rare competition footage and personal recollections of the athletes, The Marathon (from Emmy-winning sports filmmaking master Bud Greenspan’s The Olympiad series) captures the glory of Olympic triumph.. and the dramatic human stories behind it.  Additional athletes captured in this historical presentation include: John Hayes, Charles Hefferson, Jim Peters, Emil Zátopek, Rhadi Ben Abdesselem, Barry Magee, Ron Clarke, Basil Heatley, Kokichi Tsuburaya, Mamo Wolde, Kenji Kimihara, Michael Ryan, Ron Hill, Frank Shorter, Karel Lismont, Derek Clayton, Bill Rodgers, Lasse Viren, Waldemar Cierpinski, Rob DeCastella, Alberto Salazar, Carlos Lopes, Grete Waitz, Rosa Mota, Kee Chung Sohn, Gelindo Bordin, Douglas Wakiihuri, Ahmed Salah, Koichi Morishita, and Lorraine Moller.

16 On the Edge 1985 USA 86min Color Feature  Looking none the worse for his age, Bruce Dern convincingly plays amateur long-distance runner Wes Holman in this critically acclaimed box office winner On the Edge. For twenty years Wes has felt bitterly incomplete, convinced that the one thing he needed to give meaning to his life had been snatched from him. Now at 44, Wes is going to try to recapture his lost glory by running in a grueling 7.2 mile race. The Cielo Sea stretches along narrow paths through some of the most beautiful- and most treacherous- territory on earth. Wes is up against his age, his past and ultimately himself. You will stand up and cheer for On The Edge!  This movie was written and directed by Rob Nilsson, music provided by Herb Pilhofer, and is based on the actual race called The Dipsea Race, which is the second oldest foot race in the US.  The aerial footage in the film was taken from an actual race.  Watch for U.S. marathon great Garry Bjorklund among the runners in this movie. 

17

18 Prefontaine 1997 - USA - 107 min. - Color Feature  It's the true-life story of legendary track star Steve Prefontaine, the exciting and sometimes controversial "James Dean of Track," whose spirit captured the heart of the nation! Cocky, charismatic and tough, "Pre" was a running rebel who defied rules, pushed limits...and smashed records...in an incredible against-all-odds quest for Olympic gold! The triumphs and heartbreaks of this unforgettable champion will have you riveted from beginning to end.  This film starred Jared Leto as Pre and R. Lee Ermey as Bill Bowerman, the famous Oregon college coach who creates homemade running shoes in his garage.  It was filmed in Olympia, Washington and Seattle with the Olympic track sequences taking place at Husky Stadium at the University of Washington.  His arrogant attitude vexes even his girlfriend (Amy Locane), but Pre's athletic skills prove to be the real deal, as he wins an NCAA championship and qualifies for the 1972 Olympics. Prior to his event, however, a terrorist attack in Munich leaves several athletes dead, and a shaken Pre doesn't medal. Back home, Bowerman turns his shoe-making enterprise into the global sneaker giant Nike, while Pre chafes under the poverty enforced by Olympic rules. He becomes an outspoken advocate for amateur athletes and tries to organize an exhibition, which leads to criticism by the press.  Runner's World wrote an article about this movie, as has Roger Ebert who gave this film three stars. For even more opinions on this film read 20 more articles by reviewers. Direction came from Steve James, who is also credited for writing with Eugene Corr, and the music was provided by Mason Daring.  This film will forever be compared to #26 on our list, Without Limits, which was filmed in Eugene, Oregon on a much larger budget and released one year later.  Pre's parents were behind this movie, so it's their vision.  You'll have to decide, which of the three movies about Prefontaine on our list you enjoy the most?  Please let me know!

19 Run for the Dream: The Gail Devers Story   1996  - USA - 99 min. - Color TV Feature  They said she would never walk again, but instead she ran to capture Olympic gold- and the world's heart- in Barcelona and again in Atlanta four years later. Now the remarkable true story of world champion track star Gail Devers' triumph over tragedy is recreated in an uplifting tribute to the power of faith and the courage of champions. "Classy performances make this a standout," said People Magazine about Academy Award winner Louis Gossett, Jr. (An Officer and A Gentleman) as world-class coach Bob Kersee and Charlayne Woodard (Buffalo Girls) as the Olympic contender whose future is shattered when she's diagnosed with a crippling thyroid disease. How Gail Devers regains her ability to walk, then run to become the "fastest woman on earth" just eighteen months later, is one of the greatest comeback stories in the history of sports and an extraordinary inspiration for anyone who has ever dared to dream. Visit the Gail Devers' official web site to learn much more about this ferocious competitor. At the end of this film you will find the actual Olympic 100 meter race as well as a short interview with Gail Devers and Bob Kersee.

20 Running   1979  - USA - 101 min. - Color Feature  One of Hollywood's most formidable talents, the Oscar- winning Michael Douglas (Wall Street, Basic Instinct), plays an athlete chasing the ultimate dream- to represent his country at the Olympic Games- in the moving and inspiring 1970's drama Running.  Douglas plays Michael Andropolis, an American marathon runner whose fear of losing has cost him dear both professionally and personally.  His failure to turn up on the day of a big race has made him a laughing stock, he's now into his 30's, his marriage has fallen apart and his kids have lost all respect for him.  But Andropolis has never lost his love for running- nor his ultimate, but seemingly hopeless, dream: to compete in the marathon at the Olympic Games.  Now Andropolis faces the race of his life.  First, however, he must run a very personal race against his own deomns before he can compete against the world's greatest athletes.

21 Running Brave    1983 - Canada - 90 min. - Color Feature  Starring Robby Benson (a sub 3-hour marathoner himself), Claudia Cron, Jeff McCracken, and Pat Hingle. Based on the true story of Oglala Lakota (Sioux) born athlete Billy Mills. Billy attended the University of Kansas in the 1960s, where he excelled in sports but had to contend with his fellow classmate's racism. Billy's athletic career culminated in 1964, with the winning of a gold medal in the 10,000 meters at the Tokyo Olympiad, the only American ever to win the Olympic Gold Medal in this event, even to this day. Mills' victory is considered by many to be one of the biggest upsets in the history of the Olympic Games as world record holder Ron Clarke was in the race, finishing for the bronze medal. His extraordinary feat was more than beating out a field of world-famous, championship runners. To get there he had to deal with issues of discrimination and alienation in a life filled with challenges when the running shoes were off. This movie was filmed on location in Alberta and on the Edmonton and Drumheller reservations in Canada. The director was D.S. Everett (after director Donald Shebib took his name off the credits after disagreements over content), written by Henry Bean and Shirl Hendryx and music performed by Mike Post. You must check out A Tribute to Billy Mills where you can download and see the last lap in what will always be considered one of the most exciting upsets in Olympic history.  You'll get shivers down your spine watching Billy's most dramatic come from behind kick.  To get to the 64 Olympics he edged out LARR coach Pat Connelly in the Olympic trials. (Pat went as our alternate!)  Billy Mills is still actively supporting running through his organization Running Strong for American Indian Youth. 

22 Running on the Sun  2000 - USA - 100 min Documentary, Color  This documentary is one of the most exciting, accomplished and inspiring films seen at the Ojai Film Festival. An account of the running of the world's most difficult ultra-marathon, it won the Festival's Libbey Award for the film best exemplifying the festival theme, "Horizons Lost and Found: Enriching the Human Spirit Through Film." As director Mel Stuart follows 40 carefully selected athletes, 33 men and 7 women, from the oven of Death Valley in July to 8400 foot Whitney Portal, through 135 miles of increasing pain and hardship, we learn the nature of the ordeal the runners face and what it takes to triumph in the Badwater 135, the equivalency of five back-to-back marathons with no cheering crowds, no monetary reward, and little media attention or applause.  This is a race in which finishing is triumph in itself. It offers no financial reward and, if the race is finished within 48 hours, only a commemorative belt buckle to show for a monumental struggle. Runners are constantly challenged with temperatures ranging from 38ºF to 125ºF, 50 mph heated head winds, two 5,000-foot climbs, and a finish line located 8,400 feet up Mt. Whitney in California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. Who would enter such a competition? We come to know marathoners from different backgrounds, among them a driver for Lloyds of London, a tire store owner from South Los Angeles, a classical musician, a New York Times reporter and a former fashion model. Two of the runners are amputees who had lost limbs to land mines. A third of the runners participate to raise money for charities. All are motivated by a particular kind of challenge, to go beyond their limits, prove their strength of will, achieve mastery over physical limitations.  The film shows us what such an ordeal can do to the human body, but we also witness the grit, discipline, and humor that keep the runners going hour after hour. And since all the runners have at least one other person to provide for their needs and monitor their physical condition during the run, we also learn something about the wisdom and forbearance required of their support crews. Unglamorous as most of these unassuming athletes are, "nuts", some might say, one cannot watch this film without being deeply moved by the knowledge that we share our human nature with such exemplars of courage.  After 135 miles, the runners have completed a mythic journey, overcoming the obstacles of nature, fellow competitors and, most of all, themselves. The 13 runners featured in this movie include: Chris Moon, Kirk Johnson, Maria DeJesus, Eric Clifton, Lisa Smith, Daniel Jensen, Adam Bookspan, Jack Denness, Nick Palazzo, Gabriel Flores, Major Curt Maples, Angelika Castaneda, and Ephraim Romesburg. This movie has it's own web site at Running on the Sun.com and The Badwater 135 Race does too at Badwaterultra.com.

24 The Terry Fox Story 1983 - 97min - Color Feature starring Robert Duvall, Eric Fryer, and Chris Makepeace; His courage made an entire nation stand up and cheer!  Directed by Ralph Thomas. the true story of  Terry Fox, the Canadian ran 3,000 kilometers across Canada battling cancer with his artificial leg.  Winner of  3 Genie Awards (Canadian Film Award) Best Actor, Best Film, Best Supporting Actor.  This movie is absolutely hilarious --some parts are instant classics.  Once or twice in a lifetime, someone special comes along who touches our hearts, deepens our faith in humanity and changes forever the way we look at the world.  Someone who exhibits courage, selflessness and tenacity--someone who fights for a dream and works to make it come true.  Terry Fox was that kind of person.  He touched a common chord that spoke to us of goodness and possibilities, of defiance in the face of an enemy, of human decency and most of all of generosity.  Terry observed that many of us felt helpless, that our voices weren't heard, that we felt we couldn't control our own destinies. He believed we could.  In the spring of 1980, this brave young man who had lost his right leg dipped his artificial limb into the Atlantic Ocean off St. John's Newfoundland, and set off on a "marathon of hope" across Canada to raise money for cancer research, the disease he had been battling for three months.  His leg was gone, but he fighting spirit was alive and kicking.  Not forgetting the suffering he had seen in the cancer wards, he pushed himself 3,339 miles to prove the dominance of his will and to pay back the debt.  What ultimately excited him was the sight of other Canadians sharing his dream : "I believed those people wanted the world to be a better world, and they really tried, they all contributed".  There's more info at the website: Terry Fox Run.org. Fox is shown in this movie as a real person, not as a saint, and the result is a more emotionally dynamic illustration. This film stars Eric Fryer as Terry Fox (who logged about a mile of running each day during filming).

25 Wilma  1977 - USA - 100 min. - Color Feature for NBC TV  Written, produced, and directed by Bud Greenspan with Cappy Petrash Greenspan as executive producer. The description on the box gives the story line: "At the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Wilma Rudolph became the first woman to win three consecutive gold medals. But the most amazing part of this true story is that Wilma (played by Shirley Jo Finney) was stricken in her youth with crippling polio, a disease she conquered to become one of America's greatest female athletes. The story begins with Wilma's childhood in rural Tennessee when her parents learn of her terrible affliction. Her mother, Blanche (Cicely Tyson), does everything in her power to bolster Wilma's self-confidence and help her overcome the handicap. Her determination pays off as Wilma grows in strength, speed and agility. Eventually, her tremendous courage and astounding athletic ability bring Wilma to her greatest triumph at the Olympic Games." Additionally, this film was an entry to the 1977 Peabody Awards.

26 Without Limits 1998 - USA - 117 min Color Feature Pre. His spirit set a pace only his heart could follow.  Steve Prefontaine didn't run races, he attacked them. He was a champion's champion, holder of every American distance-running record from 2,000 to 10,000 meters. Fans cheered his daring front-running and elevated him to rock star status. Athletes were inspired by him. Off the track, officials clinging to outdated politics got the point that activist Pre was taking the sport into a new era, so perhaps they'd better follow.  Billy Crudup, bearing an uncanny resemblance to the real-life Pre, and Donald Sutherland, as coach and mentor Bill Bowerman, give strong portrayals of lives aflame with conviction. Infused with track-savvy authenticity by director Robert Towne (Personal Best, Tequila Sunrise) and his co-writer Kenny Moore (Prefontaine's friend and a former world-class runner), Without Limits comes home a winner.  Great website on Prefontaine  http://home.europa.com/~bence/pre/

There you have it!  These are the 26 movies for the LARR MC season 2004-5.   If there's a running movie that you feel should have been on this list and is not, please let me know which one and why.  There are many more running movies, check out RunningMovies.com.