Zen and the World’s Fastest Indian

Bio pic of Burt Munro, Kiwi who set the world speed record at Bonneville on his US “Indian” motorcycle. A film which, the lead Anthony Hopkins says, “is the best he’s ever made”.

Looks interesting to Pirsig / Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance fans, on the evidence of the trailers, and not just because of the motorbike connection. The individual driven by a passion from youth, the man and boy relationship, where the boy understands the real man better than others do, living life through immediate experience, a man “from another planet”, the functional quality of improvised (brandy bottle stopper) tank plug based on understanding the engineering more deeply than surface appearances. Anthony Hopkins own affinity with the machine avoiding flooding the sensitively tuned engine. Connotations of the very name “Indian”. All stories ZMM fans will recognise.

Two trailers, one here at the Beeb, another slightly different one here at a New Zealand Entertainment site. And don’t forget to read the interview on this “Senior Journal” site, with Wayne Alexander who built and prepared the bike(s) for the film, which includes the Hopkins anecdote towards the end.

Uncanny how Hopkins looks like contemporary Pirsig too.
(You still working on that film project DMB ?)

[Post Note : I did obtain the film on DVD, and it’s very good, both the story and the Hopkins portrayal. Must review sometime. Is there any other biographical source on Munro ?]

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