The movie really hit the nail squarely on the head, with my Mum even having a bit of a cry at the loss of Eric’s Beast at the end of the film. Photo Gallery
The Blacktown Drive-In came alive to the sound of classic V8s for the Sydney premiere of Eric Bana?s personal documentary Love The Beast.
Muscle cars from all over Sydney roared in to share the experience. This premiere did not feature star presence or a red carpet, just the passion of those who came to see it.
Simultaneous screenings at the Sydney Blacktown Drive-In and Melbourne Coburg Drive-In allowed die-hard revheads to check out the movie in the comfort of their own beast.
The event was a real family affair. All around the grounds you could see panel vans with the kids rugged up in the boot, couples snuggled up on the back seat of ’69 Mustangs, all surrounded by the aroma of exhaust fumes and hot chips.
“It’s the partners, friends and so forth that I’m trying to reach out to with this film,” Bana has said about the film. “I was fairly confident that guys and car lovers would probably really like it. But I would not have made the film if I felt like that was the only audience it was for and I don’t think my wife would have let me make the film either.”
After hearing this, I was driven to bring my parents and wife along to the screening. A genuine family night out at the flicks! Being my first drive-in (a fact met with an incredulous “what the…” by my co-workers) and the first visit to a drive in for 45 years for my parents, the night was a real experience bringing car lovers back to an era where drive-ins out numbered drive-throughs.
My parents were quite surprised to see that there were no burnouts, or “hoon like behaviour” that they were expecting at the venue. Just passionate and dedicated enthusiasts coming together to appreciate each others’ cars and a movie that was to bring their collective interest to an audience who might not have ever grasped what it is all about.
The movie really hit the nail squarely on the head, with my Mum even having a bit of a cry at the loss of Eric’s Beast at the end of the film.
“Eric was mourning the end of an era, rather than the death of the car,” she says.
She compares the building of the car to the sewing of her own clothes. The difference between built and bought -- and the feeling you get experiencing the final product of all your blood, sweat and tears. Though as my Dad put it, working on your passion is never-ending in reality. There is always something else to tinker with, or perfect.
But after all, it’s all about the journey, not the destination.
