Evel Knievel

I am sorry, but maybe I am being a stickler, but in the first 15 minutes of this disaster of a film, in 1950, little Evel was stealing hubcaps off a 1955 Chrysler product car, possibly a DeSoto and chased by a policeman driving a 1958 Ford. Two different car year mistakes in the first scene made me wonder if anyone on this film even checked on these things. The second scene moves forward in time to 1958, where Evel is seen drinking beer out of aluminum cans with built in pop-tops! Duh! In 1958, and I was 8 at the time, you needed a can opener (church key) to drink out of cans, and the cans were steel. When I saw the aluminum can, I turned the channel because I knew if I DID continue watching, the movie would have Evel actually making a successful crossing of the Snake River in his rocket powered motorcycle. To anyone out there that wasn't around then or didn't see it live on TV, he didn't make it across. The chute to help him stop after landing was deployed as soon as the rocket cycle was ignited causing it to float to a landing on the same side of the river that it took off from. I did not watch after the first 15 minutes, so I don't know if they showed Evel actually completing the jump across the river.

I caught this "made for TV movie" Sunday, 8/1/04. George Eads was GREAT in it.

The movie centered on Evel Knievel's life and how he rose from working in the mines to becoming America's #1 daredevil, at least on a motorcycle.

The movie covered his smaller jumps as well as the grand and near impossible ones. The Ceasar's Palace Fountain jump was portrayed very graphically with what I'm guessing was actually footage of the real crash combined with shot footage for the film. You could almost feel Evel's bones breaking when he flew over the handlebars and you could see the emotion in Linda's eyes when the doctors told her that he may never come out of his coma and if he did he would never walk again, much less ride. As we know, he proved them wrong and went on to more daring jumps, such as the attempt at Snake River Canyon.

I wish they had continued with the story, but I guess two-hours was long enough to get the point across. It was nice to see the footnotes at the end telling of Evel's 276 successful jumps and noting that his son, Robbie Knievel is the only person to ever successfully complete the jump over the fountain at Ceasear's Palace in Las Vegas.

Unless you grew up in the 70's and were a die-hard Evel fan as a kid growing up, do yourself a favor and avoid this garbage film. Believe me, you'll thank me for saving you from wasting two hours of your life.

George Eads is handsome, and with some proper screen writing and direction, he would probably be regarded as THE best actor to play Knievel going forward. However, this movie is so incredibly bad, that not even Eads' stunning good looks or those of his co-star Jamie Pressley can save this movie from certain disaster.

Accomplished actors Beau Bridges and Lance Hennricksen were signed on in an obviously desperate attempt to lend some credibility, but I'd be willing to bet that both men would rather that you never knew that either of them ever appeared in this unqualified disaster.

The jump scenes were laughable, and believe me when I say I'm being polite by phrasing it that way. A first year college film school director could have devised a better set of scenes. They were shot in such an incredibly bad and hokey manner that I actually felt sorry for all those who were involved in their creation.

As I said, save yourself some time and aggravation and avoid this movie at all cost.

Well, there was something about this movie that prevented me from going to bed. The effects were awesome, at least for a t.v. special. I really enjoyed this movie. I suggest you all watch it. I mean, the movie provides a distinct character for who Evil was. The characterization was great. BUT!!! The scenes where Evil had to make a jump was poor, they were just cut scenes and nothing of the jump was really shown. Also, the creators of the film, missed some of the jumps he did. Like when he jumped 13 double decker buses and broke both of his femurs and announced he would never jump again. That part in the movie was totally skipped. Written from your #1 Movie Guy. Thank you for reading my statement

I wonder if the real Evel had anything to do with this? Not only was it nothing like what really happened, the movie also used many props that just did not exist! Like the Ceasars Palace jump in '68, Evel is wearing a full-face style of helmet that didn't even exist then! And the music in the background that was playing..Call Me the Breeze, by Lynrd Skynrd was a 1974 song! Was this movie supposed to appeal to todays kids only?

Because if it was, then these important facts don't matter!

Just like the battery flashlights in the 1997 movie Titanic! At least the always scrumptious Jamie Pressley was in it and looking fine!