A quick check of the calendar places us squarely in the thick of summertime, which means the Olympics are just around the corner. The 2024 Summer Olympics, set to take place in Paris, France, will be starting up on July 26 — and the excitement is already palpable. From running to swimming to gymnastics and more, there is a lot to look forward to in these games.
To get yourself even more energized for this year’s Olympics, something fun that you can do is watch some of the greatest movies about the games. In documentary and in scripted form, there are many movies that show the thrills of it all, from the highest highs to its lowest lows. These films capture all different aspects of the Olympics, which means there is bound to be at least one film on this list that will give you the thrills you need for this year’s events.
Description: While most footage of the Olympics presents the games is presented in a journalistic and straightforward way, Japanese director Kon Ichikawa decided to present the sports in a more artistic light. He wanted to focus more on the humans behind the Olympics, both the ones playing and watching, than who won bronze, silver, or gold. That was the goal behind his filming of the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which he turned into the documentary film Tokyo Olympiad. These Olympic Games were important to Japan in order to display the modern country to the world after World War II. Ichikawa was able to show just how special these games were.
The film presents sports as more than just competitive activities. The sports are able to take on an artistic form in this film in displays that had never been captured prior to this movie’s 1965 release. The film has been praised for its cinematography and Ichiawa’s style. It is fantastic viewing for anyone looking to become more interested in the Olympics, as the way this movie is made makes it so that people can understand the beauty of everything.
Cast: Ben Cross, Ian Charleston, Nigel Havers, Ian Holm
Description: Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams are both runners training for the 1924 Paris Olympics, but they have two entirely different backgrounds that will shape their running careers. Liddell was born to Scottish missionaries and sees running as an act of God that he has to do before he becomes a missionary himself. Abrahams is a Jewish man that faces antisemitism at every turn, but he does not let that keep him down. They will each have to deal with a lot of adversity as they set out to represent Great Britain at the Olympics, but all they can do is to follow their faiths and just keep running.
No matter what background you come from, you should be able to find something about the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire to connect with. It tells the stories of underdogs while also showing the difficulties that may come with being yourself and with a competition. The movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture. Considering the impact that this film has had in movie history, it might be time to explore this unique story of the ups and downs of running.
Cast: Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, Peter Guinness, Jack Mulhern
Description: In 1936, the University of Washington rowing team represented the United States at the Summer Olympics and won the gold. Naturally, the process to get there was not even close to simple. The team is mostly made up of men from lower class backgrounds who are happy to just have a free room to stay in. This group definitely needed a lot of training in order to be a competitive team. Their coach, Al, works them as hard as he can so that they are able to prove something to themselves and to their country.
The Boys In The Boat, directed by George Clooney, is a real rags to riches tale that demonstrates how far people can go with even a little e bit of determination. It looked like this team had all of the cards stacked against them, but they were still able to power through and make it until the end. This film may have flown under the radar, but with fascinating facts about Olympics history combined with an inspirational message, it should make it onto everyone’s watchlist.
Description: Considered one of the fastest runners of all time, Usain Bolt has been one of the stars of multiple Olympic running competitions. By 2016, Bolt had one the 100m and 200m dashes two times each. In this documentary, Bolt is getting ready for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio to win those competitions for a third time. There are a lot of expectations on the runner, considering his reputation, and he tries not to get overconfident. Along the way, viewers get an inside look into his everyday life and his training so they understand the real Usain Bolt.
Usain Bolt may be the biggest celebrity in the running world, as he is widely seen both on and off the track. However, watching this film may make you realize that you only know Bolt from a surface level perspective. This documentary is able to dig deeper into his life so that viewers can understand all of the work that goes into his competitions. While everyone already knows that he is great, this film displays how he got to that point and then some.
Cast: Michael Phelps, Shaun White, Lolo Jones, Jerey Bloom
Description: While being a gold medal athlete may look like an amazing life, that does not mean that this life does not come with struggles. Olympic athletes may have a lot to celebrate, but a lot of them have to deal with their mental health along with that celebration, which can be a bit difficult due to the grueling schedule of training and competing. Athletes like Michael Phelps, Shaun White, and Lolo Jones share their stories of their mental health battles and how they balance that fight with their career. Overall, everyone in this documentary is encouraging people to seek the help they need if they can.
This documentary is able to peel back the curtain on being an Olympian. It is a film full of frank discussions and real life stories about the serious problems that many athletes face. This documentary is not only an interesting watch, but also an important watch, as it demonstrates why it is necessary to take care of your mental health. All of these athletes are grateful for their accomplishments, but now they want people to see the good and the bad of what is going on inside of their heads.
Cast: Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland / Jared Leto, Ed O’Neill
Description: Runner Steve Prefontaine was not born into a life of glamour. Coming from Oregon, he was often too small for sports as a child. However, he soon started participating in cross-country running, a sport that he would grow to love. Prefontaine would later go to University of Oregon where he would keep on running, which led to him competing in the 1972 Olympics. Unfortunately, his life was cut short due to a car crash when he was just 24 years-old. However, with these films, his legacy lives on.
The fact that two films about Prefontaine — one starring Billy Crudup, one starring Jared Leto — were made just a year apart demonstrates the impact that he had on the sport of distance running, despite his short life. His growing dedication to the sport is admirable and his journey to loving it is quite interesting. The latter film may be slightly better than the former, but both of them set out to tell Prefontaine’s story in an accurate and positive way, which is already something to applaud. Either way, you get to learn the story of a truly memorable Olympian.
Cast: Mariel Hemingway, Patrice Donnelly, Scott Glenn, Kenny Moore
Description: Sprinter Chris Cahill (Mariel Hemingway) is doing whatever it takes to be a top athlete, but she often feels like she is not reaching her full potential and being the best athlete that she can possibly be. Fellow runner Tory Skinner, who is more cool, calm, and collected, decides to help Cahill out and train with her eventually. The two begin a sexual relationship and fall in love. While it is difficult for them to ignore their feelings, how will their new-found connection affect their Olympic dreams?
The story of choosing between love and career has certainly been told before, but bringing the Olympics into the situation brings on a whole new set of challenges. The connection between the two women is instant, but it is something they unfortunately have to hide away. This love story is not a happy one, but it is still a fascinating one that displays pressures that athletes have to deal with in a new light. All of the characters in this movie are intriguing, which is what makes this movie a great watch.
Cast: Steve Carrell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller / Mark Schults, Dave Schults (archive), John du Pont (archive)
Description: Mark Schultz won gold in wrestling at the 1984 Olympics, but he wants to get better. Heir and philanthropist John du Pont invites Schultz to be a part of his wrestling team, called Team Foxcatcher. Schultz accepts the offer and moves to du Pont’s estate in Pennsylvania. However, what starts as a positive opportunity quickly turns sinister as Schultz is caught up in the world of drugs, abuse, and the dark side of du Pont. With one film being scripted (Foxcatcher) and one being a documentary (Team Foxcatcher), both projects display the shocking world of Team Foxcatcher.
The story of du Pont and Team Foxcatcher is one of those that seems too wild to be true. Nevertheless, these events actually happened, as did all of the difficulties and drama. While the scripted film shows a dramatic retelling and the documentary is more straightforward, both movies teach viewers about a story that they may have to see to believe. The scripted film was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Director, showing that this was a tale that gripped audiences, and should be able to grab your attention as well.
Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
