The World’s Fastest Indian

I just got back from seeing The world’s fastest Indian, at my local hoyts.

There was only 5 people in the cinema at a 6.30pm showing.

It’s a bit sad that so few people see good movies, but at least it makes them more enjoyable for those that do, hehe.

Yep it was fantastic, Anthony Hopkins was brialliant. I’m always biased to a movies I’ve just seen and liked, but I think it’s the best thing I’ve seen him in. Considering he usually is playing himself in recent roles I’ve seen, it might not be that much of a feat.

I really didn’t notice it was Hopkins. The character was so real. I had this constant feeling of dread that something horrible would happen to him. It’s a really inspiring story, that makes me want to get the documentary now. Basically it’s about an old guy from New Zealand who’s been tinkering with his old Indian motorcycle for his whole life, he has a 24 year old dream of going to Boneville salt flats to see how fast he can get it. He goes there and breaks a world record for fastest streamlined motorcycle under 1000cc’s.

The real story is in the determination he has to follow his dream. I guess it sounds a little cliche put like that. But it’s the best told version I’e seen. That, and it never ceases to be an inspiring lesson.

He wasn’t just determined though, he had an open mind. It’s like his dream had put into perspective the things that were important. He clearly made friends easily, and wasn’t concerned about the walls that are so often constructed around us (by us). If I remember correctly a quote from him is something like: “People expect old people to just die quietly in a corner”. I don’t know if that’s just for the movie or from the man, but either way, he was a doer, that ‘lived’ to the end.

It’s people that ‘do’ that are remembered.

Burt Munro is the man’s name. I had to look it up even after just seeing a whole movie of people calling him Burt.