217:) is an aspiring motorcycle racer, whose brother has been developing an experimental motorcycle. When his brother dies before being able to test and race the new bike, Nick inherits the responsibility to prove his brother's design. In spite of a series of tough setbacks, including the loss of his girlfriend, Nick goes into the big race at the British Grand Prix with all his energy and concentration bent on winning. However, an underhanded American racer (
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of the Rank
Organisation asking if Wickes had a film he wanted to make. The director had been sent a script by actor Michael Billington which Wickets said, "needed a re-write, but I liked it because it was about a very human thing — dreaming the impossible dream. Tony Williams liked it too, so I went
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Essex agreed to appear in the film and write the music. Wickes, who rewrote the script, said the film nearly was not made because of difficulties sourcing a 500cc racing bike ("all the big manufacturers have their own racing teams and they won't give you the time of day") but they were rescued by "a
221:) is also among the competitors, and is determined to ruin Nick's chances. Numerous incidents happen before Nick crosses the finish line in first place. Two completely different endings were filmed depicting Nick after he has won the race in the UK and
508:. "I think we still hold the record for using 16 Panavision cameras on a single day," said Wickes. The Silver Dream Racer was a real motorcycle, designed by Barry Hart of the Barton company.
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According to Wickes, "The picture did pretty well in the UK but a lot better overseas. Most of the reviews were favourable, and David’s song ‘Silver Dream
Machine’ went to number two."
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brilliant Welsh engineering company called Barton Motors" who produced "a great-looking bike that could go respectably fast around a track."
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had talks about playing the female lead. She eventually took another role, and
Cristina Raines, who had been in
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Director David Wickes had just enjoyed a box office success with the feature film version of
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to see David Essex. I thought he might be interested because he was a keen biker himself."
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English motorcycle racer Roger
Marshall did most of David Essex's riding for the film.
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John Huxley (7 June 1980). "Losses of £1.6m sound the knell for cinema production".
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SCHREGER, C. (22 July 1979). "THE CASTING DIRECTORS--WHO, WHAT, WHY, HOW".
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Nicholas de Jongh, A. C. (7 June 1980). "Rank films poised for final cut".
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Thomas, K. (31 March 1984). "'SILVER DREAM RACER' AIRS ON THE Z CHANNEL".
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594:. London. p. 17 – via The Times Digital Archive.
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in London before opening to the public the following day.
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is a 1980 motor-racing film starring
British pop star
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It holds a 33% fresh rating on review aggregate site
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692:"Whatever Happened to the Silver Dream Racer"
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734:, 23 May 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2019
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571:"FINANCE FOR LOCAL TALENT"
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203:the Rank Organisation
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111:Rank Film Productions
808:"Silver Dream Racer"
710:"Silver Dream Racer"
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343:Richard LeParmentier
908:1980s British films
423:as 2nd Japanese Man
417:as 1st Japanese Man
848:Silver Dream Racer
837:Silver Dream Racer
459:as 3rd Party Guest
453:as 2nd Party Guest
447:as 1st Party Guest
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357:as 2nd TV Reporter
351:as 1st TV Reporter
333:as Mrs. Buonaguidi
321:as Cider's Brother
190:Silver Dream Racer
158:101 minutes (U.S.)
61:Michael Billington
24:Silver Dream Racer
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765:. 27 March 1980.
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645:Infinity Magazine
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405:as Disco Boy
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381:as Financier
379:Morris Perry
337:Stephen Hoye
325:Nick Brimble
315:as privateer
309:as Privateer
277:Sheila White
271:Lee Montague
241:Beau Bridges
219:Beau Bridges
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199:Beau Bridges
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152:Running time
128:Release date
70:David Wickes
51:David Wickes
42:David Wickes
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651:29 December
502:Silverstone
471:The Sweeney
445:Kate Harper
421:Cecil Cheng
391:Jim McManus
369:as Reporter
349:Murray Kash
331:Malya Woolf
235:David Essex
215:David Essex
195:David Essex
182:$ 5 million
98:David Essex
89:Paul Beeson
79:David Essex
67:Produced by
38:Directed by
868:1980 films
862:Categories
817:21 October
714:Visor Down
556:References
464:Production
457:Perry Cree
301:David Baxt
265:Diane Keen
261:as Wiggins
139:1980-03-26
104:Production
48:Written by
794:153766963
771:186245002
678:158885421
617:186155411
591:The Times
527:Reception
355:Bruce Boa
289:Ed Bishop
285:as Benson
59:story by
790:ProQuest
767:ProQuest
674:ProQuest
613:ProQuest
279:as Carol
171:Language
95:Music by
75:Starring
56:Based on
515:Release
174:English
163:Country
137: (
106:company
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179:Budget
842:IMDb
819:2017
653:2022
229:Cast
209:Plot
197:and
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