Hell on Wheels
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80% Critic Match

Hell on Wheels

8.0 / 10 2004 2h 3mNR German
Documentary

Storyline

Year after year hundreds of thousands of fans line the route of the Tour de France, cheering on their heroes and willing them to victory, while millions of viewers worldwide tune in on their televisions. Academy Award-winning director Pepe Danquart, fascinated by the spectacle of the three week race, chose to focus on the courage, the pain and the fear of the riders of the Tour. Training his lens on German superstar sprinter Eric Zabel and his loyal domestique Rolf Aldag, Danquart captures the thrill of the race and the teamwork behind the stars of the peleton. He also shines light on the Tour's supporting cast - the director sportifs, masseurs, and, of course, the wildly enthusiastic fans. Reveling in the stunning landscape - from the Alps to the Pyrenees to the Massif Central to Paris - and with a nice dollop of Le Tour's history, HELL ON WHEELS transcends the sport it celebrates to reveal an astonishing human endeavor.

Cast & Crew

Erik Zabel

Erik Zabel

Himself

Lead
Rolf Aldag

Rolf Aldag

Himself

AK

Andreas Klöden

Himself

SZ

Steve Zampieri

Himself

DR

Dieter Ruthenberg

Himself

MK

Mario Kummer

Himself

SL

Serge Laget

Himself

What People Are Saying

4.0
A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Werner Swiss Schweizer's vision lands with breathtaking precision.
Manohla Dargis, The New York Times
4.0
Every frame feels alive. Hell on Wheels is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.
Anthony Lane, The New Yorker