The Green Hell, the theatrical release, brings the Nurburgring Nordschleife back into the spotlight. Sam Smith examines how the film about the legendary circuit was made.
Green Hell: Two words to describe very long miles. These miles are a major source of adrenaline for any racing heart. They are revered by their ability to speak, and they deserve respect from those who dare to tame the Nurburgring Nordschleife.
This place has been a subject of filmmaking for many decades. Now, a film has been made to tell its stories, legends, triumphs and tragedies.
The film is now available at select cinemas in Austria thanks to Hannes M. Schalle (whose Lauda-The Untold Story documentary has been released in 2015).
Schalle explains that the Nordschleife is a symbol of the dangers associated with motorsport in the iconic era. His movie puts audiences right at the center of it.
We believe that by combining interviews with death-defying heroes with never-before-seen footage, audiences will be on the edge.
Schalle and his team were rich in content, obviously. All classic ‘Ring events such as Nuvolari’s ‘Impossible win’ in 1935, Rosemeyer’s master of the fog’ miracle in 1936, Fangio’s masterpiece in 1957, and Jackie Stewart’s 1968 greatest grand prix win are illustrated with outstanding archive material.
Multiple narrators describe this pantheon, including Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft, and Murray Walker.
“It was an ideal situation for him to introduce the Nurburgring, and then to have him comment on Nuvolari Carraciola Seaman, Rosemeyer, and Seaman was very special.” Murray was determined to stand while doing it all, of course!
The film tells the story of the legendary circuit and explains the social transformation that it brought to the historically low-income Eifel mountain region in Germany.
Nurburgring is more than just a racing circuit. This circuit gave life and identity to a beautiful area of the country, which has continued to thrive to this day.
The film features several ‘contemporary witness’, who describe non-racing times, such as the area’s history of war, when families used the ‘Ring’ as shelters. One participant describes a family home that was destroyed by the intense bombing.
The French are to be commended for the restoration and reconstruction of the circuit after they remembered the skill and bravery of their heroes, such as Rene Dreyfus and Jean-Pierre Wimille. They also helped rebuild the track and infrastructure.
Many first-hand statements can be made about how the Nurburgring shaped, defined and ended lives and careers. One of them is a simple, but profound tribute from one its countrymen – Wolfgang Alexander Albert Maximilian Reichsgraf Berghe von Trips (or ‘Taffy’ to his racing mates.
As he reads out his words from a written poem about the track, the Count says “There is something else here.” “You finally feel like you are driving the right path.”
Jackie Stewart was the first to use the nickname ‘Green Hell’ for the Nordschleife. She gives a series of candid and honest descriptions about what it was like to resist the ‘Ring.
Stewart, a typical erudite man, says that he never did more laps at Nurburgring than he needed to. “The racetrack’s entire character was so challenging that even if there had been no mechanical failure, there was always the possibility that I would make a mistake of judgment.”
Stewart was a class act on the Nordschleife. He conquered his fears, and managed to manage the risks. Others were not so fortunate. Niki Lauda’s crash at Bergwerk three years after Stewart’s triumphant win at Stewart, the last of his career, brought an end to grand prix racing at Bergwerk.
International racing continued, especially in sportscars, touring vehicles, and Formula 2. The mercurial Stefan Bellof was the best exemplar of the rawness of the area. In the early 1980s, the German’s wild reflexes briefly taunted patience and temper of Nordschleife. His exploits are now a legend.
It is both amazing and disturbing to see footage of Porsche 956s racing over the 1983 621 miles (1,000 km), especially with Bellof setting an outrageous lap record of 6 minutes 11.13 minutes.
The Green Hell a fun film that features fresh footage and a fascinating and informative social history background. Schalle and his team have uncovered a wealth of footage that was never seen before.
It is an eye-catching production. The amateur film footage of Stuck, agitated and calling for help to rescue Lauda from the Ferrari furnace in 1976 by medics is chilling.
This story is updated with a look at today’s ‘Ring and the micro-industry niche it has created over the past two decades.
This promotional piece has the unfortunate feeling of being a marketing ploy, but it is important to connect the essence of how this place was able to transform a poor part of Germany into a vibrant and famous one.
It is rewarding to see the contributions of ‘Ring veterans such as Sir Stirling Moss and Jochen Mass, Hans Joachim Stuck and Lauda, but they are not all that consistent and don’t provide a clear thread or link to overall narrative.
These are minor niggles in a film that brings to life the authentic, atmospheric, and downright scary character of racing’s greatest challenge. It’s a moving journey that Indianapolis and Monza could only understand.
Schalle says, “You know what? One thing I noticed when interviewing all the personalities was how each person personalized the track.” It was not just a track, but it was always ‘the beast’ or ‘he foe’. That really speaks volumes about the driver’s experience.
Mass, a former McLaren F1 winner, has given the circuit the title “The Stonehenge of Motor Racing”. It’s a great expression that combines the mythical past with the heroic present of an iconic racing driver.