It has been at least eighteen years since I saw 'Cool Runnings' the movie. Sometime in 1991-92 I'd say when I was working in Pune! The Chandan video shop, Kothrud, Pune, (atta kaay, his tag line) had a big collection of old English movie videos and Shobhs and I watched several - none that was more unforgettable than this movie. It left a tremendous impact on me.
The story of four young Jamaican athletes, their dreams, their coach and their fantastic effort in the bob sled championship finals at the Winter Olympics in Calgary (a true story) finds place among the top ten sports movies of all time. (Not just in mine, even Ian Chappell's). In fact, so wonderful it was, the way they fight to the end, that when I wrote my first book 'The Men Within', a novel about an underdog cricketing side, I was tempted to make them lose. But then, after all that planning and effort I put the characters through it did not seem right, so I pushed my team over the line.
The quiet visual of the Jamaican team carrying their bob sled over their shoulders across the finish line to the applause of their severest critics and toughest competitors signifies what the spirit of sport is all about. It is about values, about dedication, about pride, about honest competition. And it is about finishing what you have started, about competing in your own space, in your own capabilities. Any number of times that I tried to describe this scene to anyone I wind up with a lump in my throat and I find it difficult to complete the description. I know Mohan Krishna Indraganti will give me similar moments in his adaptation of 'The men Within' into a movie.
Apart from so many moments and visuals and values that this wonderful movie gave me, there was also some great music. From the first time I saw the movie I have been stuck with the song that plays at the end when the titles roll. Something about 'sunshiney days..' and so on. I longed very much to possess this track. Never managed to find out who sang it and what the song's name was either.
And just like that when I was sitting on the computer in the middle of writing some boring stuff, I decided to reward myself with some good music. I googled 'cool runnings songs' and voila, there appeared a site that gave me the song lyrics for 'I Can See Clearly Now'. Yes, yes, that's it. I got the name of the song and now to find the song on some site. Sure enough emp3world.com revealed under the search for Jimmy Cliff this number. And what a song to listen to.
Use this link to go to the song and listen to it. Its sublime. A huge YES factor!
http://www.emp3world.com/mp3/47282/Jimmy%20Cliff/I%20Can%20See%20Clearly%20Now
For lyrics do what I did - google 'Cool Runnings song lyrics'.
And if you haven't watched this movie do it soon as you can.
The story of four young Jamaican athletes, their dreams, their coach and their fantastic effort in the bob sled championship finals at the Winter Olympics in Calgary (a true story) finds place among the top ten sports movies of all time. (Not just in mine, even Ian Chappell's). In fact, so wonderful it was, the way they fight to the end, that when I wrote my first book 'The Men Within', a novel about an underdog cricketing side, I was tempted to make them lose. But then, after all that planning and effort I put the characters through it did not seem right, so I pushed my team over the line.
The quiet visual of the Jamaican team carrying their bob sled over their shoulders across the finish line to the applause of their severest critics and toughest competitors signifies what the spirit of sport is all about. It is about values, about dedication, about pride, about honest competition. And it is about finishing what you have started, about competing in your own space, in your own capabilities. Any number of times that I tried to describe this scene to anyone I wind up with a lump in my throat and I find it difficult to complete the description. I know Mohan Krishna Indraganti will give me similar moments in his adaptation of 'The men Within' into a movie.
Apart from so many moments and visuals and values that this wonderful movie gave me, there was also some great music. From the first time I saw the movie I have been stuck with the song that plays at the end when the titles roll. Something about 'sunshiney days..' and so on. I longed very much to possess this track. Never managed to find out who sang it and what the song's name was either.
And just like that when I was sitting on the computer in the middle of writing some boring stuff, I decided to reward myself with some good music. I googled 'cool runnings songs' and voila, there appeared a site that gave me the song lyrics for 'I Can See Clearly Now'. Yes, yes, that's it. I got the name of the song and now to find the song on some site. Sure enough emp3world.com revealed under the search for Jimmy Cliff this number. And what a song to listen to.
Use this link to go to the song and listen to it. Its sublime. A huge YES factor!
http://www.emp3world.com/mp3/47282/Jimmy%20Cliff/I%20Can%20See%20Clearly%20Now
For lyrics do what I did - google 'Cool Runnings song lyrics'.
And if you haven't watched this movie do it soon as you can.
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