User Reviews

Using material culled from the BFI (British Film Institute), VELORAMA looks at the relationship between cycling and the British. Some of the clips date back to the early days of the last century; others seem to be from the late Seventies and early Eighties. There is no linking commentary: viewers are asked to make their own connections between the extracts. There are some fascinating associations - at the beginning of the film we look at the ways in which bicycles were constructed. The emphasis here is on the power of the machine - even though it seems rather insubstantial, it exerts a peculiar fascination with its geometric shapes and apparently flawless design. Later on VELORAMA looks at the relationship between cycling and romanticism - specifically the need to escape the grime of the industrial city and venture out into the countryside to explore England's green and pleasant land. The film evokes images of companionship and classlessness: while embarking on a Sunday excursion, no one seems to care about their backgrounds. Instead they enjoy the pleasures of community. The film also shows how bicycles evoke nostalgic images of childhood, of times when youngsters could happily play in the streets outside their houses without the risk of abduction or molestation. There are some fascinating extracts here - I especially enjoyed the clips from Ridley Scott's very first film BOY AND BICYCLE (1962) where he focuses on a young man escaping the confines of his working-class quotidian existence to enjoy the pleasures of sea and a cigarette. VELORAMA has something for everyone - social historians, cycling buffs and nostalgics alike.