As an avid track fan I actually saw this film in the theater when it came out...I was also intrigued by the lesbian relationship, something that wasn't commonplace in films in the early 80's. It was definitely a cult film back then, and even more so now. I actually purchased the DVD a few years ago, and watched it recently in advance of the Olympics.
Many issues that are considered PI now are in the film, use of the c-word, a racist joke about Asians, references to "dumb Indians", controlling male figures...but I watch the film now amid the pro contracts that track athletes are now able to take advantage of, and this film is really the last film to show how track athletes existed at that very time; huge sacrifices for little monetary reward, in this case no reward as the Olympics were boycotted in 1980.
The nudity and sex scene is considered tame by today's standards, I guess what is interesting is you see national and world class athletes showing full frontal nudity 30 years before Sports Illustrated started showing such athletes in their magazines spreads (and at that, not even FFN).
The film now is merely a look to the waning days of amateur track and field, but an accurate look. It was filmed during that period and isn't a re-creation as "Without Limits" and "Pre" were, both of which can only try and recapture that era.
Many issues that are considered PI now are in the film, use of the c-word, a racist joke about Asians, references to "dumb Indians", controlling male figures...but I watch the film now amid the pro contracts that track athletes are now able to take advantage of, and this film is really the last film to show how track athletes existed at that very time; huge sacrifices for little monetary reward, in this case no reward as the Olympics were boycotted in 1980.
The nudity and sex scene is considered tame by today's standards, I guess what is interesting is you see national and world class athletes showing full frontal nudity 30 years before Sports Illustrated started showing such athletes in their magazines spreads (and at that, not even FFN).
The film now is merely a look to the waning days of amateur track and field, but an accurate look. It was filmed during that period and isn't a re-creation as "Without Limits" and "Pre" were, both of which can only try and recapture that era.