- What if you were a Hollywood movie star with an obsession for cars and racing? You would probably read every script with even the tiniest link to the subject matter, in the hope that you could tell a great car story of the likes of "Grand Prix", "Le Mans" or "Mad Max". Then one day you happened to open your garage door and sitting there, right in front of you, was the film you had been searching for. This is what happened to Eric Bana and this time around, the co-star is his very own Ford GT Falcon Coupe- THE BEAST. Eric realized the story was in fact, about him, his first car, a lifetime of ownership and a lifetime of friendship. He set about documenting his own 25 year long love story. A simple tale of one man's ongoing relationship with his very first car. After years of precious restoration, Eric and his 3 closest friends, decided to enter the car into one of the most grueling and dangerous motor races that exists: The Targa Tasmania Rally. This would be a personal Everest for both man and machine, until...on day 4 of the race, tragedy strikes. The man who was hell bent on trying to convey how much he and those around him loved "THE BEAST", had just destroyed it. Eric has now unwillingly cast himself in his own real life drama. We follow him from inside the race car to the surreal world of the red carpet. This compelling true story follows Eric's progression as a car lover, and as a person conflicted by what he has done. The personal and social pressures mount up in the face of re building a car that means so much to him. Along the way Eric seeks guidance and wisdom from not only the inner sanctum of his 3 life long friends but also Jay Leno, Jeremy Clarkson, and Dr Phil.—Anonymous
- The film follows the life of Eric Bana and his relationship with a Ford Falcon XB Coupe which he bought at the age of 15. In his own words he describes the car as a 'camp fire' around which he and his mates have orbited since the car came into his life. The film features Bana and his three best mates and their memories of the car along with a large assortment of home movie footage and more recent footage of them competing in the 2006 Targa Tasmania rally with the car. They had previously competed in the same race 11 years earlier with the same car (although it was completely rebuilt in 2005). This film feels really honest and heartfelt and is a very personal account of Eric Bana's life and the things which are important to him; family, friends and his car. Other guests during the show include Jeremy Clarkson, Jay Leno, Grant Denyer & Jim Richards, all well known car nuts. The car racing footage from the 2006 Targa is excellent using split screen techniques to heighten the excitement. The sound during these segments also adds significantly to the overall experience. The emotions at play during and after he race are quite amazing and you really feel them as you watch the documentary. Overall, this film gives you a real insight into what makes Bana tick and you can really see that he is nothing like most Hollywood celebrities. An excellent documentary which is heartfelt and personal, much more than the vanity project it might seem at first. [D-Man2010]
Eric Bana is one of Australia's most-loved film stars, but in "Love The Beast" we get a glimpse behind the Hollywood glamour to touch one man's true passion, his lovingly restored Ford GT Falcon Coupe - AKA The Beast. In the spirit of celluloid classics such as "Grand Prix", "Le Mans", and "Mad Max", "Love The Beast" is more than a film for car fanatics. Full of heart, "Love The Beast" is about the defining moments in life and about driving fast... really fast. [D-Man2010]
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