The Blog Page

News, commentary and humor about bicycling and other topics of the day

 

Tour de Donut: Gluttons for Punishment

The documentary film on the Tour de Donut "bicycle race" is finished. The premiere of the film -- "Tour de Donut: Gluttons for Punishment" -- is slated for Sunday, Sept. 3, at the Moolah Theatre in St. Louis as part of the Gateway Cup bicycle races over Labor Day weekend. The theater will open at 8 p.m., and the film will be shown at 9:15 p.m. Pizza and doughnuts will be served. The event is free for Gateway Cup racers and $5 for everyone else.

Thanks to co-director and producer Jim Klenn, I already have my copy of the film. Jim and Steve Kelly made the film in association with KDHX-TV in St. Louis, but they plan to enter it in film festivals before airing it on the St. Louis cable TV station.

"Tour de Donut: Gluttons for Punishment" is a 35-minute film that centers around the experiences of Gateway Cup director Tim Ranek and his attempt to win the 2005 Tour de Donut. Dave Sweeney, the president of the Boeing Employee's Bicycle Club, the group that runs the event, also appears several times. Other cyclists appear in the film, discussing their strategies on how to win the race. For example, cyclist Kathleen Michael shows off the potato smasher she used to flatten doughnuts so she could eat more.

As a co-founder of the Tour de Donut and the 1995 champion, I appear in three segments of the film (a fourth if you include a close-up of me clipping into my pedals.) I talk about the first winner of the Tour de Donut, Karl Painter, the doughnuts that are made for the event by Jubelt's Bakery in Mount Olive, Ill., and my view that the Tour de Donut is a "bicycle race" for the rest of us.

I know any review I might offer of the film is somewhat colored by the fact that I'm in the film and that I helped create the event for the now-defunct Mid-America Bicycle Club. I would have preferred that the film included a bit more about the history of the event, but I think the majority of cycling and non-cycling viewers will find it enjoyable. The film is well-edited and well-photographed, and the original score by James Ibur enhances the film. Centering the film around Tim Ranek gives the film the focus it needs to tie all the pieces together.

It's good to know that doughnuts will waiting for us at the Moolah Theatre on Sept. 3!

Roger 1 comments 12:20 PM

Comments:

I saw the film and enjoyed it thoroughly. I can't remember when was the last time I laughed so hard. I may be prejudiced; I know some of the people. However, I think it's as good as Les Blank's documentaries. Anyone who has ridden in the Tour de Donut should definitely see this film.

# posted by  Anonymous : 1:28 PM

 

Post a Comment