After the screening we'll be joined for a Q&A by the filmmakers.
When the hammer came down on a rare Vincent Black Lightning model at an auction in 2018, an Australian collector paid $1.2 million to the own the machine – making it the most expensive motorcycle ever sold
And now a feature documentary Speed is Expensive, narrated by Ewan McGregor, tells the inside story of the flawed genius behind the bikes – Philip Vincent. His motorcycles set more speed records during the 1940s and 50s than any other manufacturer. The wealthy Philip Vincent dropped out of Cambridge to produce bikes that were years ahead of their time, and pioneered ‘guerrilla marketing’ by sponsoring LA racers, in secret, to compete in illegal back-street duels to promote his motorcycles. Some models now sell for over $1 million and owners include Brad Pitt and Ryan Reynolds.
Yet when Vincent passed away in 1979, he was largely unrecognized, penniless, and living in council housing – his family fortune and personal life exhausted by his obsession with speed. Ewan McGregor’s narration is joined by contributions from Vincent fans like former Tonight Show host Jay Leno, and artist, musician and motorcyclist Paul Simonon of The Clash. It also features the final interview with world champion on two and four wheels John Surtees, who trained at Vincent. Hours of unearthed personal films and audio interviews join accounts from Vincent’s family and the men and women who worked with him to provide an intimate portrait of the enigmatic designer.
Director David Lancaster says: "It is wonderful to be able to bring the film to the big screen with Picturehouse. We’ve crossed the globe, from the USA to Australia, to film the world’s most expensive, exciting and beautiful motorcycles and talk to Philip Vincent’s family and remaining colleagues in order to bring his amazing life to the screen".
Jay Leno says of the film, ‘It looks great: moving footage of Philip Vincent really brings the story alive – loved it!’
Richard Hammond, formerly of Top Gear and now presenter of Amazon Prime’s The Grand Tour, says the documentary is ‘beautiful, moving – and wonderfully written.’
Speed is Expensive: Philip Vincent and the Million Dollar Motorcycle is the human story behind a man who is only now being recognised as the genius he was.
Fulham Q&A: hosted by motorcycle journalist Mike Nicks.
Liverpool Q&A: hosted by blogger/founder of Davida Helmets, David Fiddaman.
