Escape to Victory - Greatest Football Film of all time

05/07/04

Escape to Victory has been officially voted the greatest football film ever in a poll carried out by UCI cinemas. The film beat recent hits such as Bend it like Beckham (which came second), and Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch (third) in a poll of 2000 cinema goers carried out in honour of Euro 2004.

I would conduct my own poll but I figure my readership would probably be a bit bias anyway, so its nice to see that its not just us who think this.

This poll got the film a bit of press coverage which is nice to see, and maybe we're closer to a European release than we think. UCI after all are owned by Paramount, who originally distributed the film, so such polls are very good, although Im suprised ID was only fifth, as that is a very intelligent film, and no kudos for 51st State with its fictional liverpool v man utd background storyline. If anyone else has a favourite football film (other than Escape to Victory) which isnt on the list (and no I wont include ladybugs) then email me, and I'll compile our own list of Good footie films.

Also There are a couple currently in the works I believe, one about an Argentinian player who comes to the premiership, which is apparantly being filmed at Newcastles St James Park (or at least so Im lead to believe after reading the Evening Chronicle), and Hollywood have another one in the making, When I have more details I'll update this to let people know.

Victoire

The top football films:

1: Escape to Victory (1981) 29%
2. Bend it Like Beckham (2002) 18%
3. Fever Pitch (1997) 13%
4. When Saturday Comes (1996) 12%
5. I.D (1995) 9%
6. Cup Fever (1965) 7%
7. The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (1940) 5%
8. There`s Only One Jimmy Grimble (2000) 4%
9. Mean Machine (2001) 2%
10. Football Factory (2004) 1%