Hell on Wheels

2004 2h 3m DE

🙌

8.0

BANGER

⭐

7.2

IMDB

★8.0TMDB · 10★7.2IMDB · 743

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Year after year hundreds of thousands of fans line the route of the Tour de France, cheering on their heroes and willing them to victory, while millions of viewers worldwide tune in on their televisions. Academy Award-winning director Pepe Danquart, fascinated by the spectacle of the three week race, chose to focus on the courage, the pain and the fear of the riders of the Tour. Training his lens on German superstar sprinter Eric Zabel and his loyal domestique Rolf Aldag, Danquart captures the thrill of the race and the teamwork behind the stars of the peleton. He also shines light on the Tour's supporting cast - the director sportifs, masseurs, and, of course, the wildly enthusiastic fans. Reveling in the stunning landscape - from the Alps to the Pyrenees to the Massif Central to Paris - and with a nice dollop of Le Tour's history, HELL ON WHEELS transcends the sport it celebrates to reveal an astonishing human endeavor.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Erik Zabel
Himself
Rolf Aldag
Himself
Andreas Klöden
Himself
Steve Zampieri
Himself
Dieter Ruthenberg
Himself
Mario Kummer
Himself
Serge Laget
Himself

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Pepe Danquart
Writers: Pepe Danquart
Languages: English, French, German
Countries: Germany, France, Switzerland

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, German.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: Germany, France, Switzerland.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Pepe Danquart, shot by Michael Hammon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Josef Bach. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Mona Bräuer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Erik Zabel and Rolf Aldag and Andreas Klöden carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Pepe Danquart directs. Michael Hammon behind the camera. Josef Bach scores. Mona Bräuer cuts. Produced in Germany, France, Switzerland. Dialogue in English, French, German.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, German.
3International production across 3 countries: Germany, France, Switzerland.
4Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
5Directed by Pepe Danquart, shot by Michael Hammon. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Josef Bach. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Mona Bräuer shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Erik Zabel and Rolf Aldag and Andreas Klöden carry the top of the cast.
9IMDB entry: tt0411498 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Only 10 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.