Marathon

1993 2h 10m ES

😐

5.5

MID

★5.5TMDB · 8

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

For this documentary, the renowned Spanish filmmaker Carlos Saura created a structure as unconventional as the Gaudí buildings that adorn the host city of Barcelona. Coverage of the men's marathon appears at intervals throughout the narrative, highlighting the Games' most iconic event. While charismatic winners—from 400m champion Michael Johnson to weightlifter Ivan Ivanov—take center stage, Saura observes rigorous training sessions with as much passion as the finals themselves. Composers such as Ryuichi Sakamoto, Mikis Theodorakis, and Angelo Badalamenti contribute to the shifting atmosphere of this excellent film.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Michael Jordan
Self
Carl Lewis
Self
Hassiba Boulmerka
Self
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Self
Gail Devers
Self
Magic Johnson
Self
Linford Christie
Self
Juan Carlos I
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Carlos Saura
Writers: Carlos Saura
Languages: English, French, Spanish
Countries: Spain

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

33 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Part of the "100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

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

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pablo G. del Amo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis and Hassiba Boulmerka carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0185456 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Carlos Saura directs. Alejandro Massó scores. Pablo G. del Amo cuts. Produced in Spain. Dialogue in English, French, Spanish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

133 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
2Dialogue crosses 3 languages: English, French, Spanish.
3Part of the "100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
4Original score by Alejandro Massó. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Pablo G. del Amo shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Michael Jordan and Carl Lewis and Hassiba Boulmerka carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt0185456 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 8 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

The technical file

Original score: Alejandro Massó
Editing: Pablo G. del Amo
Sound: Miguel Rejas
Runtime: 130 min · 2h 10m
Status: Released
Original language: ES
IMDB: Marathon (1993)

Part of

100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012

Spanning fifty-three movies and forty-one editions of the Olympic Games, 100 Years of Olympic Films: 1912–2012 is the culmination of a monumental, award-winning archival project encompassing dozens of new restorations by the International Olympic Committee. The documentaries collected here cast a cinematic eye on some of the most iconic moments in the history of modern sports, spotlighting athletes who embody the Olympic motto of “Faster, Higher, Stronger”: Jesse Owens shattering world records on the track in 1936 Berlin, Jean-Claude Killy dominating the Grenoble slopes in 1968, Joan Benoit breaking away to win the Games’ first women’s marathon in Los Angeles in 1984.