Silver Screen Star Eric Bana Makes His Directorial Debut When Love The Beast Makes U.S. Television Premiere On Speed(Tm) Dec. 18
Feature Film Focuses On Australian Actor's Long-Time Passion For The Automobile; Also Starring Jay Leno, Jeremy Clarkson & Dr. Phil Mcgraw
Bana Competes In Targa Tasmania With His 1974 Ford XB Falcon Coupe
Australian native Eric Bana, the star of such blockbuster movies as Hulk, Troy and director J.J. Abrams' recent Star Trek reboot, makes his directorial debut when the documentary feature Love the Beast premieres December 18 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. exclusively on SPEED - the definitive network for NASCAR, high-performance competition and the automotive lifestyle.
The two-hour presentation focuses on the actor's 25-year ownership journey with "The Beast," his Australian-built 1974 Ford GT Falcon Coupe. In the film, self-proclaimed 'petrol head' Bana and his fully restored, race-prepared machine take on Targa Tasmania, one of the world's most dangerous automotive competitions - a race that proves to be too treacherous for even his sturdy mount.
Along the way, Bana enlists the guidance of long-time friends and fellow car fanatics Jay Leno (The Jay Leno Show), Jeremy Clarkson (Top Gear) and Dr. Phil McGraw (Dr. Phil Family) to help explain and describe his life-long passion with the automobile.
"Both in front of and behind the camera, this project was clearly a labor of love for Eric Bana," said SPEED VP of Programming Robert Ecker. "We are extremely pleased that Love the Beast is making its U.S. television premiere right here on SPEED."
According to Bana, the '74 Ford GT Falcon Coupe - a limited production Australian 'muscle car' - became one of his life's draws after watching the 1979 Australian blockbuster Mad Max, in which Mel Gibson drove a black 1973 Ford DT Falcon Coupe 'Pursuit Special' as a 'souped up' chase vehicle. The aggressive body style and rumble of the V8 immediately hooked the youthful actor, sparking the 'love affair' around which this feature was constructed.