Description
THE SOUND OF SPEED (1962)
Filmed at Riverside International Raceway, The Sound of Speed is Bruce Kessler’s pioneering short film that put audiences in the driver’s seat of Lance Reventlow’s Scarab, with Chuck Daigh along for the ride. It was a stripped-down, dialogue-free film that captured racing as it was — fast, loud, and unfiltered. With help from George Burns, Ronnie Burns, and input from Howard Hawks, Bruce created something unlike anything else of its time. Shot with hard-mounted cameras and raw determination, it’s as close as film gets to racing on pavement.
THE MAKING OF THE SOUND OF SPEED (2020)
The centerpiece of this release is a deeply personal, never-before-seen interview with Bruce Kessler — recorded in 2020 at his home in Marina Del Rey. Just a few years before his passing in 2024, Bruce sat down with Dean Kirkland to reflect on the original film, his time with Lance, his work in both racing and directing, and how The Sound of Speed came to life in the early ’60s. It’s candid, emotional, and filled with humor and insight from a man who lived every frame of it.
THE SOUND OF SPEED SLIDESHOW
This film also includes a slideshow of rare still photographs taken during the 1962 Riverside shoot — giving fans a look behind the camera. These images capture Bruce, Lance, Chuck, the Scarab, and the crew mid-production. You’ll see how they rigged the cars, set up the shots, and made movie magic with race gas and sweat. These are the frames you’ve never seen, until now.
