Romulus Returns to Siam

Introduction

Grand Prix motor racing, as we know it today, began after the Second World War. Before then, Grands Prix took place without a co-ordinated or organised structure on an almost ad hoc basis between eight main teams including Ferrari, Bugatti, Maserati and Alfa Romeo.

Whilst a student at Eton and Cambridge in the late 1920s and early '30s, Prince Birabongse Bhanutej Bhanubandh (more commonly known simply as Prince Bira) was introduced to motor racing by his cousin Prince Chula, who was running the White Mouse racing team. Chula bought an ERA car for Bira to drive in Grands Prix, which was painted in what became the national colours of their native Siam: Blue with yellow (the King's colour).

For a sport dominated by Europeans, the presence of this Siamese team was something of a novelty but the prowess and skill of Bira, who held his own in the relatively low powered ERAs, named Hanuman, Romulus and Remus, endeared him to the racing fraternity. As a result, a Grand Prix was planned for Bangkok to take place on December 10th 1939 but, unfortunately, Nazi troops marched into Poland, Britain declared war and the dream was never fulfilled.

Chula's daughter, Narisa Chakrabongse, was determined to stage the event and, in 1989, brought Romulus and fifteen other cars of the era to Bangkok and Pattaya to race. The event and archive footage of Prince Bira at the wheel are included on DVD for the first time here.

Video

Obviously a VHS to DVD transfer, this is not the most polished picture you'll ever see - the most recent footage is nearly twenty years old - but it doesn't really matter. This is a blend of footage of the event from 1989 with archive footage including some pre-war colour footage and some never before seen film from Narisa's private collection.

Audio

The Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo track is unspectacular but perfectly adequate for a DVD like this. I didn't notice much in the way of hissing, pops or crackling.

Extra Features

None.

Conclusion

Romulus Returns to Siam is an interesting DVD with plenty of information about a period of motor racing that's largely unknown. The era of privateers who could field as many cars as they could afford - with different makes of cars in the same team - and who could compete against works cars is a million miles away from what happens at a Grand Prix today. Safety wasn't even an issue and there was a romanticism to the sport that has all but disappeared today. Fittingly, this is almost a fairy story, with Narisa's dream coming to fruition with fifty year old cars racing down the main street in Bangkok to qualify for the race which took place the following day at the Bira International Race Circuit at the seaside town of Pattaya.

Motor racing fans, particularly those of early Formula One and classic cars will enjoy this - it's good to see it on DVD.