Mannen på taket aka Man on the Roof (1976)

[GlacierTuba]

Remember that Lucozade advert with Daley Thompson? A roasting hot sunset evening on the athletics track. Senor Thompson focuses at the 100 meter track ahead, and the finish line – for arguments sake let’s call the running track the length of the film, Man on the Roof.

He broods for a moment, a quick shrug of the shoulders and a bounce around. Carefully, he unwraps the cellophone that caresses his glass bottle of cool, glucose elixr and takes an almighty swig of it – let’s call this the opening sequence to Man on the Roof, the preparation for what’s about to happen.

Refreshed, limbered up and ready to rock, with a quick final swing of each arm he lowers himself down to position in the starting blocks. A final check. Arse in the air like a runway windsock. The dulcet bass tones of Iron Maiden’s Phantom of the Opera begin to crescendo in to a wall of sonic rock massiveness – We’ll call this part the procedural, or second act if you like, of Man on the Roof.

Cut to a shot of a starter pistol raised aloft and a traffic light currently on red.

BANG! THE LIGHTS GO GREEN AND DALEY THOMPSON AND IRON MAIDEN ARE OFF!

This is it! It’s all down to this moment. Like a shaken bottle of Mr. Thompson’s favourite glucose elixr, Man on the Roof just explodes in a tsunami of blistering hot, cordite-soaked actionvomit all over the audience for it’s final act with a dazzling climax!

...and then, in the blink of an eye, it’s (literally) over.

We’ve crossed the finish line, knowing we gave it everything in one explosive moment of glory. We’ll call this the final act, for want of a better example.

That. Is how it feels to watch Man on the Roof.

You know what to do.

6 jillion out of 10.




BONUS FEATURE:

Classic Lucozade ad starring Daley Thompson - YouTube