Tokyo had been selected to host the Summer Games in 1940, but with war on the horizon, the host city had to withdraw. Ichikawa treated the 1964 event with an intensely humanist vision, dwelling not just on the effort and commitment of individual athletes but also on the experience of spectators and competitors alike. Using the 'scope format, his team of cameramen brought their telephoto lenses to bear on some of the greatest medallists of the modern era, from Bob Hayes and Dawn Fraser to Abebe Bikila and Joe Frazier. With its superb editing and sound recording, this documentary remains an unrivalled treat for both eye and ear.