Firing up the Chariots

 1924 ... 2012. There are 88 years between the British heroics of the Paris Olympics, as depicted in 1981 Oscar winner Chariots of Fire, and the hoped-for domestic triumphs dreamed of ahead of this year's London Games.

But according to the film's producer, Lord (David) Puttnam, the "guts, determination and belief" still hold as good today as they did in those gentlemanly days of yore.

Which is why his film is being digitally re-mastered for a re-release to coincide with the upcoming sports extravaganza.

One of the more spoofed films of recent times, with the Vangelis theme still able to tingle the spine, its latest reincarnation has been for the Sun re-launch ad which also features a middle-aged, deckchair-bound Nigel Havers - co-star of the original film.