Dust to Glory

At Las Vegas's ShoWest movie theater owner convention in mid-March, I had the pleasure of seeing this documentary and meeting some of the people who made it. I can easily say that it is one of the best documentaries that I have seen. Truly this was a real cinematic triumph. Not often does a documentary compel you so well to care about the cast/characters. This is especially true for a documentary about something as simple as car racers.

The directing, editing, and cinematography were magnificent. Each moment in the movie is filled with breathtaking and exhilarating shots that keep you on the very edge of your seat. Humor is abundant as the drivers become over tired, and some car crashes bring sticky situations.

Seeing it in a Digital theater was icing on the cake. I hope it breaks out to theaters and/or IMax soon.

Can't wait to see it again...

Just saw this excellent film tonight. Even though I'm a street rider and not a big racing spectator, I must say I am amazed. Picture, if you will, 300-plus vehicles of all descriptions, from dirt bikes, to quads, to million-dollar sand buggies, to stock VW Beetles (yes, I said stock) flying across the desert hell-bent-for-election, over all manner of terrain; paved roads, rocks, beaches and choking clouds of silt and dust, all chasing the clock, maybe, just maybe, you might come close to the spectacle of the 1000.

This film reminds me a lot of the classic Endless Summer, reflecting the passion of the sport and it's participants, their dedication to the sport and to their extended families of team members, fellow racers, and even spectators.

Amazing footage, especially of the motorcycle competitors. Excellent interviews and narration. The action footage (yes, even a few crashes) is some of the best I have seen in motor-sports coverage. Great overview of the history of the race (although some more vintage footage would be really cool) and some of the race's more well-known competitors.

A must see for any off-roader, racing enthusiast, or motor-head.

I am normally not a big documentary fan, but Dust to Glory really impressed me. First off, the Baja 1000 is the coolest race ever. I imagine that if you were able to read minds, you would find that everyone leaving the theater would be thinking 'Baja 1000... wow. I wonder if I could do that'. Now I dream of one day competing in the Baja 1000.

Dust to Glory will convert everyone in the audience into a Baja 1000 addict and you will leave in awe of the competitors and the race itself. Tons of energy, emotion and dirt. Great stories, characters and beautiful locations. Dana, we won't be staging any interventions for a long time.

To me this movie had more passion that almost any movie I had seen, especially in a documentary. This movie truly showed that the Baja Race wasn't about anything, but passion and love of family and pushing yourself to that ultimate limit. The cinematography in this movie, like Dana's previous film, (stepping into liquid) was amazing. It truly made me feel as if I was watching/inside of the Baja race. It was as if I could taste the sand in my teeth as they were riding through the silt beds and I can smell the ocean breeze when they were skidding along the beaches.

I knew little to nothing about the Baja Race, but coming away from this movie I am in awe of the passion and the love of something so intense that you are willing to risk your life for it. There isn't a lot of people out there that would do this, not only entering into a competition, but also watching it.

I would recommend this movie to anyone that gets an opportunity or a glimpse of this awe-inspiring movie.

Not particularly interested in a 1000-mile Baja road race? Don't worry; doesn't matter. As he did with "Step Into Liquid," writer-director Dana Brown hooks you from the get-go, involving you in the subject, the action and, most importantly, the people who participate.

Aside from coping with the logistics of producing this film (a remarkable achievement in itself), the lively and sometimes poetic assemblage of breathtaking photography is impressive enough, but Brown (son of legendary documentarian Bruce Brown) takes the endeavor a step beyond; he's not only a skilled filmmaker, but an excellent reporter, as well. He seeks out and relates the stories behind the action and images by zeroing in on the personalities involved, supplying not only context, but the drama that the added human dimension provides. The passion and commitment of the participants can't help but grab you, and their camaraderie and sense of personal connection make you feel welcomed as "one of the gang" at a family reunion (even if a little envious of the fun they're having).

Backed by Nathan Furst's rousing original score, DUST TO GLORY is, by turns, thrilling, funny, touching, astonishing and terrifying...and always mesmerizing. Regardless of your personal interest - or lack thereof - it's nigh impossible to resist the enthusiasm behind both the race and the film documenting it. Each, in its own way, is a death-defying feat, and together they provide an experience you'd be hard-pressed to find with many other films. As he's done before with surfing, and now the Baja road race, Mr. Brown turned my "I wonder why I rented THIS?" to an "I'm SO glad I watched this." I begin to get the feeling he could make a documentary about basket weaving fascinating. And if he ever makes one, I'll see it.