Dust to Glory

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.

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 did not know anything about the Baja 1000 before watching this film, after watching it I wondered why I had not given it more attention before. Baja is an insane 1000 mile loop from the Mexican city of Ensenada, out to the coast then back to Ensendada for dirt bikes, dune buggies, trophy trucks and Class 11 unmodified VW beetles. The class 11 drivers seem the most insane of the lot to me, a stock VW Beetle isn't exactly flush with comforts let alone when you try to drive one for 1000 miles through a rough meandering desert. Some of the purpose built vehicles struggle with the roads so how the class 11 group get through is probably a whole story on it's own.

The film is set during the 2003 Baja 1000 and features several well-known racing legends who have been captured by the allure of this magnificent event. The Grand Marshal for the 2003 race was none other than Mario Andretti. Other racing names that feature are Bobby Gordon, Jimmy Vasser and the Baja legend Ivan 'Ironman' Stewart. I knew of Ivan Stewart not from his feats at Baja but the excellent 1989 'Ivan Ironman Stewart's Super Off Road' video game, that was a great game...but that is for another review website that someone else can write. In his career Stewart won an astonishing 17 Baja 500's and three 1000's.

The Baja course is cruel, changed every year by Sal Fish who is the orchestrator of this madness. Up until the beginning of the race the actual checkpoint locations are a closely guarded secret so that participants can't practice and work out all the potential shortcuts. Competitors must get to all 12 course check points and complete the 1000-mile course within 32 hours. 300 vehicles compete in total with drivers and riders aged 16 to 62. Drivers and riders take a total pummelling while trying to A) win the race or B) just finish within the 32-hour time limit.

The documentary does a fine job of capturing the mysticism of Baja, families who have competed for generations, stunning scenery, crazy local fans, cruel luck, perseverance, pain and death. Every person who finishes Baja has truly achieved something great by conquering and surviving this free for all scramble through the Mexican dessert. I can't believe I had never truly understood what Baja was all about. In Dust to Glory we get a full immersive introduction to the race and the history behind it while following the 2003 event. I've read other reviews of this film that criticise it mainly for editing and not being focused enough on the main stories. I'm not sure that is what this film really tried to do, I felt this film tried to capture the chaotic nature of Baja and made the point that everyone who competes will have an incredible story to tell, it would be impossible to tell them all. The film is clearly made on a pretty small budget, but this captures the clandestine 'do it yourself' spirit of the Baja competitors and the event itself.

One of the stories the documentary features is an attempt by Mike 'Mouse' McCoy to complete the race solo. He has been a champion before and is looking for a new challenge. We seem him regress from a skilled champion to a delusional madman determined to finish on the podium regardless of the cost to his personal wellbeing. Seeing an athlete like McCoy descend into a disorientated state of madness for me highlighted the challenge that is Baja.

I don't know why as a motor racing fan I had never given this event much attention. I guess it shows all my inner biases toward 'European racing' and sentiment that American racing is only about ovals and speedways. Dust to Glory has now got me fascinated with Baja and the characters that organise and compete in the event. The Baja 1000 embodies a more adventurer spirit that I would typically associate more with sailing events such as Sydney to Hobart. I now can't watch the trailer for this film without getting goose bumps.

There is a great quote in the film that sums it all up perfectly "The Baja Peninsula: a place between the old west and the twilight zone".

© Copyright Racing Films

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...

Independent movie making at it best. Documentary with great plot,suspense,characterization and "characters". My wife even liked it -- a lot! On the way home, she even asked if the steering and suspension was loose on our car, or was the road just a little bumpy?

The cinematography was awesome as well. The feel of this place called Baja was overwhelming. It was almost a space odyssey filmed right here on Mother Earth. Not sure I ever want to go there, but for a couple of hours I vicariously enjoyed watching the people who do.

Obviously, if you like anything with wheels, 2 or 4, that go fast and compete, you will like this movie. However this film really excels when it exposes the human drive in us all for what we do -- that special trait called Passion.