Dust to Glory

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.

Dana Brown follows up his spectacular surfing documentary Step Into Liquid with the spectacular race documentary Dust to Glory. I just read the unemployed critic's review in which he asserts that Dana Brown had some kind of ulterior motive in imposing meaning onto the race itself which was never there to begin with and doesn't fit with the material anyway, which is outstandingly wrong. Then again, he also called Step Into Liquid "lukewarm," so the fact that Brown's next film blew over his head as well is hardly lightning out of a clear sky for unexpectedness.

Brown highlights the human aspect of the Baja 1000, a grueling, 24 hour race down the length of Baja California, but the movie is only peppered with scenes about the race, because it's not about winning, it's about being out there with so many other like-minded people, and the people you meet and the adventures you have along the way. It's amazing to see people in million dollar trucks racing on the same course as people driving un-modified Volkswagen Beetles, and the film manages to overcome the tendency to identify other drivers as cars rather then people.

Brown's narration is just as effective as it was in Step Into Liquid, and it is clear in both films that he is fascinated with the subject material and is not simply reporting it. Interestingly, he describes the Baja 1000 at one point as the longest nonstop endurance race in the world, which is not even remotely true. The Race Across America has taken place every year since 1982, and is a 3000 mile transcontinental endurance race on BICYCLES, no less.

Let's put it this way. By the time the Baja 1000 is over, most riders have not taken a single break from riding in the Race Across America. They generally ride for about the first 40-50 hours literally without getting off the bicycle, then they stop and sleep for 90 minutes, then get up and get back on the bike and ride 22 1/2 hours a day until they get to the East Coast. The Baja 1000 is truly an impressive event, but as an endurance race it doesn't even compare to Race Across America.

Nonetheless, Brown again displays his skill in bringing the wonder and excitement of such an unusual event to the screen, telling the story thoroughly and entertainingly, and certainly leaving me wondering what marvels he'll focus on next.

Dust To Glory is a documentary about the Baja 1000 road race. All the best in the road rally racers tell their stories about participating in the longest point to point road race in the world. Any vehicle can enter the race in different categories and start times. You get to know what kind of people participate and watch the annual event. Locals even get involved and sometimes get hurt right along with the riders as the roads are not closed off and anyone can use them during the race. While some parts are slow, there are definite thrills and a lot of interesting background. A good solid documentary for any sports or racing fan.

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.

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.