Dust to Glory:Review

Dust to Glory is my new guide to life. Not just a documentary about the Baja 1000 (my next life's challenge once I've conquered Gen Con), the film does a bang up job of capturing the blending of the spirit of competition and community that you get in the racing world. Especially THAT race. The Baja 1000 is all about the challenge and conquest. Prize money is surprisingly low compared to the cost of the race, but there are sponsors across the board, from car and motorcycle companies to beer, energy drinks, and Mexican hotels. The film gives you a good feel for the big names of Baja and a decent amount of history on the race. There are A LOT of intense camera shots, good interviews, and the voice over walks a fine line, being mostly inspirational, but never quite teetering into cheesy.

My only quip with the film is the almost complete focus on the big names. There're few little guys mentioned and even less footage of them. Thousands of people enter that race and hundreds of them come away seriously injured. You don't really get that feeling from the film. And with over 250 hours worth of footage shot, with crews working 40 hours straight during the filming, I'd think there'd be some footage of a no name dude on a dirt bike duct taped together rolling into the Honda B team pit in desperate need of three things: food and water, gas and a fresh tire, and a fucking splint for his broken forearm from a spill 40 miles back, but I'll be damned if He's NOT going to finish the race despite only being at the 250 mile mark....

Despite that, though, the flick is solid and well worth the money. Besides, the directors/producers took out 2nd mortgages on their homes to make the film. So go buy it! Everyone needs the movie....