User Reviews

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.

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".

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What an amazing docu-drama! Expertly filmed and well thought out. I cant even begin to imagine the logistical nightmare for what must have ended up being a terrific assignment. Kudos to the whole crew and Kevin for putting together an awesome film crew! Makes me want to go buy a bike or wish i had my old beat up Subaru to go run the Baja for the heck of it! Maybe they can do a part tow that has even more in-depth interviews with some of the greats and maybe even get Mario to run the full course! He should not have any problems getting sponsors! I feel sorry for all the assistants who probably spent days trying to get the silt out of everything! Probably stills falls out of nooks and cracks when they least expect it! Ha ha!

Pretty solid look at the Baja! A little heavy on the minor details that would require a lot of high-intensity studying to remember - and did not stick with my memory. I was hoping for more of a breakdown of the Baja course and more content covering the characteristics of the course.

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.

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 don't know how they made this one so boring.

It's like a director for evangelical fund raisers made a movie about racing. There's an excessive amount of color commentary about people I have no real attachment to, and very little coverage of the machines, the strategies, the difficulties.

I heard Honda a few times. I don't believe I heard KTM once. From a manufacturer vs manufacture standpoint, the movie is silent. No talk of pit strategies.

The characters are flat. Nobody learns anything. Nobody seems to learn anything during the meeting.

I think this is a movie for people who actually compete in the race. Boring!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Unbelievable race footage from all perspectives. All the race vehicles are covered from the Motorcycles (my favorite), Trophy trucks and buggies to the Class 11 VW beetle Dana Brown more than captured the essence of the Baja race. You will feel as though you are there. The interviews only add to this great film by getting into the heads of those who have actually raced the Baja 1000. There is also some excellent bonus footage that MUST be watched! I bought the movie and watched it at least 4 times. This movie can be watched by just about any person, I would imagine even non race fans would like it. I say buy this movie and watch it, then tell everyone you know to do the same! I wish the movie was twice as long because you just don't want it to end!

Like some people I am not much into documentaries, but this hit me like a tank at full speed!!!! I have always liked the idea of a desert race and off road racing. When I saw this movie I was thrown into the world of the greatest off road racing. Growing up I loved driving off road, now it is something I will do before I die. This movie has given the drive to race in the worlds finest off road race. If you haven't seen this yet man you gotta see it!!!!!!!! I own it and I have watched it like 100 times and I still get cold chills. If you are into any kind of racing what so ever you are going to love this movie. Just hearing the engines roaring to life and watching the suspension working as the trucks and buggies and bikes and quads you want to know what its like to be in or on those rides.

Thank you Dana Brown and Scott Waugh and company. DUST TO GLORY reminds everyone that one of the most important things in life is, never give up. Set aside the amazing footage, the human interest drama, the daring helo shots from every angle, the day and night forced marches, even forget the heart felt interviews, it's all about never giving up. The story of the McMillan family is proof. They are incredibly successful in business and they're even more successful in life because they never give up. From the Weatherman to the Class 11 competitors to the brilliant Ricky Johnson, it doesn't get any better than this. Mouse McCoy is a god. What better message can a movie have? Never, ever give up.

I LOVED this movie. the only reason I gave it a 9 was because it wasn't perfect, but I LOVED it. In fact, I'd say it's biggest imperfection is that it wasn't an IMAX film.

I am a 34 y.o. female who happens to enjoy dirt bike riding, but am probably not the typical target demographic for this film. Yet, I would highly recommend it to anyone with a sense of adventure. There was human drama, incredible racing, touching moments, laughter, and a short history lesson. I enjoyed Step into Liquid, as well, but I found this much better. I came away eager to go to baja to be a spectator as I know I don't have the endurance to be a racer. But I wish I did.....

Wow. They nailed it. It was about us. All of us. It could be called a physical experience of a movie. It tugged your heart. It made you lean into the turns, and lean away from the bushes. There were more than enough sphincter clenches. There were knee slapping laughs, and head shaking sights. There was eye strain from trying to see through the silt. There were near misses, and solid hits. They touched everybody with this movie. Racers, chasers, sponsors, Mom's & Dads, locals, kids, dogs and a few ostriches. It's just great!

Understand, I was looking forward to it from the get go. I had expectations, concerns, and a lot of curiosity. So as I sat down in the theater seat, I was hoping to be reminded of the experiences all my race car seats delivered. My biggest concern was that the producers would some how "Hollywood Up" the Baja 1000 and botch the thing.

Now, as to the opposing views? Well, my guess is that others went into the theater with their own expectations, concerns and curiosity. Who in the race community would do otherwise? Their criticisms are quite valid. As are the opinions on what the movie contained and why. Anyone who has experienced their own Baja 1000, and then experiences this movie will compare the two. I did. And everyone else did. We all take it very personally.

I believe that was one of the major challenges facing Dana Brown. He is not a racer, and knows it. He does understand the visceral element of being involved in an endeavor beyond the casual participant level. Our Baja 1000 is to us what surfing is to him. It is clear to me that he respects the importance of what we all do when we are involved in the Baja 1000.

Naturally, he had other challenges to address. He and his group were making a film. Not a class project, but an investment. One that they hope will return profit. And, they had to capture it live. In real time. No "take two!". While we represent an important audience to them, we are but one of many audiences they must consider for this movie. They too are important. Just not as well informed. Not as experienced in the Baja 1000. Not personally involved.

I choose to accept Dust To Glory as delivered. It's not as perfect as it would be if I were in charge of course. But then again, I'm one of the inmates.

BB "Life Is A One Lap Race"