Dust To Glory

Dust to Glory

I don't know about you, but I lost interest in dirtbike videos about the time the third or fourth Crusty Demons of Dirt made its debut. With rare exception, films in this genre are all pretty much the same-repetitive freestyle tricks, speed-metal music and untalented jumpers crashing their brains out.

Now, a decade after the emergence of the dirt-video craze, Dana Brown has restored my faith. With Dust to Glory, he not only captures the Baja 1000 in all its, well, glory, he gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the passion that drives racers to compete in this legendary south-of-the-border event.

Using more than 50 cameras and techniques learned from his father Bruce Brown {On Any Sunday, Endless Summer), Brown has produced exceptional cinematography that showcases the entire 2004 race, following everything from the winning factory Honda XR650R of Johnny Campbell and Steve Hengeveld to 800-horsepower trophy trucks to VWs that are the true definition of the Baja Bug.

Just as Brown’s Step Into Liquid brought non-surfers to surfing, this excellent portrayal of the intense sport of off-road racing will bring non-racers to racing. Filled with emotion, thrills and spills, Dust to Glory is sure to get you fired up about Baja and the experiences that go along with it. -Ryan Dudek

Ryan Dudek

Dust to Glory, 97 minutes, $25; Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA 90232; 800/860-2878; www.d2gfilm.com