Plot: What’s it about?
This is an IMAX film about the Andretti racing team that is narrated by Paul Newman. It follows the Andretti racing team in making a state of the art race car. It will take you to the test tracks as they dial in the feel of the car. It also takes you along for the ride in some CART races and shows you the ups and downs of the team as they go from test track, to race and back to the drawing board. It also shows you the life of Mario Andretti and how he feels about his sons racing.
You will also follow a guy put together the original race car that Mario himself drove back in the early days of racing, some thirty years ago. You will see some old footage of the races and how deadly they were back when they were made out of steel.
This is an entertaining look at Indy racing. The thing that will get your attention the most is the audio of this DVD and how loud and great it sounds. Second the way it was filmed will make you feel like you are riding in the car yourself. I highly recommend at least renting this one, especially if you have a 5.1 sound system. I guarantee you will not be disapointed. I purchased this one and if some friends only have a few minutes to hear my system I will throw this one on along with Saving Private Ryan and or Air Force One. You should be able to pick this up for about $15 with a coupon over the internet.
Video: How does it look?
This is a crystal clear transfer from the IMAX film onto DVD. The scenery and cars and tracks and everything is just so crystal clear that you will feel like you are driving along side of the Andretti’s. Referance caliber picture and definately sound as well.
Audio: How does it sound?
Buckle your seat belt for this wild ride. This has to be the best sounding DVD ever!!! It doesn’t get much better than this one. The bass is low and tight and the soundstage from front to back is insanely (new word?) wide. The sound is earpiercing loud. The wimps may be reaching for the remote to turn it down, but fight your instinct and refuse to. This will test your speakers and show you what they are capable of handling. I can’t say enough great things about the audio of this DVD. In the first 60 seconds you will have an idea of what lies ahead of you in the audio department of this DVD. Even though it is just the company logos and the title screen for the movie. THEY ROCK!!!
Supplements: What are the extras?
You get a fairly long and interesting making of feature. It is about 30 minutes long and it shows you how the filmakers rigged up the IMAX cameras to the cars. It also showed the on location shooting throughout the numerous places that the film takes you and lots of other things as well. There are several interviews with the filmakers and the two main drivers of the film Mario and Michael Andretti. There is also a bio on the director of the film, Stephen Low.
