Nascar: The Imax Experience

Documentary

Kiefer Sutherland	Narrator (voice)
Dale Earnhardt
Tony Stewart	Himself
Matt Kenseth	Himself
Jimmie Johnson	Himself/Moonshiner
Jeff Gordon	Himself
Ryan Newman	Himself/Moonshiner
Bobby Labonte	Himself
Bill France
Mike Helton	Sheriff
Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Himself
Bill France Jr.	Bill France Sr. (voice)
Keifer Sutherland	Narrator
Gary Nelson	Sheriff
Neil Goldberg	TV Control Room
Artie Kempner	TV Control Room
Darrell Waltrip	On-Screen Announcer
Larry McReynolds	On-Screen Announcer

Director	Simon Wincer
Producer	Doug Hylton; Lorne Orleans
Writer	Mark Bechtel

Until you've seen NASCAR: The IMAX Experience, you haven't really seen NASCAR. Even without the advantage of a gigantic IMAX screen and 70-millimeter 3-D projection, this 48-minute IMAX film is a perfect primer for newcomers to the sport of stock-car racing. Like all IMAX films it's aimed at a mainstream audience (hardcore NASCAR fans won't learn anything new here), so it covers a broad spectrum of general history, technical information, and pure high-speed adrenaline, from NASCAR's origins in 1947 to the oval-track highlights of the 2003 season. While Lonesome Dove director Simon Wincer captures the action (including some amazing mid-pack and cockpit footage during actual races), Kiefer Sutherland narrates an informative survey of season-long activities, from car building and safety measures at Mooresville, North Carolina, to pit-crew practice, transportation logistics, constant danger and its effect on drivers' wives and families, and the aerodynamics of drafting. Interesting trivia (each tire costs $389!) is included along with driver profiles and a compilation of memorable race finishes, but it's the IMAX footage that makes this a thrill-a-minute DVD, perfect for anyone who's just beginning to enjoy the world's fastest (and fastest-growing) sport. --Jeff Shannon