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Special Features
- Roger Donaldson's original 1971 documentary Offerings to the God of Speed featuring historical footage of the real Burt Munro
- "Southland: Burt's Hometown of Invercargill" featurette
- "The Making of The World's Fastest Indian" featurette
- Deleted scenes
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
A movie that exudes affection and goodwill, The World's Fastest Indian is an unabashed mash note to a lovely character from New Zealand's recent past. Burt Munro, played by Anthony Hopkins, is a cantankerous Kiwi with an obsession: he's been tinkering with his 1920s-era Indian brand motorcycle for years, pushing it to ever-faster speeds. It's the 1960s, and Burt has the utterly mad idea of taking the bike to the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, site of world records for speed racing. The movie takes a while to get to the journey--and then the journey takes a while--but the genial atmosphere prevails. (People of a certain age, for whom the word "Bonneville" evokes pleasant associations with hotrods and world-speed records, will not be disappointed in the film's location shooting, or its sense of awe.) Hopkins is not quite on-the-money casting for the jovial, happy-go-lucky Munro, and his accent wavers, but he nails the emotional scenes and the fascination with speed. Smaller bits are well-filled by Diane Ladd and Christopher Lawford (son of Peter), who looks uncannily of the era. New Zealand director Roger Donaldson doesn't take any chances here, but the story clearly means something to him, and that sense of commitment carries the film through its sleepier moments. --Robert Horton
Product Description
In `60s New Zealand, at the bottom of the world, Burt Munro takes a 1920 Indian motorcycle and, delightfully without resources other than his own obsession and a Kiwi #8 wire mentality, spends his retirement rebuilding the bike and following his dream to go to Speed Week at Salt Lake in Utah. Under funded, without the support of a team and against all the odds he not only makes it to Bonneville, he sets a national land speed record, not once, but again and again.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
216 of 223 people found the following review helpful
Never, that's what Burt Munro has to say to us.Wow! This is a great flick and Anthony Hopkins is at his subtle best!Way more than 5 stars.The synopsis:Burt Munro, a Kiwi from far south New Zealand has been building and rebuilding his motorcycle for the last 40 years, dreaming of the day when he and the bike can go to Bonneville Salt Flats,USA and see what they can really do. When Burt's heart goes bad on him, his dreaming is threatened to come to an end. Burt is not ready to stop dreaming. He decides to mortgage his house and bring his dream to life. He and the motorcycle head for American and the Bonneville Salt Flats,Utah to participate in 'Speed Week'. When they land in in the US the fun begins. His journey from Long Beach to Utah brings him through a cross section of American 'characters'. Each recognizes in Burt, that burning desire to achieve a dream and each helps him in the way that they can to make that dream happen. There are so many funny and beautiful moments but one that come to mind is when Burt meets Tina, the transvestite motel clerk...that whole interaction is so beautiful. Or when Burt finally stands on Bonneville Salt Flats, by himself thinking of all the greatness that has transpired here and now he, Burt Munro, can at last test himself on this 'sacred ground'. Man! it brings shivers to see Anthony Hopkins do that moment.While the film is about motorcycles and fast cars, it is not a movie about motorheads. It is a story we can all get something out of- even your Grandma will love it. Don't hold back-go see it now. A Cultural Sidebar:I happen to have been in New Zealand when this film started it's world release in it's home country..Oct. 2005. The Kiwis, normally a reserved and sober lot, were crazy on this movie. For a week that is all the entertainment news there was, end to end on both islands. Munro's actually Indian Scout motorcycle made the rounds of movie houses, sort of a hero's artifact for theater goers inspection. In general, the Kiwis felt that Hopkins and Donaldson had really nailed the Kiwi national 'character', straight talking but not offensive, a master of '#8 wire' ingenuity, reserved but determined. All this allowed Munro to build his bike to it's peak,get it to America, and rise above the better financed competition. Hopkins was given accolades for nailing a South Island,New Zealand accent.People that had known Munro claimed Hopkins had portrayed Munro as they knew him. As an American I like they way Donaldson portrayed Americans.I found the movie to be a classic American dream tale. Go see the movie, you won't be sorry.
90 of 95 people found the following review helpful
Burt Munro was a man who had many loves: women, speed, things mechanical, tinkering, life itself and perhaps most passionately and enduringly his ancient Indian motorcycle. This film lovingly chronicles Burt's pursuit of the seemingly impossible dream inspired by his Indian, and the amazing quest which took him from the village of Invercargill, New Zealand to the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah.
Director Donaldson tells Burt's feel good story in a straightforward and unemotional manner, with many of the scenes being filmed on location in Invercargill and at Bonneville. Anthony Hopkins is so perfectly cast that he seems to become Burt. His interviews while promoting the film made it clear how much he enjoyed the role and respected Burt's achievements; the Kiwis who knew Burt were very pleased with his faithful portrayal in his film. The supporting cast also does an excellent job, although in all probability the only other individuals recognizable to most moviegoers will be Diane Ladd as Ada and Bruce Greenwood as Jerry, who helps Burt overcome the resistance he encounters when he arrives at Bonneville with a vehicle which breaks all the safety rules. In addition, deserving special mention in a brief appearance as Tina is Chris Williams.
The director very intelligently decided to provide several humorous moments and a lot of casual humor to keep the approximately two hour long movie moving at a reasonable pace. The natural tension inherent in several obstacles Burt had to overcome (e.g. his lack of financial resources, the aforementioned mentioned problems before being allowed to race his vehicle, a heart condition which landed him in the hospital) are wisely handled in a summary way; after all, everyone in the audience already knows the reason why the film was made is because despite his limited resources and working entirely on his own Burt was successful in converting his motorcycle which was originally not built to exceed 54 MPH into THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN.
My five star rating for this film is not based on the fact that I think it is a great movie; in fact, it left several unanswered questions to which I hope that further research will provide some answers. And I certainly wish it had managed to incorporate more of the wonderfully scenic New Zealand countryside where Burt lived. Rather, my rating is based on the engaging manner in which this film tells Burt's tale; he captivated me just as he eventually managed to captivate almost everyone with whom he came in contact, even those individuals who didn't share his belief in himself or perhaps considered him a little crazy. In summary, I highly recommend this story of perseverance and achievement for everyone willing to spend a few hours with Burt as he pursues his dream to its satisfying and highly emotional conclusion. (The director's genius was in recognizing that the story itself would provoke most moviegoers into cheering wildly or crying tears of joy with Burt before his time in Bonneville is finished, no cinematic tricks or artificial plot devices were necessary.) It is truly awe inspiring to realize that many of the records which Burt set still survive today, and thus his machine is not only still THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN but remains unbeaten by all engines in its category.
Tucker Andersen
Director Donaldson tells Burt's feel good story in a straightforward and unemotional manner, with many of the scenes being filmed on location in Invercargill and at Bonneville. Anthony Hopkins is so perfectly cast that he seems to become Burt. His interviews while promoting the film made it clear how much he enjoyed the role and respected Burt's achievements; the Kiwis who knew Burt were very pleased with his faithful portrayal in his film. The supporting cast also does an excellent job, although in all probability the only other individuals recognizable to most moviegoers will be Diane Ladd as Ada and Bruce Greenwood as Jerry, who helps Burt overcome the resistance he encounters when he arrives at Bonneville with a vehicle which breaks all the safety rules. In addition, deserving special mention in a brief appearance as Tina is Chris Williams.
The director very intelligently decided to provide several humorous moments and a lot of casual humor to keep the approximately two hour long movie moving at a reasonable pace. The natural tension inherent in several obstacles Burt had to overcome (e.g. his lack of financial resources, the aforementioned mentioned problems before being allowed to race his vehicle, a heart condition which landed him in the hospital) are wisely handled in a summary way; after all, everyone in the audience already knows the reason why the film was made is because despite his limited resources and working entirely on his own Burt was successful in converting his motorcycle which was originally not built to exceed 54 MPH into THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN.
My five star rating for this film is not based on the fact that I think it is a great movie; in fact, it left several unanswered questions to which I hope that further research will provide some answers. And I certainly wish it had managed to incorporate more of the wonderfully scenic New Zealand countryside where Burt lived. Rather, my rating is based on the engaging manner in which this film tells Burt's tale; he captivated me just as he eventually managed to captivate almost everyone with whom he came in contact, even those individuals who didn't share his belief in himself or perhaps considered him a little crazy. In summary, I highly recommend this story of perseverance and achievement for everyone willing to spend a few hours with Burt as he pursues his dream to its satisfying and highly emotional conclusion. (The director's genius was in recognizing that the story itself would provoke most moviegoers into cheering wildly or crying tears of joy with Burt before his time in Bonneville is finished, no cinematic tricks or artificial plot devices were necessary.) It is truly awe inspiring to realize that many of the records which Burt set still survive today, and thus his machine is not only still THE WORLD'S FASTEST INDIAN but remains unbeaten by all engines in its category.
Tucker Andersen
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By Victor Cruz
"If you don't take any risks in life, Thomas, you might as well be a vegetable."
"A vegetable? What kind of vegetable?"
"I don't know. Let's say a cabbage. You'd be a cabbage. Yes, that's it. A cabbage."
The Boston Globe review from Feb. 3 called "The Fastest Indian" a fish-out-of-water story, but I would never call it that. Based on a true life story, Anthony Hopkins does a convincing job capturing Burt Munro, an 60-something New Zealand tinkerer so incredibly devoted to making his Indian Scout run faster that he sleeps, eats, works and lives in a cement bunker of a workshop tool shed he calls home. The opening scene makes you love the movie instantly. ... A dolly shot that follows shelves upon shelves full of cast-off pistons. Handwritten in white chalk on these dark alters are the words "Offerings to the God of Speed".
This is a road trip movie combined with high speed thrills and characters that leap off the screen. You find yourself rooting for an old man's ambition to realize a dream and to fight the authority figures that always seem to thorn his side. That's the thing about authorities. They are kill joys.
Burt Munro was as frugal as the late Fred Tausch. A guy who'd use a cork from a bottle of brandy to plug his tank. Unlike the Globe review, I won't spoil the movie for you by telling you too much. The paper gave this movie only 2˝ stars, but I'd give it top rankings because the movie breaches the full arc of human emotions: there's plenty of humor, anger, love, surprise, suspense, fright, defeat and triumph. There's also some adrenalin. Never a dull moment, any non-biker can relate and will love this movie too.
Burt's lifelong dream is to get to America for Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah -- "holy ground" -- as Burt calls it. For Burt, this place is Mecca. He just wants "to see how fast she'll run flat out."
The time is in the late `50s. Enough entertaining events take place before the movie starts picking up speed when Burt arrives in Los Angeles, where he gets more than his fair share of culture shock. The high contrast between Burt's down-home New Zealand nature and the harsh and seedy qualities of "Hollyweird" clash head-on, with colorful characters leaving no room for doubt.
From the first step Burt makes into the U.S. on his road trip, all the way to the movie's feel-good resolution, Burt is hampered and hooked and hung up with a chain of authoritarian impediments. You feel his grave disappointments and you feel his resolve to not let anyone stop him from seeing "how fast she'll run". His machine is ancient. It cannot pass inspection. The laughing officials doubt that Burt's bike will reach 70 mph. "Your suspension was old 20 years ago." He's got no `chute', no brakes, no fire-retardant suit, no high-speed tires.
Finally, it's Burt's kind Down Under charm, his mechanic's smarts, and sky-wide determination that thaws the officials and wins the day. Maybe every 25 years a movie this meaningful to motorcyclists comes along. A movie so good, it's worth seeing over and over again.
As Burt says about riding fast, "You live more in five minutes going flat out in one of these things than most live in a lifetime."
Victor Cruz
"A vegetable? What kind of vegetable?"
"I don't know. Let's say a cabbage. You'd be a cabbage. Yes, that's it. A cabbage."
The Boston Globe review from Feb. 3 called "The Fastest Indian" a fish-out-of-water story, but I would never call it that. Based on a true life story, Anthony Hopkins does a convincing job capturing Burt Munro, an 60-something New Zealand tinkerer so incredibly devoted to making his Indian Scout run faster that he sleeps, eats, works and lives in a cement bunker of a workshop tool shed he calls home. The opening scene makes you love the movie instantly. ... A dolly shot that follows shelves upon shelves full of cast-off pistons. Handwritten in white chalk on these dark alters are the words "Offerings to the God of Speed".
This is a road trip movie combined with high speed thrills and characters that leap off the screen. You find yourself rooting for an old man's ambition to realize a dream and to fight the authority figures that always seem to thorn his side. That's the thing about authorities. They are kill joys.
Burt Munro was as frugal as the late Fred Tausch. A guy who'd use a cork from a bottle of brandy to plug his tank. Unlike the Globe review, I won't spoil the movie for you by telling you too much. The paper gave this movie only 2˝ stars, but I'd give it top rankings because the movie breaches the full arc of human emotions: there's plenty of humor, anger, love, surprise, suspense, fright, defeat and triumph. There's also some adrenalin. Never a dull moment, any non-biker can relate and will love this movie too.
Burt's lifelong dream is to get to America for Speed Week at the Bonneville Salt Flats of Utah -- "holy ground" -- as Burt calls it. For Burt, this place is Mecca. He just wants "to see how fast she'll run flat out."
The time is in the late `50s. Enough entertaining events take place before the movie starts picking up speed when Burt arrives in Los Angeles, where he gets more than his fair share of culture shock. The high contrast between Burt's down-home New Zealand nature and the harsh and seedy qualities of "Hollyweird" clash head-on, with colorful characters leaving no room for doubt.
From the first step Burt makes into the U.S. on his road trip, all the way to the movie's feel-good resolution, Burt is hampered and hooked and hung up with a chain of authoritarian impediments. You feel his grave disappointments and you feel his resolve to not let anyone stop him from seeing "how fast she'll run". His machine is ancient. It cannot pass inspection. The laughing officials doubt that Burt's bike will reach 70 mph. "Your suspension was old 20 years ago." He's got no `chute', no brakes, no fire-retardant suit, no high-speed tires.
Finally, it's Burt's kind Down Under charm, his mechanic's smarts, and sky-wide determination that thaws the officials and wins the day. Maybe every 25 years a movie this meaningful to motorcyclists comes along. A movie so good, it's worth seeing over and over again.
As Burt says about riding fast, "You live more in five minutes going flat out in one of these things than most live in a lifetime."
Victor Cruz
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
Not only is this a good movie but I bought it for my dad after he couldn't find it in any stores for a year. He loved it and still randomly watches it from time to time. Thanks!
Published 1 day ago by Ryan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful movie
I first ordered what was supposed to be a HD version - and it wouldn't play at all. They credited it, and I then got the original version. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Rosalie Mietzel
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best
I haven't seen a movie this good, in a long long time, Anthony Hopkins playing Burt Munro was an absolute great pick.....this is a movie the family can see
Published 2 days ago by Kathleen Croghan
5.0 out of 5 stars
good movie
i saw the movie before and loved it bought it to watch a couple more tiso imes!!! highly recomend it...
Published 5 days ago by 67dan
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best movie I've seen in a long time
This was an EXCELLENT movie. I'm so sick of poorly written story lines that attempt to compensate with sex and violence. I recommend this movie for all age groups.
Published 7 days ago by Virginia Boyle
5.0 out of 5 stars
World's Fastest Indian even til this Day!!
Very inspiring and touching movie. Well played. Great acting, great depiction of a legendary man. WORTH your while to screen this with your family and friends. Read more
Published 7 days ago by C.Tran
4.0 out of 5 stars
Zoom-zoom
Not about Native Americans--it's about motorcycles and, if you like history and bikes, this movie is for you. Not Anthony Hopkins usual role but his character seems very real.
Published 8 days ago by Bev
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great movie a must see for any biker!
This movie hits the heart being a true story, it makes you feel like your right in the movie living the dream with him!
Published 9 days ago by Cheese
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome
Movie. We actually borrowed the movie before buying it and we really liked the movie and how well it defines the motorcycle.
Published 13 days ago by Kathy
5.0 out of 5 stars
A keeper
If you are looking for a light hearted, fun, and entertaining movie to while away a few hours, look no further.
Published 15 days ago by Dave Trengove
