Product Details

• Language: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1)
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005NG0O
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #65,707 in Movies & TV (See Bestsellers in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Super Speedway: The Mach II Special Edition" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

One of the best directors of IMAX films, Stephen Low (Titanica) has always been a race fan. After obtaining permission from CART, a governing body of Indy car racing and Newman/Haas racing (a Championship team co-owned by Paul Newman), Low found his stars for Super Speedway: the racing Andrettis, father Mario and son Michael. Mounting cameras fore and aft on the Andrettis' cars, IMAX offers a better vantage point than an ESPN camera, at a superior grade of clarity. Add to that the excellent sound and you can "feel" the bumps on the asphalt as the cars zoom in and out of corners. The large format can turn a pit stop into a dramatic 12 seconds as we see the driver's eyes dart away from his cockpit for a few brief seconds. We watch Michael Andretti on oval tracks and exciting road courses going over hills and sharp turns. There's even a spin--probably staged--from an angle we've never seen before.

Although true race conditions were impossible (the camera is just too bulky), Low sneakily edits his film to stretch the imagination. On race day, several Indy cars drove alongside the camera car hours before the main event, passing and drafting each other with crowds whizzing past them. When edited with footage of the race, it feels like the real thing. Low takes a few off-beat choices in setting up his story. The first image is the biggest chicken you've ever seen. The last shot is a '50s car (lovingly restored during the film) racing through perfect golden foliage on an autumn day. It gives his movie of modern technology a wonderful sense of nostalgia. --Doug Thomas

Product Description

Fasten your seatbelt and get ready for the ride of your life! Super Speedway puts you in the driver's seat of an Indy-type race car tearing up asphalt at speeds of over 230 miles per hour. Follow the excitement and drama of championship auto racing with narrator and celebrated actor Paul Newman, and join racing star Michael Andretti and his legendary father, Mario, as they craft a state-of-the-art race car. Then, follow the pulse-pounding action of Michael's high-speed quest for victory as he pushes the limits of the new car at the PPG CART World Series. So start your engines - Super Speedway is about to begin! Ever wonder "how did they do that?" The Making of 'Super Speedway', shot on High-Definition Video, puts you behind the cameras, letting you explore the movie magic of making a groundbreaking documentary in the largest film format in the world. A revolutionary chapter selection menu gives you the option of jumping scene by scene from in front of the cameras to behind the lense.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

50 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for racing fans, June 2, 2000

By	Paul D. Ferguson (Santa Clara, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Super Speedway (Large Format) (DVD)

I was initially put off by the title and the artwork on this DVD, believing it was aimed at hard-core racing fans. After reading numerous reviews praising the quality of the sound and images, I decided to buy it as a "show me why DVD is so great" disk. And in that regard, I certainly wasn't disappointed; it is a spectacular showcase DVD.

What I didn't expect is how much I enjoyed the human interest story of the Andretti family. The movie takes you into their world, and places racing in perspective: technological, historical, and social. The story arc gently draws you to the racing track, immerses you in the raw excitement of driving at over 200 MPH, and then eases you back out to the real world, your heart still pounding. While the cars are unquestionably exciting, this isn't just about sitting in the cockpit. It's really about the people who do this, from the driver all the way back to the car's designers.

In the "Behind the Scenes" video (an outstanding piece in its own right), the director points out that you couldn't invent a story like this, that no one would believe it. Without giving away anything, the finale of Super Speedway is more touching, more emotional than any Hollywood fiction. Highly recommended.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An insight into indy car, December 19, 1999

By	Snovgras (London) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Super Speedway (Large Format) (DVD)

When you first look at the case two words stare at you Imax and THX, This film was originaly made for the Imax theatre, the dvd version is just as good, the image is awe-inspiring, every single detail jumps from the screen, and the THX sound is remarkable, this is an audio experience which will send your pulse racing, Both these elements put together in one film does not happen very often, but when it does it's an experience you will never forget. If you want to enjoy the thrills of driving an indy-car, or want to find out how an indy-car is made from start to finish, then do not hesitate go and buy one of the best documentarys ever made. You also get the making of super speedway which puts you behind the camera and shows just how much work and money has gone into making this film.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the reason why DVD exists!, December 3, 1999

By	Eduardo Middleton K. (Santiago, A.M. Chile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Super Speedway (Large Format) (DVD)

When I read the reviews from this dvd I had to give it a try. They were right, I'm impressed. This dvd has all the features I expected from dvd from the start. The sound is impressive and envolving, the picture quality based in IMAX film is terrific. Moreover, the story has adrenaline and nostalgia in equal shares. This movie was not only made for racing car fans, DVD and movie lovers will be also moved by it. Also, the making of documentary is top notch. You can see the professionalism and tender loving care that was put in this film. One of the best things is that Mario & Michael Andretti do not try to steal the show. They add experience and a sense of reality that makes you think you're watching an actual race. If you ever wondered why dvd exists, this is the answer. This might be the best DVD I own.