American Nitro Re-Release On DVD

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Hello,

I am one of the producers of the film "American Nitro" which we are just now re-releasing on a specially remastered DVD. "Nitro" was originally released in 1979. Now we have had the original camera negative digitally restored and glass masters made to make DVD discs of the finest quality. In fact, this is the best I seen it since it was originally released, and hell I shot most of it.

This movie was originally distributed by a Hollywood Studio called Cannon Releasing. It played in every city in America and around the world. Since we re-acquired the rights, we are doing a special 30th Anniversary roll-out.

"American Nitro" is, "The" nostalgia movie on Funny Cars, Top Fuel, and the lost world of good old-time drag racing. It includes all the top stars of the era and goes behind those famous, "Sunday, Sunday, Sunday" radio ads we all remember.

Please visit our website www.Americannitro.com and let us know what you think.

If you decide to order a DVD, then please, turn up the volume, and enjoy the show.

Here are some of the comments we are getting...


"Fired it up and it's great..........
Good stuff, Dave Uyehara's Monza, Lil John Lombardo, the big hitters, some guy named Veney and did I mention Jungle Pam ??

Good and clear, y'all need to get it......."


"I got my copy last night and watched it twice!

I believe it should be a law that you cannot be called a Drag Racing fan if you do not own this movie, it is THE BEST....

it's the who's who of drag racing, all the big names are in it and classic Jungle Pam to top it all off....

Like they say in the movie..."Jungle Pam, what a dame..."


"Yep, I ordered my before Memorial Day Weekend
and it was here at work on Tuesday.

Watched it on my computer and the cars look absolutely gorgeous.

I cannot wait to watch this on my brothers 60" screen
with the Bose surround Sound!"

--Dave

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First Drag Race Review...

The mid 1970's was a period known for high inflation and high gas prices, but for drag racing, it was the golden years. Match racing up and down the West Coast was "the Grateful Dead Tour On Nitro", with it's own set of characters. And with it came some wild nights of drag racing mayhem in Orange County, Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Spokane and Fremont California.

The sport was not like it is today, it had its share of problems as things, occasionally, got out of control, whether it was unruly spectators or the extreme and sometimes illegal measures some racers went to in order to keep racing. But thanks to Bill Doner, Jim Rockstad and others, match racing also provided these racers income at a time when most would otherwise be hanging by a thread .

But the good of the era far outweighed the bad, and the movie, "American Nitro", beautifully documented the drag racing scene as it was in the 70's, with all the characters, the color, the nicknames and the circus attractions that made professional drag racing in the 70's a guilty pleasure much like watching a Kiss concert. This movie was all about the match races where drivers were paid to put on a show and not the more serious national event competiton. Although, most of the same cast of characters competed on the national event circuit as well.

The producers of this drive-in flick, Bill and Jim Kimberlin made the movie by the seat of their pants much like the racers they chronicled. The movie has no narrative, instead the drivers and others were interviewed on the spot with no script. Much of the film focuses around Don "the Snake" Prudhomme, correctly portrayed as the intense and serious competitor that he was at the time. Prudhomme's rival, Tom "the Mongoose" McEwan, also gets a lot of face time in this action packed movie full of personality.

Other racers making appearances whether they wanted to or not include: Ed "the Ace McCullouch, Tommy Ivo, Twig Zeigler, Jungle Jim, 240 Gordie Bonin, and Shirley Muldowney. The film was made in a three year time span at Freemont Raceway which eventually met the same fate as Arthur Treatcher's Fish and Chips, discos and eight track tapes. In that three year period about every car in the mid 70's that ever competed on the West Coast match race scene is in this film. You see flashes of the Blue Max, the Hawaiian, Pisano and Matsuboro, Jerry Ruth, Nitro Nick Harman, Gary Densham, Frank Bradley, Brad Anderson, Venny's Vega and more. And like the sport itself, If you blink you miss something.

It should be noted that the producers of the film were not big drag racing fans out to make a propaganda piece, but rather serious filmmakers out to document the drag racing counterculture at the time. To them it was a different world known only to it's fans and the businesses that supported it. They didn't limit the movie to action on the track but interviewed the people behind the scenes that were the backbone of the sport, those that manufactured the parts, the chassis and even the fiberglass bodies. Ed Pink explains how and engine explodes which leads to a fire. The likable Jamie Sarte' explains how a chassis is made and Wild Bill Carter talks about painting funny car bodies. This film is that in-depth. There's also a curious observation of the questionable fan base and the ladies that frequented the strips back then.

The film also addresses the dangers inherent to drag racing during that time period and shows some spectacular crashes. Some of which were filmed elsewhere. They also addressed the exhibition side of drag racing including the jets, wheelstanders and even the bike jumps as a way to lure in more spectators. The Promoter and ringmaster, Bill Doner, also makes a rare appearance in the movie. Most have heard his voice but few have ever seen him.

American Nitro is a must see for a hardcore drag racing fan or for anyone that wants to take a trip back to the 70's and relive this subculture that a few of us were lucky enough to experience and still talk about. To this reviewer, who was there, I rank this film as the best drag racing documentary ever produced.

American Nitro has just been digitally remastered and available on DVD by going to, where else but, www.americannitro.com"


Rich Bailey, Capracing.com

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There is a clip of American Nitro up on YouTube under the title "Wrecks Crashes and American Nitro".

Also a new review in Dragster Australia...

"BACK WHEN SEX WAS SAFE AND DRAG RACING WAS DANGEROUS"

"If you missed "Livin' In The Seventies", then American Nitro is the fix you need. It was a cool flick when it was at the drive-in, it was cool when it was released on VHS, and now 30 years later its back better than ever, digitally remastered and ready to crank it up. If you love your nostalgia trips then this is the ultimate high- John Baremans Dragster Australia magazine."

"Stocks are very limited so don't hesitate because snoozers are losers."