directed by:
Danny Miguel written by: Danny Miguel genre: Documentary |
"Mexican Express" revisits the world of drag racing in the late '60s to early '70s in Long Beach, California. Two brothers, Fred and Rick Esparza, share memories of their childhood. One of the brothers was a star athlete, and the other was involved with neighborhood gangs. Their saving grace in life was falling in love with drag racing. A $200 truck changed their lives when they totally rewired the whole engine and transmission. Of course, their father thought they were crazy. They weren't mechanics. Learning from some pros, they souped up that ride, and the rest is history.
Luckily we get to share some of that history. Lions Drag Strip was the place to race. There's some cool vintage film of some hot rods that graced this speedway. There are also some great interviews with the people who shared this journey, especially those who did all the superb detailing. The Lions Drag Strip held its final race in 1972. The strip was closed down due to land ownership issues and, of course, complaints about the noise. My dad took me to some of those drag races when I was young, and the noise was like a bombing raid. In the film, the brothers also visit the strip as it looks today, which makes for some interesting viewing. Drag racing fanatics will no doubt find this film very inspiring. Moreover, it may well breed a whole new generation of fanatics - and there is nothing wrong with that.
Danny Miguel is undoubtedly a seasoned filmmaker, and without question, this project comes straight from the heart. I'm a huge fan of documentaries, and this one is just wonderful. Flawless. I give this film four out of five stars. To everyone involved in this project - nice work. |
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