Petty Blue (2010/CMT/Paramount DVD)
Picture: C+
Sound: C Extras: C+ Film: C+
Narrated by Kevin Costner, Mike Viney’s Petty Blue looks at three generations
of the dynasty of NASCAR drivers, the Petty Family. A decent documentary, we learn about the
lives, triumphs and tragedies of Lee, Richard “The King”, Kyle and Adam from
the earliest years where Lee gave the sport a face to the mega-franchise NASCAR
is today as backed by the family, sometimes at great sacrifice.
At 90 minutes, it is better than I expected, though the
time could have been spent better by going into much deeper detail about the
family, the sport, its relation to the whole car and racing industry and some
of the rise of NASCAR as they did help it become what it is today, but too much
of that is ignored for humor and to give the project more commercial
appeal. That waters down what could have
been a more riveting portrait, but what we get is not bad here, but could have
been richer and better. Costner’s work
here is a plus.
The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image has some color
limits from stylizing and originating on HD video, but we get some good color in
the older film footage and the vintage stills, other analog video and black and
white footage is edited in well enough.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is just a little better than the Dolby 2.0 mix,
but not by much, stretching out what was meant to be TV stereo at best.
Extras include Costner’s “Backyard” Music Video (for fans only), Bonus Interviews, Deleted
Scenes, Vintage Audio Interviews and Richard & Maurice Down Memory Lane
featurette.
- Nicholas Sheffo
