3 - The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004)

Great

The DVD has a lot more than I thought it would. You can watch races, learn about Dale Jr, and navigation is easy. January 7, 2009

Worth the money

The movie was very good and the special features are great. Well worth the money. January 7, 2009

Great Movie

My husband saw this movie on TV. Went online and bought it for him so he could watch it at his leisure. My husband admired Mr. Earnhardt for the way he got from where he was to the great racer he became. Thank you. March 30, 2008

Failing To Take The Checkered Flag

There is more drama with these ESPN movies than on any NASCAR track, and this nominal biography of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., is not an exception to this very frustrating rule.

Initially airing on December 11, 2004, the screenplay was not approved by Teresa Earnhardt or the Earnhardt family. Team owner Richard Childress - who had a longtime partnership/friendship with Dale, Sr. - sued ESPN for copyright infringement for using the logo associated with the race cars.

Actor Barry Pepper does a good job in the lead role, in a script that inaccurately portrays the rivalry between Dale, Sr., and Darrell Waltrip. The pair - who battled on the track - became friends, with Waltrip driving for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated near the end of his career.

The bonus footage is outstanding, which includes an ESPN documentary on the life & times of Dale, Sr., highlights from races and a feature on the making of the movie.

But a Collector's Edition does not win through a support series and 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story, runs out of gas before reaching the finish line. March 10, 2008

Good idea, but unfortunately innacurate

I'm glad to see Earnhardt's memory being cherished and honored. I think the actors all did a very good job. And the first part of the movie, showing Earnhardt's tough upbringing, was exceptional (hats off to J.K. Simmons, but I'm used to that by now).
My problems with the movie come during the later stages of it.
Problem number one: Dale's relationship with Darrell Waltrip. In reality, while they were fierce rivals, they were also very good friends. In the movie, they are portrayed as despising each other's very existence. The one scene that really galled me was when Waltrip bragged about telling the press they could "write whatever you want about Earnhardt and his team, they can't read anyway". Are there any NASCAR fans that can imagine DW saying that, not just about another driver, but about a close friend? (which he was, regardless of the movie's inaccurate portrayal)
Problem number two: Earnhardt's general actions off the track when he converses with other drivers. While Dale was certainly a tough, strong-willed, independent guy, he wasn't the malcontent grump that all the other drivers hated in the movie. With the exception of Neil Bonnet, no driver ever showed Dale any kind of respect, instead offering nothing but hostility. Not even close to the truth.
Problem number three: I do NOT like the way the movie ended. They show clips of the 2001 Daytona 500, then show the crash clip. When they show the crash, it starts just as Marlin gets into Dale, then just as Dale's car hits the wall, it fades to white, and there's a shot of Dale as a boy meeting his late father, presumably a "racetrack in heaven type thing". In my opinion, this is just irresponsible, because it fails to show just how much his death hit home. I would have included a montage showing the paramedics arriving, Earnhardt Jr. running to his dad's car after the race, the press release, the memorials all over the country, the silent third laps, Harvick's win at Atlanta, Earnhardt Jr.'s win at the Pepsi 400, etc. Someone with no prior knowledge could even think NASCAR was glad to be rid of him, because all they see is a malcontent guy everyone hates getting killed. The omission of tributes removes an essential piece of the movie-showing just how much Dale meant to NASCAR. People should know about the silent third laps for the rest of the year. People should know about Harvick, driving in just his third race, winning in Dale's car, and driving a victory lap with three fingers out the window and then dedicating it to Dale in victory lane. People should know about Earnhardt Jr. winning the very next race at Daytona, with Waltrip right behind him, then the two of them, in tears, hugging on top of Earnhardt Jr.'s car. All these things should have been included in the movie.
March 8, 2008

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