Demolition derby documentary offers look behind the crashes

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

By Michael Knox, mknox@modernfilmzine.com

Demolition derby fans are a rare breed, with their vehicles smashing and bashing into one another on the track, but now people can get a glimpse into the mindset of these drivers with the new documentary, “Derby Madness! The Movie.”

The DVD goes on sale on Saturday, but there is also a free screening at 7 p.m. at the Krider  Performing Arts Center in Paris, Tenn.

“Derby Madness!” follows promoter Mike Weatherford, a Paris, Tenn. native, with his group of officials as they travel to various small towns in Western Tennessee and Kentucky for the “Derby Madness” demolition derby competitions.

“It’s something that everybody wishes they could do,” Weatherford said in a news release. “How many times have you been in traffic and you wanted to take your car and just smash the other car because they cut in front of you?  That’s what we do!  When you come to a demolition derby your gonna see fire, your gonna see smoke, your gonna see car crashing, your gonna hear loud noises and it’s gonna be exciting!”

The  documentary is produced by DuMedia Lighthouse, and features Bill Reagor, Max Parrish, Wes Gargus, and many others who have participated in the “Derby Madness” events.

Filmmakers John Dudley and William Middleton spent one year following the officials, car builders and drivers for the documentary.

“Along with many car smashes, including lots of smoke and fire, we’ve put together some very compelling footage of what goes on behind-the-scenes and in the dramatic lives of the drivers and officials,” Dudley said in a news release. “It was a pleasure getting to know these people and making this movie. We’ve done our best to capture the crazy, car-crashing world of demolition derby.”

The Krider Performing Arts Center (KPAC) is located at 650 Volunteer Drive, Paris, TN 38242. The website for KPAC is www.kridercenter.com. For more information to purchase DVDs of the movie, visit the website: www.derbymadnessmovie.com