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If it weren't for The Lord of the Rings, not a lot of people would know who Viggo Mortensen is. And it's funny when you think about it. Originally, Stuart Townsend was cast as Aragorn in what would arguably become the greatest trilogy ever put on film. But, Townsend was fired (under conflicting circumstances) and replaced by Viggo. Viggo went on to become a huge star and Townsend made some of the worst movies of the past few years - Queen of the Damned and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. How does this relate to Hidalgo? I guess if it weren't for Stuart Townsend, Viggo probably wouldn't be the star that he is and you probably wouldn't be watching him in Hidalgo. Or, I guess if he were starring in Hidalgo, you'd be asking yourself "Viggo who?". (On a side note, Stuart Townsend is dating Charlize Theron, so despite the fact that he makes terrible movies, his life isn't so bad.)
Hidalgo is based on the "true" story of Frank T. Hopkins (Viggo), a horse rider who gained acclaim with his horse, Hidalgo, for winning some of the longest and toughest long distance races of all-time. Apparently, long-distance endurance racing with horses was big back in the day. (Think Cannonball Run. Add the horses. Subtract the comedy.) So, hearing about this famous horse and rider, Hopkins and Hidalgo are summoned to the Arabian Desert to compete in the Ocean of Fire - a race that has been happening for 1,000+ years - a race so long and grueling that only the toughest men and horses even survive to cross the finish line. Partly for the challenge (and partly for the fact that the winner gets the equivalent of $100,000) Hopkins makes the journey to race against the finest of Arabian horses. Along the way, there is romance, adventure and all the things that make a movie like this a thrill to watch.
I emphasize based on a "true" story because I can imagine some of the facts being true - and more of the facts being fiction. I'm sure there was a Frank T. Hopkins. I'm sure there was a Hidalgo. And I'm sure there was a race called the Ocean of Fire. There may even be a few other minor similarities. But the rest? I highly doubt it. Still, it makes for a great story and a fun ride. And after all, we're not here for a history lesson, are we?
For special features, Hidalgo doesn't provide a lot. We get a making-of featurette titled "Sand and Celluloid". Here, we learn a few behind-the-scenes tidbits with your standard cast and crew interviews. Very short at only 9 minutes, we do get our fill of info, including bits about the real-life sand storms on the set, how they "painted" a number of different horses to play Hidalgo in the movie (fooled me!) and how they made the locusts that Viggo had to eat - which seemed like a lot of unneccesary work to me - but maybe that's why I don't make movies.
Our only other extra is a feature titled "America's First Horse". Available only if you put the DVD in your DVD-ROM, this is a a more detailed (22 minute) QuickTime featurette dealing with horses (mustangs in particular) and their place in American history. Some fascinating stuff. And, if I got anything out of both of these features, it's what a renaissance man Viggo Mortensen is. Looking up his profile at the IMDb, we learn that Viggo has written a book of poetry, that he speaks fluent English, Spanish and Danish (and from this featurette, a Native language as well), he's a painter, a photographer, a jazz musician and also an accomplished horseman. Apparently, the guy can do it all. After seeing this, I certainly have a lot more respect for the guy. Check this feature out.
All in all, Hidalgo is a fun ride. A bit episodic, and some times where I just wished they'd get on to the next scene, but put it all together, it's a fascinating story about a chapter in history that we don't hear enough about. Add the charisma of a guy like Viggo Mortensen and you've got a winner.
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