All Rise...

Since he got his new unicycle for Christmas, Judge Kent Dixon has finally mastered a ride around the room.

Editor's Note

Our review of IMAX: Ride Around The World, published January 14th, 2010, is also available.

The Charge

This is the story of a global cowboy culture that was born in a tiny corner of the Mediterranean and spread from there into every corner of the new world.

The Case

There are few lifestyles with the same universal sense of romance, history and in some ways mystique, as that of the cowboy. The subjects of novels and poems, films and songs, cowboys have ridden into the history books of many countries around the world. Shot in stunning 1080p IMAX, Ride Around The World gallops onto Blu-ray, taking a 40 minute look at a proud tradition that dates back more than 1,500 years.

The feature paints a complete picture, exploring the global history of the cowboy tradition and its origins with Moroccan cavalry whose influence spread into Spain, where horsemen adapted the Moroccan style to be used for herding cattle. From there, the cowboy lifestyle and tradition spread around the world where it is still very much a way of life in countries from Chile, Argentina and Mexico, to Texas and into western Canada. Beyond a mere history lesson, viewers hear from cowboys in their own words as they talk about the unique job and way of life they've chosen. Looking at everything from the gear cowboys use to help them work with their horses, to how they brand cattle for identification and use dogs as helpers, Ride Around The World tells an amazing story in its short run time.

From the simple but rousing soundtrack, composed largely of violins, guitars and flutes, to the pounding of the hooves and whooping of the cowboys, and the engaging narration, Ride Around The World delivers a well-balanced and thoroughly enjoyable audio mix. High-altitude aerial footage and intimate ground level shots from around the world tell this global story with beauty and majesty. As the tale unfolds, the dusty trails of the Sahara, Texas and Mexico give way to the lush wetlands of Argentina and the rolling plains and mountains of Chile and Canada. Visually diverse and ranging from deep greens to dusty ambers, this is a beautiful presentation indeed. It's a real treat that, for much of the film, the viewer is given a cowboy's-eye view riding across the plains, roping cattle, and doing all kinds of stuff that we city slickers can only dream of.

The disc's supplements include a 20 minute SD episode of the TV show America's Horse which is essentially a behind the scenes look at the making of Ride Around The World. The only other feature is a 10 question multiple choice quiz based on facts learned while watching the feature.

The Verdict

For those of us leading lives in urban settings, it's easy to forget about the proud, centuries-old cowboy culture that stills holds a strong place in the world today. Ride Around The World reminds us of a unique part of our history that is still alive and thriving in many countries around the world. So saddle up and give this release a spin…you won't be disappointed.

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