While Larry Linkogle isn't exactly a household name, he holds a place of legend in the hearts of motocross fans. In the 1990's, Linkogle found himself frustrated with the state of the motocross circuit and set out to start something new - freestyle motocross. One of the early "extreme sports" to truly gain mega-popularity, freestyle motocross blossomed largely on the strength of Kinkogle's balls to the walls approach to life, motocross and his fans. Kinkogle was relentless and quickly became a champion in the new sport.

Mind of the Demon, directed by Adam Barker, is the story of Kinkogle's success and, ultimately, the inner demons that both fueled his success and led to his demise. Barker incorporates tremendous archival footage, interviews with a wide variety of folks who knew and completed with Linkogle and a rather kick ass narration by none other than Motorhead's Lemmy to create one of 2011's most relentlessly entertaining documentaries.

Mind of the Demon has been picked up by Breaking Glass Pictures for a DVD release after a successful festival run that included a win for Best International Documentary at the Bel Air Film Festival and Best Documentary at SlamDance.

As hardcore as Mind of the Demon is, what may be most surprising is how deeply moving the film is over the course of its nearly 90-minute running time. Barker does an exceptional job of painting the portray of a brilliant, visionary man whose genius was unfortunately matched by the power of his own inner demons. Even those who aren't particularly interested in extreme sports or motocross will likely be moved by Kinkogle's story and how it seems almost inevitable that the final conclusion would either be one of tremendous inspiration or tremendous exasperation.

While it's tempting to label Mind of the Demon a niche' documentary, to do so would neglect the fact that Kinkogle's story will have mass appeal. Barker's film certainly has a balls to the walls approach itself, and those who prefer their docs with a kinder and gentler pacing would probably do best to steer away. However, for those who seek compelling and heartfelt cinema about complex and intriguing individuals, Mind of the Demon is a "must see" documentary.

For more information on Mind of the Demon, visit the film's page on the Breaking Glass website.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic