The Game - Documentary: The DVD

Starring:The Game
Studio: Aftermath
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Description
THE GAME - THE DOCUMENTARY - THE DVD BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

The Documentary now includes bonus material! See the movie that started it all with the following new pieces: "How We Do" video featuring 50 Cent "Hate It or Love It" video featuring 50 Cent

Special appearances by: Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Lloyd Bank$, Young Buck, and many more

BONUS CD:
Features a previously unrelease track

Amazon.com

The Heart of the Game is, simply put, one of the most enjoyable and joyous documentaries ever made. For several years, the movie follows a girls' basketball team called the Rough Riders from a Seattle high school as they strive to win the state championship, and in the process discovers heart-wrenching twists of fate, vivid and compelling characters, colorful dialogue, and a nail-biting conclusion. The Heart of the Game starts with Bill Resler, a professor of tax law who agrees to become the head coach for the girls' basketball program at Roosevelt High School. He swiftly challenges the players with demanding drills and wild metaphors (each year he picks a different theme for the team, from "pack of wolves" to "tropical storm")--and the girls take him on, pulling together into a potent team. But when a girl from a poor neighborhood named Darnellia Russell joins the Rough Riders, her skill takes their fortunes even higher--until she unexpectedly has to quit. From there, the movie takes more and more compelling turns, carried along by the winning personalities of Bill and Darnellia. The Heart of the Game, like Hoop Dreams, works first as an exhilarating sports movie, but has a rich human story that will make it fascinating to people who don't care about basketball. First-time filmmaker Ward Serrill lucked out with the material, but he clearly labored to shape what must have been thousands of hours of footage into a taut, headlong movie. His labor paid off. See this movie. --Bret Fetzer

Description

Go courtside for a true-life rush like no other in this passionate and inspirational documentary in the same powerful tradition as HOOP DREAMS. Director Ward Serrill brings the camera up close and personal to capture the Roosevelt Roughriders girls' basketball team during six turbulent seasons, taking us far beyond the court. You'll meet Bill Resler, the tax professor turned hard-driving unorthodox coach who turns the team around — and Darnellia Russell, the talented inner-city tough girl who battles off-court threats to regain eligibility. You'll meet a real team full of drive, toughness and the unbridled desire to make history.

Customer Reviews:

To win- get a great coach.......2007-06-06

The kids are great, the coaches better. If you love the game, this is for you.

Shown in Russia.......2007-05-13

We showed this film among a group of our Russian friends to help them understand high school sports, and they enjoyed it. I'm not much of a basketball fan myself, but I was totally drawn into this story which is more than about girls basketball. I'm very happy that this documentary has enriched the perspectives of many who do not have the opportunity to experience this first-hand.

All Net.......2007-05-08

A superb sports documentary with multiple foci.... a unique coach, girls athletics, race relations, class clashes. Very well done and thoroughly enjoyed by my coaches and students. Tells it with impeccable truth through the lens of reality. Watch it, Enjoy it and share it with folks who love athletics.

Heart of the Girls.......2007-04-22

There are two story lines here, one an unqualified celebration of the state of girls' prep sports after a generation of Title IX's beneficial impact, and another the very qualified consideration of the state of some individual girls' athletic lives after a generation of Title IX's less beneficial side-effects. Heartbreak, fury, exultation are the viewer's rewards. Only quibble is that the climactic game was documented in too abbreviated a manner.

Great movie.......2007-04-16

I saw this film when it was in limited release during the summer of 2006. I loved it then. Well worth owning for the additional footage of an amazing team and coach!

Average customer rating:

Lee Got Game
Wish I saw it in the theater
Denzel shines, Ray Allen aint bad either...............
Spike out did himself with this one!
a very solid performance by den one of his best

He Got Game
Starring: Denzel Washington , Ray Allen , Milla Jovovich , Rosario Dawson , and Hill Harper
Director: Spike Lee
Manufacturer: Walt Disney Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Product Features:

Classic DVD
Exclusive interviews, highlights, and behind the scenes coverage
DVD's main menu allow you to jump directly to the action
Presented in full-screen digital video

ASIN: 630514415X
Release Date: 1998-11-10

Product Description

Academy Award(R)-winner Denzel Washington (Best Actor, 2001, TRAINING DAY) stars in this must-see story about a convict given one shot at a second chance to be a father! With promises of a reduced sentence, Jake Shuttlesworth (Washington) is granted temporary release from state prison in order to persuade the nation's top basketball recruit ... his estranged son, Jesus (Ray Allen of NBA's Milwaukee Bucks), to play ball for the governor's alma mater! But just as Jesus faces intense pressures and irresistible temptations contemplating his big decision, Jake is also forced to consider not only what's best for himself ... but what's best for his son! With a groundbreaking soundtrack by the legendary Public Enemy -- plus great cameos from John Turturro and basketball personalities Dick Vitale, John Thompson, Dean Smith, and more, HE GOT GAME is a critically acclaimed hit you don't want to miss!

Amazon.com essential video

As a filmmaker and passionate fan of basketball, Spike Lee was the perfect director for this ambitious and heartfelt sports drama, which brought out the best in both Lee and his well-chosen cast. In his third film for Lee, Denzel Washington plays Jake Shuttlesworth, who is in prison for the manslaughter of his wife. His estranged son Jesus (well played by Milwaukee Bucks basketball player Ray Allen) is the nation's best high school basketball star, and Jake receives a compelling offer from the state's governor: If Jake can convince Jesus to sign a letter of intent to attend Big State University, the governor will reduce his sentence. Lee turns this back-room bargain into a fascinating examination of capitalism in college and professional sports, but the film also works as the moving story of a father's desperate attempt to regain his son's respect. Lee handles the basketball angle with an insider's awareness, and takes a few stylistic risks (including a memorable final image) that pay off with considerable emotional effect. He Got Game fully explores the visual poetry of basketball and the greed that fuels this particular vision of the American dream, but Lee never loses sight of the sport's inherent beauty, or the higher priorities of redemption and family that form the solid foundation of this exceptional film. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews:

Lee Got Game.......2007-07-07

"He Got Game" is another solid outing for director Spike Lee. He paints a realistic picture of life for a inner city basketball phenom and its many demands and pressures. Ray Allen isn't as proficient an actor as he is a shooting guard, yet his performance works here. Denzel Washington and a supporting cast of Lee film veterans deliver in their roles, making up for any inexperience Allen has. Washington is impressive as Allen's father, a convicted felon who is given a short work release to try to convince his star son to attend the governeor's alma mater. Revisiting this film about 9 years after its release, I still feel entertained and connected with the main characters. I feel it stands as a triumph for Lee and a good tale of basketball, exploitation, wounded family relations, and redemption (in a way).

Wish I saw it in the theater.......2007-06-12

I actually caught this on television when I was flipping channels one day. I didn't even plan on sticking around but this movie kept me watching. The reason why I didn't give it a chance in the theater was because I was growing weary of Spike Lee's style of film making. I thought I'd give it a break and I didn't know anyone else who actually saw this to endorse it. Watching it on tv meant that it was censored so I rented the original version and liked it even more. Denzel is awesome as usual, but the story itself and the trials of the main characters were thought-provoking and interesting. I know a lot of fathers like the one in this film who pushed their child hard. The son ended up living up to his potential so I guess it felt justified. I would've liked this film even if was a sport I didn't like. This is definitely worth a look.

Denzel shines, Ray Allen aint bad either......................2007-01-01

This is one of Denzel's best performances as a loser father who accidentally kills his wife. His only hope for parole is to get his high school senior, star basketball player son to attend the college alma mater of one of the dude's that sits on his parole board. Great story that shows the greed in people's eyes and hearts when money is involved.

Spike out did himself with this one!.......2006-08-31

One of my top five movies of all time.

a very solid performance by den one of his best .......2006-06-06

denzel deserved his recognition for best actor he plays a prison bird responsible for killing his loving wife because he was pushing his son too hard practicing basketball in this film i first i thought this would be an usual basketfall film but i was totally wrong while it was a basketball film it was much bigger than that alot of things was going on in the movie meaning different issues what i like about this movie is that students hs or college who play in sports might be able to relate more than those who are non student athletes or to the parents who may give their children extra coach when they don't have to go to practice for whatever sport it maybe might relate to this movie a bit more than parents who might not coach their kids much he got game was about life decisions and what the consequences would be good or bad with whatever decision that is being made he got game was barely boring easy to understand most people will get nearly all the messages that is being sent trust me when i say so the movie is very emotional but has a small mixture of comedy and high flying action basketball move spike lee should me and the millions who watched this film why he is one of the best directors and producers of all time

The National Champions 2006 Year-In-Review DVD

Average customer rating:

2006 Gator DVD
Perfect For Gator Fans

The National Champions 2006 Year-In-Review DVD
Starring: 2006 Florida Gators
Manufacturer: Hart Sharp Video
ProductGroup: DVD
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Gridiron Gators - The History of Florida Gator Football

Product Features:

Classic DVD
Exclusive interviews, highlights, and behind the scenes coverage
DVD's main menu allow you to jump directly to the action
Presented in full-screen digital video

ASIN: B000LV64Q2
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Product Description

"A team that won't be beat can't be beat." That prophetic quote from Urban Meyer after the emotional 17-16 win over South Carolina became a rallying cry for a team that overcame huge odds to reach the pinnacle of college football. National Champions: The Story of the 2006 Florida Gators takes you through the rollercoaster ride that was the 2006 season. From every thrilling victory to the SEC Championship celebration in Atlanta to the stunning upset of #1-ranked Ohio State in the desert, this keepsake DVD is a must for every true Gator fan.

Customer Reviews:

2006 Gator DVD.......2007-03-09

Interesting DVD, would like to see a little more behind the scenes footage of Chris Leak and Dallas Baker -- but it is a must for any true Gator fan.

Perfect For Gator Fans.......2007-02-14

Being from Pennsylvania, I am the last person you would suspect to be a Gator's fan. I wasn't "born into it" like so many other satellite fans. It all started with a hat. I remember being at a Modell's in Philadelphia and looking for one that I liked, and the hat that caught my eye happened to be that of the Florida Gators. Needless to say, I bought the thing and I think after awhile the Gator Logo must have soaked into my head and I became a Gator fan. This was of course right around the 1996 year when they won the championship with Spurrier and Wuerffel - that also may have had something to do with it.
What I am trying to say, in so many words, is that this DVD caters to the Gator Gurus out there. It follows the team through the entire season giving highlights of some of the biggest moments this year in the Swamp and on the road. The first 2-3 minutes of the DVD were absolutely amazing.
I really liked some of the special features on the DVD as well. I was particularly fond of the feature "Final Thoughts From Urban Meyer" because I have not seen that interview before. Also the other segments of the "Season's Biggest" which included Special Teams plays, Defensive plays and best Touchdowns were exceptionally well done - my favorite being the Defensive. The "Behind the Scenes at Florida Football" segment was also very nice - I usually don't get to see that kind of stuff out here in Philly (no GatorZone channel) and I would imagine that Gator fans everywhere would feel the same.
The DVD provided a lot of good surprises that typical season-in-review movies usually lack. If you are a loyal Gator's fan, then this DVD is definitely for you.

Word Wars - Tiles and Tribulations on the Scrabble Game Circuit

Average customer rating:

word warriors
Best Scrabble Documentary!
Needs more Fatsis, but still a fascinating film of an obsessive subculture
Live and Love Scrabble!
Kinda scary

Word Wars - Tiles and Tribulations on the Scrabble Game Circuit
Director: Julian Petrillo , and Eric Chaikin
Manufacturer: Starz / Anchor Bay
ProductGroup: DVD
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Scrabylon (A Scrabble Movie)
Word Freak: Heartbreak, Triumph, Genius, and Obsession in the World of Competitive ScrabblePlayers
Wordplay
Spellbound
Everything Scrabble

ASIN: B0007LPSG8
Release Date: 2005-04-05

Description

Tracking four Scrabble fanatics as they travel from tournament to tournament and eventually reach the U.S. nationals in San Diego, the film is a thoroughly entertaining and hilarious look at a board game that's an occasional amusement for some-and a serious obsession (or disturbing addiction) for others.

Customer Reviews:

word warriors.......2007-06-14

Unlike its linguistic cousins about the national spelling bee (Spellbound) and crossword puzzles (Word Play), this documentary film never rises to the level of the mighty social phenomenon that it describes--Scrabble. My mother played Scrabble every day during her lunch hour; her battered board game was the one momento from her estate that I wanted. The film tries to build anticipation by tracking the nine months leading up to the 2002 US National championship in San Diego where 700 scrabblers compete for a first prize of $25,000. The narrative follows four word warriors who are not only uninteresting but unlikable: Matt Graham (ranked #7 in the country), Joel Sherman (#13), Marlon Hill (#29), and Joe Edey (#1). Except for Edey, none of these guys has anything like a normal life or job; they play Scrabble all day and are penniless. Hill sports dread locks and a foul mouth. Sherman is a college drop out obsessed by his acid reflux. Graham uses brain boosters. The film could have done more with average players like the neighbors who play outside in NYC's Washington Square, the Scrabble club at an elementary school, or people like my mom. Unfortunately, this is a mediocre film about a great game.

Best Scrabble Documentary!.......2007-05-13

If you enjoy puzzle games or strategic competition, you should definitely see this movie; and, of course, if you're a Scrabble fan, too. This film does a great job depicting both the game, the brand, and the individual players involved.

Needs more Fatsis, but still a fascinating film of an obsessive subculture.......2007-02-17

'Word Wars' quite obviously has its genesis in Stefan Fatsis' outstanding book 'Word Freak,' a fascinating look at the Scrabble subculture. That said, I wish the movie used more of Fatsis. He appears here with some commentary, and the filmmakers note Fatsis' book and his immersion into the playing circuit. His observations on the game and its personalities at the tournament circuit's upper echelons are the best part of the movie. Additionally, Fatsis' book and this movie have resulted in ESPN now showing some of these tournaments. Fatsis is the analyst on these telecasts. His journalism background + his Scrabble cultural immersion make his commentary fascinating.

Fatsis does have his own Scrabble movie ('Scrabylon'), and that may have played a part. In truth, Fatsis' smaller role is probably due to the filmmakers' treasure trove of material resulting from its coverage of four of the nationally-ranked players. Frankly - and these guys would be the first to admit it - these are four less-than-fully-formed human beings. That's the fascination of the movie. Only one of the four has anything nearly resembling a 'job' as the general public would see it. These gentlemen have filled their lives with their Scrabble obsession.

It's of extremely good fortune for the filmmakers that one of the four featured individuals eventually triumphs that year - in front of the cameras - at the Nationals.

By the way, for viewers of the film, here's a neat kick: go to Stefan Fatsis' 'Word Freak' here on these pages and you'll see the spotlight review written by none other than G.I. Joel himself, Joel Sherman.

Live and Love Scrabble!.......2006-09-27

WORD WARS is a fun movie that follows 4 eccentric and obsessed scrabble whizzes on the road towards the 2002 National Scrabble Championships in San Diego. I am an occasional Scrabble nut, but nothing like these guys! There is former champ Joe Edley who meditates and does Shiatsu/Xen like exercises to keep himself mentally and physically prepared for the challenges that come with obsessive scrabble. The other 3 are even more eccentric- Matt Graham occasionally does stand up comedy (and once had a job with Conan O'Brien) but spends much of his time playing scrabble and using brain enhancers. Marlon Hill philosophizes on injustice towards people of color with colorful language- but he doesn't do much else except play scrabble, although he occasionally teaches scrabble to kids in an inner city school. GI Joel Sherman spends his time glugging down Maalox - GI here stands for 'gastrointestinal' reflux- and- as he does nothing else but play scrabble, wishes to become a professional scrabble player. (He would be, but alas, scrabble victories do not yet pay enough to support oneself).

While the title of the movie suggests an antagonistic relationship between the characters, it was pleasantly surprising to see how they well they get along. Obsessive scrabble players clearly form a small, close-nit group. Matt Graham and GI Joel Sherman have 'best of 50' matches- the winner takes cash. Marlon Hill constantly curses Matt Graham for playing 'fake' words- but hangs out with him all the time and even helps him groom his hair. Joe Edley remains a bit apart from the rest, perhaps because he is the only one with a full time job and a family, but is on good terms with everyone as well.

Apart from the 'official' circuit (as played by these 4 men) we also see a bit of the unofficial games taking place at Washington Square where regulars play in an inner city atmosphere among the chaos of cars, noisy pedestrians and occasional protestors. One gets the impression that these people consider themselves the 'real' scrabble players, versus the 'pansies' who play the competitive circuit.

Apart from following the lives of these characters, we also learn a bit about the game itself. In the official tournaments, each player only has 25 minutes total on his/her clock (no spending 30 minutes on one turn, like my family members and I do!). The clock starts even if the player doesn't show up- the movie shows a hilarious scene of Marlon Hill strolling in about 10 minutes late for a game- he wins comfortably anyway. We also learn about the controversy over the scrabble dictionary- after much debate, it was settled to have two version of the bible of scrabble- the sanitized 'family version' and the 'official version' with all kinds of naughty words.

Finally, the film and characters also give us scrabble novices strategies to win. One should view the game from a math angle, since at higher levels, scrabble is a numbers game as much as a word game. It also helps to keep track of all the letters that have already been used in a game, so one knows which letters remain in the bag. Of course, one should memorize the scrabble dictionary (and have in mind lists of words such as 'all the words that begin with a 'q' without a 'u''). Memorizing the words is enough- there is no need to waste brain space memorizing meanings (although the movie helpfully defines some esoteric words the champs use for us). The key is to know one's anagrams- for example, that an anagram of 'San Diego' is 'diagnose!'

Of course, watching the movie won't make you into a scrabble superstar. If you wanted to be one, it may even turn you off, as the requirements seems to be obsession and an eccentric personality. But the movie is a must see for any scrabble fan- it is a fun and charming look at a great game and the quirky champions who not so much play the game but live it.

Kinda scary.......2005-10-31

I enjoy Scrabble, but the people in this docu are scary. They're unemployed Scrabble players who are as neurotic as any character out of a Woody Allen movie. The docu looses a little steams as it goes on (watching Scrabble isnt that interesting), but it's an interesting look at professional Scrabble players.

Average customer rating:

If you don't like Ken Burns and bad audio, then you won't like this
Classic review on a classic sport
Incredible
Where's the Game? Where's the Beauty?
Soccer (fotball) 101

History of Soccer: The Beautiful Game
Starring: Terence Stamp , Pele , and Maradona
Manufacturer: Shout Factory
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Binding: DVD

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Worlds Greatest Goals
FIFA Fever
All the Goals of FIFA World Cup 2006
Soccer: A Decade Of Great Goals & Great Matches From The FA Premier League
UEFA Champions of Europe: Champions League History 1955-2005

ASIN: B0000C238U
Release Date: 2003-10-07

Amazon.com essential video

The entire history of the world's favorite game? It's an extraordinary challenge that could go have gone horribly wrong, but History of Soccer: The Beautiful Game is a class act. It boasts top-drawer production values, including narration by Terence Stamp, access to everybody who has really mattered in the game, ever, plus loads of famous, rare, and never-seen-before footage, each volume offering a blend of narrative, action, and illuminating interviews. This is a polished product: part celebration, part commemoration, but always with a sharp investigative sense, digging around the misty-eyed, good ol' days tradition, to explore in the company of those interviewed the reality behind some of soccer's myths and legends.

The breadth of enquiry is naturally impressive, as is the narrative structure, but it's the deft handling of the subplots that really sets this apart, including: analysis of the dominant club sides such as Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Milan (volume 2); the evolution of Brazil (volume 3); the superstar casualties, like Maradona and Garrincha (volume 5); football as an agent of social control in Victorian England (volume 1); the revolution in French football that created the 1998 World Champions (volume 4); and the failure, so far, of Africa to fulfil Pele's famous World Cup prediction (volume 6). There's so little material here that isn't memorable that it's difficult to pick highlights, but action aside (and it's hard to think of an historically important game that isn't featured), an emotional Maradona exposing the "conspiracy" that fixed the 1990 World Cup final (volume 2) is an unforgettable slice of soccer culture.

History of Soccer on DVD comes complete with a heap of extras (between 33 and 54 minutes' worth per volume) including, across the set, every single goal from every World Cup Final game; extended interviews with the likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane, and Bobby Charlton; loads of "first-ever-recorded-on-film" material including the 1907 England-Scotland game; text-only biographies of the major interviewees; extended tournament highlights of past European Championships, African Nations Cups, World Club Championships, Asian Cups, and, of course, World Cup Finals. The picture itself is presented in widescreen, and there's a Spanish-language track plus an Easter egg of additional hidden material in every volume. --Alex Hankin

Description

This DVD collection takes you beyond great goals and classic match action, to focus on every aspect of the game - on and off the pitch, along the corridors of power, from its humble beginnings to the billion dollar industry it is today.

The series investigates the factors that have enabled soccer players to become culturlal icons and millionaires, recognized throughout the world. Through exclusive interviews filmed in over 50 countries, it explores the tremendous influence soccer holds over our lives.

Every aspect of the sport is covered with exclusive footage, ground-breaking interviews with icons of the game - past and present and revealing insights into why soccer generates more excitement, passion, and wealth across the world than any other sport.

With amazing DVD extras including rare and previously unseen footage, extended interviews and player profiles, this is must-see viewing for every true fan of the game!

Collect all six volumes plus a bonus seventh DVD in a special limited edition DVD box set:

Vol. 1: Origins / Football Cultures
Vol. 2: Evolution / European Superpowers
Vol. 3: Brazil / South American Superpowers
Vol. 4: For Club and Country / The Dark Side
Vol. 5: Superstars / The Media
Vol. 6: Africa / A Game For All / Futures (2 DVDs)

Approximate Running Times:
Six Volumes (Seven Discs): 11 hrs, 16 mins
DVD Extras: 3 hrs, 50 mins

**Spanish-language version also included.**

Customer Reviews:

If you don't like Ken Burns and bad audio, then you won't like this.......2007-06-11

First of all, the production standards are terrible on this. Very nice, a bit staid, cinematography, but the sound mix is atrocious. The music booms, along with the narration, but interviews are recorded on sub-par, breathy microphones and are mixed very low in comparison to everything else. Even with the volume set too high for comfort in respect to the music and Stamp narration, you strain to hear the interviews.

And the presentation is very formulaic and drowsy. None of the energy of the game is captured. Instead you find the Ken Burns-ian approach of reducing any story, no matter its particular dynamics, to a deadly pace of voiceover over obvious imagery - cut to interview - cut to historical shot. I've only made it through Disc 1, and find it difficult to believe I'd make it through seven. But if I'm proven wrong, I will append this review.

Classic review on a classic sport.......2007-05-10

Though I am not an avid soccer fan, this series allowed me to truly appreciate the popularity of the sport. Now I am more apt to pay more attention to the sport as I am tired of the NFL more often these days. The presentation is a well done video and audio spectacle.

Incredible.......2007-01-18

The most complete history of the sport I have ever seen. Beginning with the ancient mayas and exploring the evolution of the sport to the present time. Also the best all-time goals and all the winning goals throughout the world cups. A must-have for soccer fans.

Where's the Game? Where's the Beauty?.......2007-01-05

How ironic the subtitle! "The Beautiful Game." Beauty? Game? Where? If you consider high production values, a slowly building symphonic sound track, repeated close-ups of late afternoon sun-dappled water, or long shots of British dock yards beautiful, then perhaps there is "beauty" in this video. If a few select shots of crucial world cup and European championship goals, after lengthy commentary by ex-players and coaches, is your idea of "game," then perhaps there is game as well. But if one is looking for a video that actually SHOWS the beautiful game, this is definitely not it.

And what about the "History" part? Even for the academic with a high tolerance for boredom this video falls short. Its history and analysis is superficial for anyone with much knowledge of the game.

So much superficial discussion of historic teams, so much slow-building pseudo-dramatic music, so little real analysis off the field, so little sustained footage of action on the field. Ultimately, the video fails to be either a history of soccer (too superficial) or a depiction of "the beautiful game" (no sustained footage).

Perhaps the video's most embarrassing moment comes in the analysis that one interviewee provides of the failures of soccer in the United States. The game, he argues, will never catch on in the U.S. because it is too low scoring, because American audiences, who only understand goals, will never learn to appreciate the nuances of the game. Bitter irony. The viewer watches in disbelief as the producers of the video then go on to show us nothing BUT the scores of Pele, George Best, and the rest of the NASL stars of the 1970s! And so it goes throughout the series. Only goals. So much celebration of Hungary's passing attack but only goals. So much discussion of Holland's total game, but no footage of it in action. So much talk about France's 1998 World Cup winner, but not a single shot of Zidane so much as passing the ball, let alone dribbling. If the game is beautiful for reasons other than scoring, where is the footage of that beauty? Of course, the irony (favorite word for this review) is that most soccer highlight shows are exactly the same. Talk, talk, talk about the beautiful game, but if you actually wish to illustrate the concept to the skeptical and undereducated North American masses, there seems to be nowhere to turn. Unfortunately, this dreadfully slow video, for all its high production values, is not the answer.

Check it out from your local library. Don't spend the money.
And please tell me where the video that actually illustrates and analyzes the "beautiful game" is to be found.

Soccer (fotball) 101.......2006-07-30

The History of Soccer (Football); The Beautiful Game, is a wonderful set. Its cinematography is outstanding and the narration is very good. The extras are very cool as well (my one complaint is that the type on the bios is a bit small. I liken it to a survey course at university such as a History 101 or 102 course. It is not overall comprehensive but is comprehensive in giving us an understanding of the game from its earliest origins to the modern game all the way up to the 2002 World Cup. Each DVD contains two one hour segments on a different historical theme of the history of soccer, and some extras.

So much is covered hear, from the early origins, a Greek game that the romans adapted to a sort of ruby game that was preserved by both the Italians and the English to the modern games of Rugby and Football. In Soccer cultures the USA (a nice segment on the NASL is included) and Iran are covered as well as Asia and more. From the European superpowers (Italy, France, Germany, Holland, etc.,) to the South American Superpowers, with a whole segment featured on Brazil as well. From Clubs teams to the fans. From Superstars to the Media. And finally the growth in Africa. We get a pretty comprehensive look at the World Cup and good locks at the Europeans championships. All the superstars are hear, the great coaches, the great teams and the scandals are covered too. The different strategies and how they developed are discussed, as well as how the game spread to the fans. And how are why its so important to the fans. Also the political climates are discussed, as pertaining to the development of Soccer, in each country, in which politics has effected the game. Such as Fascism in Europe and a Dictatorship in Brazil.

This is a great set and a great starting place for the novice fan and long time fan of Soccer (Football).

Average customer rating:

What's Beef?
Almost hated it
Oooh, juicy
Nomuthafukkingoddamtitle
good

Beef, Vol. 3
Starring: 50 Cent , David Banner , Guerilla Black , Bone Thugs n Harmony , and Chingy
Director: Peter Spirer
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
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Beef II
Beef
Stop Snitchin', Stop Lyin'
Hood 2 Hood: The Blockumentary
Infamous Times - The Original 50 Cent

ASIN: B000AXWGPY
Release Date: 2005-11-15

Product Description

Running Time 84 Min

System Requirements:
RESPECT...In hip-hop it's the name of the game. Some rappers will do anything to get it, even starting a BEEF with another rapper or crew...and that can lead to raw, brutal conflict in the streets. In fact BEEF has become so common that it is quickly becoming the fifth element of Hip-hop, right beside MCs, DJs, graffiti and breakdancing.

"Beef 3" is about the high-profile Beefs in the hip-hop culture. Beefs are started when one rapper disses another for whatever reason, usually to get the upper hand with the fans or to show their machismo. This program features Beefs between 50 Cent and Game, Lil Flip and TI, Nelly and Chingy, Twista and Bone Thugz, Lil Scrappy and the Orlando Police and many more.

The QD3 Collection is emerging as the best selling brand in Hip-hop DVD's combining for over 400,000 units sold!
-BEEF over 150,000 units scanned
-BEEF II over 100,000 units scanned
-Tupac Shakur: Thug Angel over 150,000 units scanned

Format: DVD VIDEO

Customer Reviews:

What's Beef?.......2006-06-17

Hot movie. Beefs I liked were "50 VS Bang 'Em Smurf & Domination" and "Game VS Yukmouth" 50 Loses on every beef he comes up in, with exception of Ja Fool and Bitch-Zino (see Beef 1)

Only beefs that I hated were "Chingy VS Nelly" and "Twista VS Bone Thugs" Don't get me wrong I LOVE Bone Thugs music 2 death and Twista is iight but their beef was just stupid and almost nothing so there wasn't a point in showing it. AS for Chingy and Nelly, that is probably the next "NSYNC VS Backstreet Boys" type beef hahaha.

Go pick this dvd up now if you didn't already!

Almost hated it.......2006-03-29

I guess what they say about sequels is true. Beef went downhill since the first one. This vol. as far as I'm concerned has nothin' to offer. I watched it 3x and tried to like it. High and drunk 1 out of 3 and still wanted to frisbee this s***. The 50 and Smurf beef was a waste of space. I hate the way it is so damn one sided. If they couldn't get 50 side of the story for this beef or the one with Game, then it should'nt have been included. You only got one side of the story. And just to prove how stupid them n****s is. How you gon pay to see 50 show start a fight and then get your a** arrested. That's why them n****s will stay in the ghetto and never make it cause they so damn stupid. Chingy vs. Nelly. A wack rapper dissin another wack rapper. Why was this even added? TI and Luda. Damn son, I don't know but if that was me I would have put out a big a** diss anyway. Lil Scrappy and the muthaf***in' COPS?! What the hell does that got to do with beef in the industry? What does that got to do with this DVD? Nothin', just a waste of time. TI and Lil flip was a good story. That had somethin' to do with hip hop. Flip said some s***, Ti got on stage and did his damn thing. The Yukmouth and Game was the best one. Them n****s got at each other and stayed on record. Game and 50 could have gotten way the f*** outta hand but it didn't. But once again the best they could do with 50 side of the story was a recording and a live tape. So what was the point of that? I heard 50 side of the story more from the NY daily news, and that's not a rap magazine, journal, or a free dvd comes with a free t-shirt type s***. This whole dvd is damn near pointless to include the features. And once again QD3 has yet to provide the story of beef between establish artist who have been around for more than 3-5 years. Such as MC Eiht vs. DJ Quik, Kim and Foxy, NAS and Cormega. Yo I just hope this is the last one. A complete disappointment.

Oooh, juicy.......2006-03-09

I always wondered why I never heard T.I.'s response to Ludacris' rhyme on Young Buck's album. Ludacris' response was dope though...especially the "t.i.p. of..." part. I'm scratching my head over the beef with Game and dude from "Five on It." If "Five on it" and him agreed that everything was cool, why did Game come at him like that? It sounded like they were telling TWO completely different stories...and nothing matched. The story about Bang 'em Up, Smurf and 50 Cent...wow. That was wild. Now I understand the part in 50 Cent's movie that Terrance Howard played. Sounds like Smurf was a little over the top, but still had his boy's back...so I have mixed feelings on that one. But as for the guy who said "his bodyguard TRIED to throw a chair"...yeah right, that guard THREW that chair HARD. I don't understand their purpose of coming to the concert to meanmug dude. If you're mad at him, you coming to his concert is only putting money in his pocket...how dumb is that?

What really interested me though was the beef between Royce Da 5'9 and Eminem. I bought Royce's album and I thought it was pretty average but after I heard the beef and his album played in the background, I realized I slept on it and plan to rebuy it again. The part about making sure the shooter can aim now makes sense to me, because when I saw it in Eight Mile I was lost. I'm assuming Bugs was the slow dude in Eminem's movie...anyway, I'm glad they could get past their differences.

As for T.I. and the Lucky Charms guy, you know, I thought Lucky Charms couldn't find his brain if his hand was right on his head, but from watching this interview, the dude got a lot more sense than I thought he did. I was shocked.

This whole tape was entertaining. I originally saw it on BET, but after Beef II and Beef III aired, I had to get 'em all. The first one is still my favorite because of Common, but they were all really good.

And as for Nelly, he was DEAD WRONG for that situation with Chingy. That rhyme was straight-up disrespectful. #1 You can't invent a slang term like "dirty" which was used WAY before him. Just because he didn't use it in a rhyme doesn't mean he didn't know the word. #2 Chingy came to him like a man and Nelly acted like a child. #3 Why is the tall dude even on that tape? Chingy wasn't even referencing him...and then the dude pronounced Kum-ba-ya wrong and I was threw! I laughed at him through the rest of the interview. Nelly's reaction made me not want to buy his next album...and judging from how wack "Sweat" and "Suit" was, I probably won't.

Nomuthafukkingoddamtitle.......2006-03-07

To the 2 reviewers who said 50 and game are still beefin but not on here,dude look at the f*ckin special features,click on "GAME DISSES 50 CENT AT SUMMER JAM" right there,so shut your potholes.

good.......2006-02-26

it is a good documentary but i think it should have 50 cent's side of the story on the beef with the game.

Average customer rating:

Wow. Color film footage of Lou Gehrig and much, much more
Amazing
Baseball time travel
Great
When It Was A Game pt 1&2

When It Was a Game
Director: Steven Hilliard Stern , and Steven Stern
Manufacturer: Hbo Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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When it Was a Game 2
When It Was a Game 3
When It Was a Game - Triple Play Collection
Babe Ruth - The Life Behind the Legend
Eight Men Out

ASIN: 0783117531
Release Date: 2000-04-18

Amazon.com essential video

The HBO documentary When It Was a Game (slightly shortened on DVD from the two-part VHS release) is based on a highly original idea: tell the story of baseball from the Great Depression era through the late 1950s using footage from home-movie cameras shot by fans and players. The result is a marvelous retelling of baseball in America as seen from the ground--the culture of stadiums, the ritual of afternoon games, the spiritually sustaining rivalries. Somewhat enthralled by the images at its disposal, the film has a way of almost stepping back from itself, waxing poetic at a sighting of the St. Louis Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang," or a glimpse of Bogart and Bacall in the stands, or the legendary contests between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Among the truly unexpected sights is color footage of the 1938 World Series (Cubs versus Yanks), not only from inside the stadium walls but from the street as traffic cops, crowds, and vehicles amassed. Of course, there are the heroes, too, often caught in relaxed, unselfconscious moments through the lens of a teammate or a true believer in the bleachers. A great experience all around.

Arguably more defined and even more lyrical than its predecessor, the second installment of When It Was a Game moves from a general celebration of baseball culture in America to a specific focus on various facets of the game's history. Once again using footage compiled from the 8mm and 16mm collections that players and fans shot over decades, this sequel follows, among other things, the special relationship between game announcers and fans and takes a fascinating trip through the story of the farm-team system during the 1930s, '40s, and '50s (particularly the near-alternate world of the Coast League). The working-class commonality of players and fans is examined, too. Imagine taking the subway home from Ebbets Field and finding yourself looking back on the day's game with a Dodger outfielder. (It could, and often did, happen.) Brooklyn's assimilation of the Dodgers into their community identity, a story often told, is covered quite winningly here, as is the heartbreak of the team's desertion to sunny California. Closing in on its final minutes, the film takes us on a tour of some of the game's legends and presents a touching tribute to the extraordinary Babe Ruth. --Tom Keogh

Description

These are the greats of baseball history, legends in their lifetime legends today. It's baseball as you've never seen it before the way you always imagined the way it was. When It Was a Game is composed entirely of 8 and 16 mm home movie footage taken by fans and the players themselves between 1934 and 1957. For the first time, star players and their stadiums step out of the black and white newsreel footage, and appear in living, breathing color. Players like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb and Joe DiMaggio. Ballparks like Ebbets Field, Briggs Stadium, Crosley Field and Griffith Stadium. As time passed, baseball changed, some of the clubs, the parks, the players are no longer with us. But their memory is and the magic of those memories is brought vividly to life, in When It Was a Game.

Customer Reviews:

Wow. Color film footage of Lou Gehrig and much, much more.......2003-05-16

"When It Was a Game" is composed entirely of 8mm and 16mm home movie footage that was taken by players and fans between 1934 and 1957. What this means for every baseball fan who has seen nothing but black & white newsreel footage of the good old days is the opportunity to see great players and the old ballparks where they played in living color. As soon as your see Lou Gehrig in color your heart just about skips a beat. Every spring right before Opening Day I watch the Ken Burns 9-inning documentary on "Baseball," and once it gets up to the Sixties and we start seeing things in color, the whole thing loses some of its charm for me because I am so used to seeing old footage and photographs in black & white. That makes the nostalgic images in "What It Was a Game" so astounding.

The only thing I can come up with to compare this documentary to wuld be the 1953 Bowman baseball cards. That was the year Bowman went to photographs, with 64 black & white 2 1/2" x 3 3/4" cards and 160 in color. These remain some of the most beautiful baseball cards ever made, particularly card #32 of the St. Louis Cardinals' Stan "The Man" Musial. When we see footage of Musial in this documentary, his uniform a beautiful combination of black and red, this is just something transcendent about that image. Even when these are just home movies taken before a game, seeing Ted Williams, Hank Greenberg, Bill Dickey, Carl Hubbell, Robin Roberts, and Jackie Robinson in color is just so captivating. Even shadowy footage of Satchel Paige in the major leagues at last is memorable. Then there are the shots of some of the living Hall of Famers such as Honus Wagner and Cy Young, including film of the greatest outfielders of the first half century: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, and Tris Speaker. I have seen black & white photographs of their joint appearance, Ruth ill and not wearing a uniform, but this is in color and the pictures are in motion.

The producers have to come up with something for somebody to say while we watch these fascinating images, and there is a mixture of recollections from former players, poetic observations from sportswriters, and some actual commentary on what we are seeing (I have reason to suspect that some of this is leftover audio from Burns's "Baseball" since they are the same voices). But you will probably have to watch this 57-minute documentary a couple of times to catch everything that is being said because a real baseball fan is just going to lose themselves in these pictures. Players are often identified, which is good because since they are not in black & white some of them are actually hard to recognize. But in terms of the most shocking images that would have to be reserved for the section on the old ballparks where we see Chicago's Wrigley Field when the outfield wall was not covered with ivy and there were no bleachers for the fans. If that does not give you a sense they we have gone back into the distant past when baseball was a game, nothing will.

Amazing.......2003-04-16

I'll keep this short. If you are a baseball fan (you're a dying breed) then you will love this. This series magically takes you back in time to a place where the game was played for sport and pride and not money. Before free agency there was a thing called respect. Baseball helped to make hard times a little easier and to forgot lifes troubles for awhile. Buy this DVD and show your children what sports used to be. What men used to be.

Baseball time travel.......2002-04-22

I sometimes dream in black and white, and when I do, I'm usually watching an old baseball game, one played before there was TV, even. Doubtless my dreams are influenced by all the old books I read as a kid, and from watching "When It Was a Game" when it originally aired on HBO a decade ago. I decided to buy the DVD for myself after seeing some of the memorabilia from the Baseball Hall of Fame currently on display in the "Baseball As America" exhibit at the Museum of Natural History in Manhattan.

And while many of the players and ballparks captured on film here were gone long before I was born, I recognized most of them anyway. I especially thrilled in seeing the black & white footage from the 1934 World Series -- the hard slides, the beanballs, the old-school herky-jerky pitching deliveries -- and the color footage from the '38 Series at Wrigley Field. Here you also get to see the fabled Green Monster at Fenway Park, before it was either Green, or called "Monster" -- covered in billboards for razor blades or Lifebuoy soap.

If I had to complain, I'd say that for a beginning or casual fan, the footage presented is confusing at first, since graphics and explanatory voiceovers are kept to a minimum in the first twenty minutes. Eventually, however, all the ballparks shown are identified by name, as are many of the players. The narration is misty-eyed and minimal, and not all of the poems or literary passages recited may be to your liking. However, it should be understood that HBO is quite adept at this form of documentary, and "When It Was A Game" was at the forefront of the HBO revolution. And it's also hard to argue with hearing Burgess Whitehead and Eldon Auker and Tommy Henrich speak for themselves.

Go out and watch "When It Was A Game" for yourself -- with the sound on, painting a word-picture of a time you can no longer see for yourself, or even with the sound off, just to look at the footage (Pepper Martin's juggling trick has to have been done with mirrors!). Then when someone asks you what you watched on TV yesterday, you can say, "Oh, the 1934 World Series..."

Great.......2001-09-20

If you like baseball you will like this movie. It gives footage, IN COLOR, of some of baseball's most beloved moments and most beloved teams. It brings everything to life for you. Whether your an adult and want to relive the memories or a child and want to see it for the first time, When It was the Game is the DVD for you. Also, if you like this, try When It was a Game 2 and When It Was a Game 3.

When It Was A Game pt 1&2.......2001-06-30

This video is for the serious baseball fan only! Fairweather and part time baseball fans will find it boring! Probably the best I ever seen!

Average customer rating:

Golf: The Game That Defined A Century
A fascinating DVD retrospective of the people, places, and events that have shaped golf from 1900 to 1999
it is a worthy golf dvd

Golf: The Game That Defined A Century
Starring: Charlie Jones
Director: Kyle Justice
Manufacturer: Timeless Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Special Interests | Genres | DVD | Video

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Similar Items:

Golf - Links in Time (A&E DVD Archives)
Gentleman's Game
Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius (Special Edition)
The Greatest Game Ever Played
The Legend of Bagger Vance

ASIN: B0007ODIF8
Release Date: 2003-02-02

Customer Reviews:

Golf: The Game That Defined A Century.......2006-07-11

Good film if you want to learn some history of the game. Great for new golfer.

A fascinating DVD retrospective of the people, places, and events that have shaped golf from 1900 to 1999.......2005-12-12

Golfweek, the premier news source among golf enthusiasts, presents Golf: The Game That Defined A Century, a fascinating DVD retrospective of the people, places, and events that have shaped golf from 1900 to 1999. From the evolution of golf equipment, to the impact of golf on television, to the battles for gender and racial equal access to country clubs and public courses, Golf: The Game That Defined A Century explores the intersection of a beloved pastime and the advance of history. Narrated by Charlie Jones, Golf: The Game That Defined A Century visits pivotal people and places in the continuing evolution of golf from a rich man's hobby to the widely popular leisure and professional sport it is today. Approx. 2 hours 15 min., color.

it is a worthy golf dvd.......2005-07-07

My general feeling after watching the content of this dvd was of satisfaction, i got my money's worth for what this dvd left me with.

The journey you take trough the HISTORY OF GOLF is well documented and carefully "chosen" so no big "event" is missing.

The only downpoint of this dvd (and the reason i do not give it the 5 stars) is that there is not a quality MENU to work with, no diferent languages, audio options or subtitles.

This dvd has (as a "plus") a "section" (that is the only other choise you have at the menu) where you get "instruction" as how to swing with what they call : "follow trough" , i think this material could be of some use.

I recomend this dvd.

Average customer rating:

A Missed Opportunity
Rage Against the Machine
A lot of flash, but no real substance.
Conspiracy theory
WAS KASPAROV A PAWN IN IBM's GAME?

Game Over - Kasparov and the Machine
Starring: Jeff Kisselhof , Terry Wogan , John Searle (III) , Michael Greengard , and Joel Benjamin
Director: Vikram Jayanti
Manufacturer: Velocity / Thinkfilm
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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Searching for Bobby Fischer
The Luzhin Defence
Garry Kasparov Teaches Chess 1: Opening Strategies, The Queen's Gambit (DVD)
Garry Kasparov on Fischer: Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 4 (My Great Predecessors)
Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Part 5 (My Great Predecessors)

ASIN: B0007VY5K8
Release Date: 2005-05-31

Product Description

In May 1997, 8 years ago, Gary Kasparov, regarded as the greatest Chess Player the world has ever seen, played Deep Blue- a hulking one and a half ton IBM computer. As it played out in the media, this was a chess tournament and a scientific experiment that would question our dominance as the most intelligent entity on the planet. Capturing people s imaginations, the outcome of this Man vs. Machine battle was stunning. To win the match, the computer did what many thought impossible at the time- it appeared to think like a human . . .

System Requirements:

Running Time 85 Min

Format: DVD MOVIE

Customer Reviews:

A Missed Opportunity.......2007-03-12

I went into this movie with high hopes. The subject of a grand chess master taking on a supercomputer is inherently fascinating, and could have been used as a jumping-off point to investigate a rich vein of interesting topics: what was the philosophical significance of this showdown between man and machine? What did it mean to the chess world, and to society at large? What defines a grand master-level chess player, and what goes through Kasparov's head as he contemplates his individual moves and overall strategies? How does this differ with the problem-solving programming that the computer is relying on? Just how do you program a computer to simulate the chess-playing style of a grand master? And how can a documentary movie creatively capture the essence of a complex chess match onscreen, making it real and involving for the average audience?

Sadly, "Kasparov and the Machine" does not address a single one of these questions -- especially not the last one. It is a plodding documentary that mostly consists of a film crew following Kasparov around the rather drab location where the match took place years earlier, as he reflects on his poor treatment by IBM. It also features some uninformative interviews with the computer programmers, and a lot of footage from a black and white silent movie about a chess machine from the 1800's that is terribly overused. A poorly substantiated conspiracy theory is advanced that IBM was somehow not playing fairly, and what might have been a good 30-minute PBS special is stretched out into a very thin feature length film.

This could have been a great, thought-provoking film exploring the ramifications of a man pitting his intellect against an artificial intelligence. It is tragic that the filmmakers missed such an opportunity to sweep us away with the complex consideration that this subject deserved.

Rage Against the Machine.......2007-02-28

In the May 1997, Gary Kasparov, the reigning Chess World Champion and by the opinion of many, the greatest chess player ever played Deep Blue, an IMB Supercomputer. At its best scenes, the film is an entertaining look at the never ending competition of human intellect against artificial. The greatest player on Earth does not like and does not know how to lose, and his account of the match and its result is quite bitter. He can't believe that the computer program, the combination of 0s and 1s may appear to think like a human. It was sad and nostalgic for me to see Gary like that. I remember him back in 1985, 22 years old World Champion after his victorious match with Anatoly Karpov. In his (and former mine) country millions of people that knew nothing or next to nothing about ancient game of chess (All I know that the first move e2 - e4 will not bring me any problems, at least for a little while) passionately wished him to win. Gary was not just a brilliant chess genius, a wonder-boy - he was also a symbol of hope, of changes not only in the chess politics but in the life of the whole country that was ready for changes.

2.5/5

A lot of flash, but no real substance. .......2006-12-10

Being an admitted chess addict, I was excited to see a documentary about the 1997 rematch between Garry Kasparov and IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer. I was hoping to see an in depth look at the match and a lot of what Kasparov had to say. Boy was I wrong and misguided by a mile. This documentary is a lot like many modern documentaries - there is a lot of flash but no real substance. After watching it, I am sad to say, I felt like I wasted my time. One of the most annoying aspects about the documentary is that it does not stay at one place for a decent period of time. It has the typical MTV type editing, where the camera shows different images and quick sound bites from people every five seconds. It is very sad that filmmaking has been watered down to the attention span of a 10-year old child.

I understand it is difficult to make a film about chess, but that does not mean one should make it flashy. 'Game Over' did have a couple of interesting ideas though. It brought up the idea whether computers can think like human beings or not; whether computers have advanced to a unique new level. This is what Kasparov thought after the match, but this film does not go deep enough with this idea. Also, this film tries to bring in a bizzare theory. It tries to imply the paranoid theory that a human being was making the moves along with the help of the computer. Kasparov had suspicions about this, but still to this day there is no evidence. Towards the end of the film, it tries to imply the bizzare idea that maybe Anatoly Karpov might have been the human being who was secretly making the moves with the aid of Deep Blue. Interesting to think about, but I don't know how plausable or realistic it is. I still would not recommend this movie though, not even for chess addicts.

Conspiracy theory.......2006-11-12

Deep Blue Conspiracy Theory

Whether the match of Kasparov versus Deep Blue was a fair match is a matter of debate. I came up with the following conspiracy theory just for fun, but which could be plausible and consistent with the evidence presented in the movie. IBM, as a corporation, wanted to win at whatever cost, since the company's reputation was at stake and potential for economic revenue would be great. (The movies Enron, The Smartest Guys in the Room; McLibel; Wal-Mart, The High Cost of Low Price; and The Corporation are eye opening films in this respect) IBM, as shown in the movie, created two Deep Blue computers. Kasparov suspected that both computers were present at the match, although there is no conclusive evidence of this. Imagine that one was a true computer and the one Kasparov easily beat in the first match. As a computer engineer myself, it is easy to imagine having a chess master inside the other Deep Blue with a terminal receiving strategic recommendations from the true Deep Blue computer. The human player inside the other Deep Blue would have a clear advantage from the sheer computing capacity of the other computer, consistent with Kasparov's suspicion. The true Deep Blue Computer would be the one in the Smithsonian museum, and the fake Deep Blue is the one in Poughkeepsie, NY, which they failed to open at the end of the movie. Notice that the man from IBM could easy fit inside Deep Blue. This man-computer double team strategy could have been employed starting with game number 2, where Kasparov surrendered. The idea of having somebody inside the Deep Blue computer is more romantic, but unnecessary for this conspiracy theory to work. It is interesting that the dimensions of deep blue could easily conceal a tall man standing. If you've ever played tic-tac-toe with a computer, you will soon learn that the best you can do is tie the game. A match with a player of Kasparov's stature playing against a pure computer opponent, would be expected to end in a draw or at least be more balanced in terms of how many games each wins.

Karpov Conspiracy Theory

If you have a large screen where you can watch the movie, notice that during the match between Kasparov and Karpov at the end of the movie, somebody was flashing a laser pointer on Kasparov's left side of the nose. This happens in one of the earlier close-ups of Kasparov's face after a close up of his feet. Was someone deliberately trying to distract Kasparov with a laser pointer?

WAS KASPAROV A PAWN IN IBM's GAME?.......2006-09-08

Did GARRY KASPAROV, the world's greatest chess player, get rooked when he lost a six-game match to IBM's supercomputer, DEEP BLUE, in 1997? That's the question that this padded, but nonetheless interesting documentary asks you to consider.

I wasn't even aware of GAME OVER: KASPAROV AND THE MACHINE until I stumbled over it while Amazon surfing last week. When I was unable to locate a VHS rental copy, I actually bought my first DVD player (NOT made in China, India, or Indonesia) just so I could view this.

If you have little or no interest in chess (the world's greatest game!) then there is no chance you'll find watching the 85 minutes of GAME OVER well spent. On the other hand, if chess fascinates, or even interests you, you'll find the movie flawed but somewhat intriguing.

I got into chess as a result of the high profile 1972, Fischer versus Spassky match. Later in 1972, I joined the chess club at my junior high school and won the club championship in a three-game match. (But interestingly, the player who most intimidated me was blind. He was a "Chess Game Wizard.") Back then, I wanted to be ranked a Master by the age of 16, but other interests began vying for my time and attention: art, girls, and sports and/or the art of watching girls in shorts play sports! I never became more than mediocre at best in chess, but I never lost all interest in it either. Nor in watching girls play beach volleyball. : )

Of this movie's hour and a half running time, likely 50% of it is unnecessary filler. We get shots of Kasparov revisiting the locales less than 10 years later; the same footage over and over of an old chess-playing contraption; shots of New York City ad nauseam, etc. As Christopher Lloyd said repeatedly in the movie, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, "Cut the B.S.; play the game!" A little atmosphere is fine, but too much of it slows down an already slow contest.

The crux of Kasparov's argument follows: After beating DEEP BLUE handily in Game One, in which the computer played a very mathematical, machine-like style, it made a "creative judgment" in Game Two which the man, Kasparov, was certain could only be made by a "man." Subsequently, he became so unnerved - convinced that a human mind was responsible for that move (i.e., he was playing against not just a machine, but also one or more unseen Grand Masters) - that he prematurely conceded Game Two, which possibly cost him a draw and ultimately the match.

If chess was purely mathematical, I - the most mathematically-challenged person on the planet - would have never won a game. There are rich, creative and psychological elements to chess - it is NOT strictly mechanical, not just "black and white", despite the colors of the pieces. It is closer to music than it is to algebra. I have no math skills whatsoever, but I'm extremely analytical and I discern patterns in things. And I can be quite a fearsome psych warrior! As a novice playing against novices, I frequently swapped queens when the only advantage to me was psychological: beginners - and even some half decent players - mentally surrender once they've lost their queen. But I KNEW I could win without her, and it only made me bear down and concentrate more. I've always been at my best under pressure. But does a computer "got game" when it comes to those additional chess factors?

When in Game Two, KASPAROV offered up a pawn (or two?) in order to gain a positional advantage in another sector of the board, and DEEP BLUE declined to take the piece, Kasparov became suspicious and lost his composure. It was as if a dog passed up ground beef because it "speculated" that there might be filet mignon three blocks away. Is a dog (or computer) capable of that kind of "thought"? Or will it immediately take the first gift offered? How can it sniff out a stratagem from a mistake? Well, Deep Blue saying, "Thanks, but no thanks" made Kasparov deeply blue. The rest is history.

I really wish that the filmmaker had dispensed with 15 minutes of superfluous "atmosphere" shots and spent it really analyzing that key move in Game Two. (One of the DVD's Special Features replays all of the games with very basic commentary on each move, but no mention is made of the questionable moment in Game Two or of the importance it held.) What was Kasparov really attempting to accomplish by sacrificing a pawn or two? How obvious was the advantage in position that he would have gained? How much "creative thinking" did Deep Blue have to perform in order to "see through the ground beef"? How did the computer go from mechanical playing to "humanistic" playing overnight? Was IBM playing chess games with Kasparov, or playing mind games with him? You'll never know until you check, mate!

Average customer rating:

Hands Down
Best football documentary ever
Great choice for family viewing
underwhelming
not impressed

The Last Game
Starring: Mike Pettine
Director: T. Patrick Murray , and Alex Weinress
Manufacturer: Image Entertainment
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0000W5H9M
Release Date: 2003-12-30

Amazon.com

Sports documentaries don't get any better than The Last Game, which seems likely to remain the greatest film ever made about the undiluted thrill of high school football. You couldn't write a Hollywood script better than this riveting, real-life celebration of Central Bucks West--the reigning champions of Pennsylvania high school football--and the team's passionate hard-ass coach of 32 years, Mike Pettine Sr. The year is 1999, and as CB West storms its way toward an astonishing, undefeated three-season record of 45-0, we witness the many facets of an unfolding drama: star fullback Dustin Picciotti rises to prominence with an abundance of cocky self-assurance; former CB West player-turned-rival coach Mike Pettine Jr. prepares to battle his father's team in a crucial game; and Pettine Sr. wrestles with the decision to retire after this, his 33rd season. It all culminates in a final championship contest during which Picciotti and two other valuable players are injured--an escalating sequence of events that's guaranteed to have you white-knuckled on the edge of your seat. Given the pure, non-professional nature of high school football, the raw energy of this low-budget, shot-on-video production, and the volatile personalities involved, The Last Game reflects the spirit of CB West: It's just about perfect. --Jeff Shannon

Description

With 15 undefeated seasons, Mike Pettine is the highest-winning coach in Pennsylvania Big School history. He cautiously enters the new season, pessimistic about his team's chances for another state title. That's his nature, always looking for weakness, the problem, and yet that's what makes him a good coach. However, nothing can prepare him and his Central Bucks West Bucks for the season that lies ahead of them... There are thousands of high school football teams in America, and this is the remarkable story of the most extraordinary season for one of them. Family and football... Is there anything else?

Customer Reviews:

Hands Down.......2007-06-19

The best football documentary ever made. I've seen them all and they cannot even come close to the feel of this movie. If I did not know any better I would think this film was fully scripted.

Best football documentary ever.......2007-03-10

This is by far the best football movie/documentary I have ever seen. It is hard to believe that this story is actually true; in fact if I didn't see it with my own two eye I would not believe it. This film was brilliantly filmed and beautifully done! If you like high school football or even football in general this movie is for you! I highly recommend this film to everyone! You wont be able to leave you seat!!

Great choice for family viewing.......2007-01-11

This entertaining documentary really fits the bill for football fans - and for the families who follow and support high school athletes. It's the inside story of an entire season of championship football in Eastern PA. Infrequently, weak reality-TV camera work zeroes in too much on the less-than-inspiring star player. But overall, the story merits its current popularity in a medium thin on family choices.

underwhelming.......2006-10-06

I remember when this ran on ESPN2 during the week between Christmas & New Year's back in 2000. I'm a huge fan of the microgenre of football movies...but this one stays at the bottom of the barrel.

Pettine Sr. seems like a class act & worthy of the respect "local legend" high school football coaches deserve. His son, Pettine Jr, coaches at the rival school but lacks the charisma to make this documentary work. Maybe the footage of him not seeming like a dolt didn't record right & thus we have no reason to root for him or his program at the finale. Rather than having a bittersweet moment at the ending after the dad plays the head-to-head season finale against the son, Pettine Jr seems kinda clueless giving the old guy a half-hearted handshake. So much for paternal respect & love.

Had the potential to be great w/the setup. But don't let the glowing summary trick you...there's no emotional payoff to speak of for "The Last Game." Football, after all, has driven grown men to tears on numerous occassions. Your time would be better spent watching Brian's Song, Rudy or the NBC series "Friday Night Lights." Even reruns of MTV's "Two-a-days" about Hoover of Alabama would be superior if you prefer the doc/reality TV style.

not impressed.......2005-12-27

Sorry folks but I disagree with the glowing reviews and wished somebody would have warned me. This movie is okay and nothing more. Granted I am a sports mom who bought this movie for teenage sons. We watched this as a family and the only thing that impressed all of us was the poor attitude of the players. We are Hawkeyes and gave thanks that not a one of them ended up here. I blame it on the writing and the cinematography as I have to believe that Coach Pettine is better than the clips this movie chose. The action footage and editing are 3rd rate compared to Friday Night Lights or Miracle. Here is an opportunity to view a coach as a teacher and mentor but not much coaching is shown...just a lot of yelling and, not being from Pennsylvania, we did not get a clue as to whether Coach Pettine and his staff actually knew much about football. Coach must know what he is doing because of his winning record but this movie only filmed him as a pushy, little screamer. By the end, we were rooting for his team to lose particularly when the Erie Prep team they were playing had players that eventually ended up in Iowa. Anyway, this movie appeared to be somebody's rookie effort at movie making. Maybe you have to be from Pennsylvania and interject your own images to make it better.

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