The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition (2005) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Bad News First: No games from the series against Anaheim (which were on ESPN rather than Fox), in which David Ortiz put on a hitting clinic--a one-disc overview would have been really nice. Really nice. . . . Thanks, ESPN, for helping out with copyright stuff. . . . That knocks it down to 4 1/2 stars right there. But the real drama came with the Yankees series, though, so I'll survive. I don't have a good enough system to notice some of the more technical picture/color/resolution issues that have been mentioned, so I'm fine with that, too, even though some others have voiced valid criticisms. That's pretty good for bad news. . . .
The Good News: Everything (and I mean everything!) is on these discs. This set of DVDs is a spectacular collection of the most important ALCS in Red Sox history, some of the most exciting baseball to be played in October, and then the World Series, which seemed terribly anti-climactic somehow after Games 4 & 5 against the Yankees and a nice partial comeback by the Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series. Whatever I might be missing from the Anaheim series, I get back twofold from this set--back up to 5 stars. Easy.
The Games: Aside from a disastrous Game 3 (which might be good to watch just to keep the comeback in even better perspective), the games were close, competitive, and dramatic. Some pretty good drama unfolded in Games 1 & 2, despite the Red Sox losses. Game 4 showcased a classic display of determination (by both teams) within a back-and-forth struggle, "the steal" by Dave Roberts, and the ultimate vintage walk-off home run by Ortiz in the bottom of the 12th inning. Game 5 followed in those big footsteps and provided possibly even more drama, with the Red Sox tying the game in the 8th inning and the two teams playing five more scoreless innings--each team with multiple opportunities to win the game, with the dramatic finish in the bottom of the 14th. That game went close to six hours, and we missed a great game between St. Louis and Houston, because by the time this game was over, the other game was well into the 8th inning. . . . Games 6 & 7 seemed less "exciting," simply because it seemed that the Sox had all of the momentum: Schilling pitched great in Game 6, and Lowe pitched a one-hitter through six innings in Game 7. Every time the Yankees made a move, the Red Sox made a bigger one in response. All of those moments are there, however, to relive in whatever fashion you choose--watch the complete games, skip around, whatever. . . .
The Setup: The games are all there in their entirety. However, half-inning chapter breaks make it very easy to negotiate your way through a whole bunch of baseball (Games 4 and 5 went forever. . .) in much less time than the original games took.
The Packaging: Beautiful. Hitting statistics, pitching stats, box scores, and inning-by-inning summaries make it easy to find a particular at-bat or half-inning (some of our memories are failing, so this feature is particularly helpful. . .). Trivia, attendance, weather info, umpires, quotes from players, pictures of memorabilia, and a host of other things are on the cover of each DVD, making it good reading material, as well. It's all there. All of it. If you need a piece of information regarding these games that is not on the cases, then you need very professional help. . .
The Bonus Features: Some of us love them, and this set includes one disc devoted to just "stuff," most importantly the 2005 Ring & Banner Ceremony, which was not included on any of the other World Series DVDs. Interviews, player bios/features, trip to the White House, celebrity interviews, post-game celebrations, etc. are all included. Complete postseason batting and pitching stats are on the inside of the case, also--Nice bonus. . . !
The Price: Can you beat it. . . ? MLB online was offering each game, but it would have ended up costing more than this set (which I bought for less than $80 at my local Bull Moose store) and would not have had any of the nice packaging offered on this set. I could have pictured really bare-bones discs and cases, but MLB and A&E did a tremendous job putting together a quality package for a very reasonable amount of money.
Bottom Line: If you are a fan of baseball and, in particular, a Red Sox fan, then this set is a virtual "must-have" for your collection. It is the first time that MLB has done such a project, and I hope it is successful. Who wouldn't like to have some past great World Series and playoff series to see in their entirety? This is an invaluable resource for future generations of Red Sox fans and for baseball fans in general--hopefully a trend has been started. The NESN DVD (Faith Rewarded) is a great summary, with some nice local insights and perspectives. The official MLB World Series DVD (one disc) is nice, too, if you want just a summary and a few highlights. Neither can compare to this set, though. Some of us want the whole enchilada, and this set provides it, with a nice salsa on the side. . . .

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition (2005)

The amazing comeback victory over the New York Yankees and World Series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals requires an equally incredible collection of memories. This unprecedented 12-DVD Collector’s Edition preserves all of the remarkable drama for your viewing now and forever.

Get 46% OFF

Click here for more information about The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition (2005)

Four Days in October Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just watched the film on ESPN. As a life-long Red Sox fan, I'm certainly not going to be able to be unbiased and thought the film was very good. But this potentially perfect documentary was ruined by seemingly constant cutaways to the two of the biggest buffoons in Red Sox Nation...Bill Simmons and Lenny Clarke sitting in an empty bar. Their lame smart-assed attempts at comedy fell flat and really distracted from the dramatic nature of the the story and the film. I would have liked it better if the director had used the valuable screen time he wasted on Simmons and Clarke to interview some elderly Sox fans who had waited forever for that day, speak to more Sox players or even interview some of the Yankees for the feelings they had being on the losing end of the most remarkable comeback in sports history. Perfect example is Keith Foulke, who got almost no mention in the film, but whose role was vital in the Sox winning the ALCS and World Series. Foulke basically blew out his arm and his career from being overused in the 2004 post-season and it would have been interesting to hear his memories. Or Tim Wakefield's feelings on beating the Yankees almost a year to the day after losing game 7 of the ALCS in the same stadium. A fine film that unfortunately could have been better and thus only 4 stars.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Four Days in October

When the night of October 6, 2004 came to a merciful end, the Curse of the Bambino was alive and well. The vaunted Yankee lineup, led by ARod, Jeter, and Sheffield, had just extended their ALCS lead to three games to none, pounding out 19 runs against their hated rivals. The next night, in Game 4, the Yankees took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, then turned the game over to Mariano Rivera, the best relief pitcher in postseason history, to secure yet another trip to the World Series. But after a walk and a hard-fought stolen base, the cold October winds of change began to blow. Over four consecutive days and nights, this unlikely group of Red Sox miraculously won four straight games to overcome the inevitability of their destiny. Using extensive archive coverage from that week, Major League Baseball Productions brings to life an in-depth look at the 96 hours that brought salvation to Red Sox Nation and made baseball history in the process.
This product is manufactured on demand using DVD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.

Click here for more information about Four Days in October

The Official World Series Film Collection Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Recently ordered and received "The Official World Series Film Collection," from Amazon.com for $90 and I must say WOW!
I am a baseball lifer and enjoy traveling down to watch the Pirates play and when I saw this product advertised on MLB Network I thought there was no way this was affordable. Then I pop up here and its $90. So I figured the set got to be great pick up so I picked it up.
Let me continue to say WOW!
The presentation of this box set is a coffee table format. It is really well made and its something that my friends and family over the past few days have marveled over. The foreward has been written by Bob Costas who anyone knows loves the game. Followed in the Coffee Table box is a pictorial essay of the biggest moments in Series history dating from the first WS between Pittsburgh and Boston in 1903 to the Phillies in 2008. Woven in this "scrap book" is the DVDs. One improvement is they put the discs in pockets on top of the pages and its SO much easier to access the discs, in the past box sets released in this format have put discs in the middle of the page in tight spots where you can easily scratch the discs. Not so here.
Overall I give MLB and A&E mad props for this excellent presentation of this box set.
The contents of this box set is self explanatory you have the World Series FILM of every WS from 1943-2008. I emphasize FILM because you will get someone who will buy this THINKING they will get FULL games. These are not full games. These are 30-45 minute films highlighting each World Series from 1943-2008. I find it a treat to watch players such as Mickey Mantle, Bob Gibson, Sandy Koufax, Carlton Fisk, George Brett, Jack Morris, etc in this set.
Now the quality of the DVDs are excellent and there are no bonus features and really who cares about bonus features when you have nearly 50 hours of baseball on DVD. This set gives the baseball diehard an opportunity to relive the greatest moments on baseball's grandest stage. I rate these on par with the NFL Films Super Bowl Collection as the finest in Sports DVDs because of the great quality.
I watched the 1979 World Series Film between my Buccos and the Baltimore Orioles and watching the build-up of the Series and watching the big plays and big moments are excellent. I am really looking forward to dive into other Series films.
Bottomline: if you miss the opportunity to get this set for $90...you are missing a golden opportunity. I find this set to be priceless for the baseball fan. If you are looking for a holiday gift or a birthday gift for the baseball fan I would almost guarantee you will hit one out of the park with this

Click Here to see more reviews about: The Official World Series Film Collection

This magnificent DVD Collection elegantly displays the iconic moments, thrilling heroics, triumphant favorites, and breathtaking upsets across seven decades of World Series Films, plus a narrative and pictorial essay on the Fall Classic since its origin in 1903.
This beautifully-packaged, digitally-preserved celebration of the Fall Classic is a timeless treasure that will become the ultimate centerpiece of any baseball fan's DVD library. Records and seasons change with time, but the legends and lore of the World Series on DVD will last forever.

Fall Classic film highlights showcase extraordinary players including: Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Henry Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Brooks Robinson, Tom Seaver, Johnny Bench, Willie Stargell, Derek Jeter, Albert Pujols, and many more. The drama and unforgettable images of baseball are the World Series moments etched in our minds and celebrated from generation to generation. These dynamic events are preserved and commemorated in this one-of-a-kind collection.

DVD FEATURES: 58-Page World Series Pictorial and Retrospective with Foreword by Bob Costas*DISC 1: 1943 Yankees, 1944 Cardinals, 1945 Tigers, 1946 Cardinals, 1947 Yankees, 1948 Indians (approx 182 min)*DISC 2 1949-53 Yankees (approx 167 min)*DISC 3 1954 Giants, 1955 Dodgers, 1956 Yankees (approx 115 min)*DISC 4 1957 Braves, 1958 Yankees, 1959 Dodgers, 1960 Pirates, 1961 Yankees (approx 182 min)*DISC 5 1962 Yankees, 1963 Dodgers, 1964 Cardinals (approx 100 min)*DISC 6 1965 Dodgers, 1966 Orioles, 1967 Cardinals, 1968 Tigers (approx 152 min)*DISC 7 1969 Mets, 1970 Orioles, 1971 Pirates (approx 116 min)*DISC 8 1972-74 A's, 1975-76 Reds (approx 170 min)*DISC 9 1977-78 Yankees, 1979 Pirates, 1980 Phillies, 1981 Dodgers (approx 166 min)*DISC 10 1982 Cardinals, 1983 Orioles, 1984 Tigers (approx 107 min)*DISC 11 1985 Royals, 1986 Mets, 1987 Twins (approx 119 min)*DISC 12 1988 Dodgers, 1989 A's, 1990 Reds (approx 177 min)*DISC 13 1991 Twins, 1992 Blue Jays (approx 139 min)*DISC 14 1993 Blue Jays, 1995 Braves (approx 132 min)*DISC 15 1996 Yankees, 1997 Marlins (approx 143 min)*DISC 16 1998-2000 Yankees (approx 186 min)*DISC 17 2001 Diamondbacks, 2002 Angels (approx 145 min)*DISC 18 2003 Marlins, 2004 Red Sox (approx 142 min)*DISC 19 2005 White Sox, 2006 Cardinals (approx 152 min)*DISC 20 2007 Red Sox, 2008 Phillies (approx 163 min)


(Click for larger image)




A Message from Jeff Scott, Senior Writer-- Major League Baseball Productions, someone who has worked on the World Series MLB Project for the last 20 years.


There was no shortage of storylines in the first World Series film I wrote for Major League Baseball Productions. The year was 1988 and this fellow Orel Hershiser had just completed a regular season in which he threw six consecutive scoreless games - topped off by a 10 inning masterpiece that enabled him to set a new record with 59 straight scoreless innings. He threw another eight scoreless in the LCS against the Mets to extend his mark to 67 straight innings without allowing a run. Did I mention his save in Game Four of the LCS - a shutout in Game Seven of that series and still another in Game Two of the World Series against the A's (he also went 3-3 with two doubles in that game)? Of course, what most folks remember from that '88 Series was the home run a hobbling (Hobbsing?) Kirk Gibson hit to win the opener and set the stage for a Dodger championship. Whew, I thought. This script writes itself. I soon discovered that it doesn't always work that way - in fact, there have been many years when folks have said that our official World Series Film was better than the real thing.


But regardless of the drama or lack thereof, it's always baseball -- and I have had the pleasure and honor to write the World Series film for more than 20 years. A little background is in order here. The first four decades of World Series films were created as archival programs designed to capture the highlights for posterity. The narration was staccato and to the point - much more play-by-play than storytelling. By the 1970s the film became a blend of archive and entertainment - more story intensive - and come the 1980s these films were offered to the public first on VHS and later DVD. With this latest evolution came a drastic change in production. What once took months to leisurely put together now had to be turned around in less than two weeks to accommodate the film's distributor. And that's how it's been since I first became a part of the process. That first script I wrote back in 1988 was banged out on an IBM Selectric Typewriter (with automatic back space white out.) I would soon move on to a Smith Corona Word Processer - the kind where you had to insert a new piece of paper into the roll for each page you wanted to print. It took close to 45 minutes to print out the 1991 classic which described how John Smoltz and Jack Morris traded darts in an unforgettable Game Seven. The 1993 series was the first one I wrote that included my beloved Phillies. But after enduring the traumatic Game Four and Joe Carter's blast three days later I can assure you that film is still sitting on my shelf wrapped in its original cellophane. Just because I wrote it doesn't mean I have to watch it!



There was no World Series film in 1994 - perhaps the darkest October in baseball history. I was still writing for Mel Allen on "This Week in Baseball" that year, and the only time I ever saw him cry was when he read that there would be no World Series that year. The Yankees incredible run that began in 1996 electrified New York City. And it all seemed ready to peak in 2001, for this World Series was very much a part of the healing process after 9-11 - and the Yankees were following the script to a "T." Miraculous back-to-back comebacks at Yankee Stadium had put the Yankees on the brink of the title -- all they had to do was win one more in the desert. But just when everything appeared to be in place for a true Fall Classic classic, Luis Gonzalez hit a little flair over shortstop off the best closer on the planet and the unpredictable world of baseball had thrown us all another curve.



The premiere of the 2004 World Series film in Boston was a raucous delight - the audience was screaming and cheering every moment on the big screen. This was also the year we shifted away from classic voiceover talent (Vin Scully, Ernie Harwell, Curt Chaplin, Len Cariou) and instead called upon actors who lived and died with their teams. Denis Leary voiced that 2004 film and he did a fantastic job. But the truth is, it was almost as much fun listening to the stream of good-natured invective he unleashed in the voiceover booth every time he messed up. Chicago native Michael Clarke Duncan manned the mike the next year, followed by St. Louis fan Billy Bob Thornton. Matt Damon was a pleasure to work with when the Sox won again in 2007. How much he loves his team became apparent halfway through the session when this award-winning actor -- who has been in some of this generation's top films -- sat back and said that this might have been the coolest thing he'd ever done. And in 2008 - when I finally got to write a World Series film that had a happy ending (at least for me), Terrence Howard brought just the right tone to the script.



Beyond all these actors and narrators, I have been blessed to work with many talented producers, editors, executive producers, field crews, audio engineers, proofreaders and myriad assistants, associates and coordinators who together form the basis of each and every film. And nothing on a professional level makes me feel better than when the show is finally recorded and mixed and they get to see their hard work brought together by a solid script and crisp narration. The World Series film is the gift we give to baseball fans every year - and I'm just happy to be the one who gets to tie the bow.



Jeff Scott

Senior Writer -- Major League Baseball Productions

Get 63% OFF

Click here for more information about The Official World Series Film Collection

The New York Mets 1986 World Series Collector's Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Well as a Die Hard Met fan since 1982 nothing was more thrilling than the 1986 Season for me. With this World Series Collector's set you get 8 complete broadcast's. 86 NLCS GM6 Mets/Astros The Thrilling 16 inning marathon (The best game i have ever seen, maybe the best game in baseball history ever played) + 86 World Series GM 1-7 Mets/RedSox. The set is 9 DVD's running over 27 hours+
Includes the Following Bonus Features:
1986 World Series Clubhouse Victory Celebration; Official Trophy Presentation; Post-game interviews; 1987 Ring Ceremony and Championship Banner Unveiling; Exclusive Interviews - Mookie Wilson, Gary Carter, Ray Knight, Keith Hernandez, Kevin Mitchell, Lenny Dykstra, Bill Buckner, Bill Robinson; Special Game Footage - Mets Clinching National League Eastern Division, Dykstra's game-winning, walk-off homer NLCS Game 3, Carter's game-winner NLCS Game 5 + more
So Met's Fan's this a must own set! relive those memories prior to the 2006 campaign that looks like it has alot of promise. Can the 20th Anniversary of the 86 team bring another Championship? It is going to be an exciting season to say the least.

Click Here to see more reviews about: The New York Mets 1986 World Series Collector's Edition

October of 1986--for New York Mets fans, it was an unprecedented, unparalleled rollercoaster of emotions stretching from the gripping National League Championship Series to the unfathomable World Series against the Boston Red Sox. A time when plays, players--Knight, Carter, Dykstra, and Mookie--and announcers' words were forever etched in time, "...it's a slow roller to first..." All the twists, turns, failings and redemptions of the 1986 World Series are preserved forever with this remarkable, one-of-a-kind DVD collection. Eight complete game broadcasts--more than 20 hours of the magic of the AMAZIN' METS championship team are included. From the marathon 16-inning, pennant-clinching victory in Houston to the gutsy World Series games victories in Fenway Park, right through to the miraculous Game 6...and to the team's last valiant, fantastic comeback in Game 7--all the plays, the dramatic moments, and joy of the Mets remarkable 1986 Fall Classic are here. Your viewing of these historic games is intensified with SleeveStats: the perfect companion to the ultimate baseball DVD experience, offering official stats, trivia, and game summaries right on each DVD's package.

Get 67% OFF

Click here for more information about The New York Mets 1986 World Series Collector's Edition