..Gary
Dretzka
..Noah
Forrest
..Leonard
Klady
..R.J.
Matson
..David
Poland
..Douglas
Pratt
..Ray
Pride
..Michael
Wilmington
Glory Road
One of the things movies do remarkably well is the codification of history. Sure, even the most accurate historical film is full of anachronisms and simplifications, but the best ones capture and convey the emotional essence of an event, and that is always going to be the most important factor to be passed along. Even history books are inaccurate at a certain level, so what is important in the continuing story of human society is the lessons that are passed along from one generation to the next. If you see a movie, you may not recall who was in it or what the details of the story were, but you almost always remember the emotional impact it had on you, and if it is telling a true story well, then you learn and remember the emotional importance of that event because of the film.
The producer, Jerry Bruckheimer, has been most successful overseeing the creation of spectacular action movies that have expanded the boundaries of the medium, yet he has also found a quieter but still satisfying success in adapting true stories about American sporting events to film. Glory Road, a PG-rated Walt Disney Home Entertainment Widescreen release (UPC#786936292626, $30), is about the basketball coach of Texas Western University, Don Haskins, who won the 1966 NCAA championship using only seven black players in the final game. For the sake of the story, the film condenses what happened-it presents the title championship game as being the culmination of Haskin's rookie year as a coach, when in reality he had been at Texas Western for several years-but emotionally, it zeroes right in on the significance of Haskin's accomplishment-breaking the race barrier in college basketball (token black players had been participating, but were relegated to secondary positions at best)-which is precisely what history will remember him for. The 2006 feature runs 118 minutes, and while it may seem as predictable as the headlines following a big game-which was implied in its bland trailer-it is actually a fully involving and uplifting tale, precisely because its emotional weight-something the trailer did not have the resources to convey-is so intricately wound with its box score narrative. Josh Lucas stars as Haskins, and his easy, composed demeanor (again, the real Haskins was more a firebrand, but this variation is better for drawing you into the story) puts you at ease, allowing the story to roll past you like a clean layup. The conflicts the black and white players on the team must overcome supply more than enough drama to keep the story moving, and there are no awkward choices or overplayed sequences to upset its rhythm. You may forget every detail when the film is over, but forever after, you'll always recall what the most significant turning point in the history and popularity of modern basketball was.
The letterboxing has an aspect ratio of about 2.35:1 and an accommodation for enhanced 16:9 playback. The color transfer is fine, and the 5.1-channel Dolby Digital sound has a suitable dimensionality that increases in fervor as the games advance. There are alternate French and Spanish tracks in 5.1 Dolby, optional English, French and Spanish subtitles, 6 minutes of deleted scenes (including several with the unrecognizable Jon Voight, who plays the opposing coach in the final game-the scenes help to explain the otherwise quizzical epilog tag for his character), a 13-minute profile of the real Haskins, a 22-minute piece on the actual players who participated in the championship game, a 4-minute segment on the training the cast had to undergo (Haskins was there for a bit, putting them through moves), and a 2-minute Alicia Keys music video.
There are also two good commentary tracks (although both of them sidestep the facts about Haskin's beginning years as a college coach). On one, the screenwriters, Chris Cleveland and Bettina Gilois, talk about developing the script, breaking the ice with Haskins, and identifying the significance and realities of various scenes. On the other track, the director, James Gartner, sits with Bruckheimer, although they rarely acknowledge one another in their talk. Gartner explains his strategies for approaching each scene, gives his take on the performers and the people they are representing, and talks about his own transition from directing commercials to trying his hand at a feature film. "I remember before doing this movie, I used to wonder how a feature director ever found the time, you know? Because you work these long days, and you look at dailies, and you're trying to figure out the next day's work, and you're talking to the editor along the way, and you're in constant discussions with the line producer. And anyhow, once I started to work on my first film, I figured out how you did it, I figured it out-you just don't. It's just absolutely impossible, and you find yourself prioritizing your compromises."July 7, 2006
DVD Roundup: This Week's DVD Releases
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