Well, the new revamp of Chud is coming along well and I think it looks pretty darn nice. If you ain’t had a chance to play around, check out the Community section, sign up and let people know who you are. Another nice touch is you can now check out articles by authors, so with a click of a button you can find everything written by Devin, Jeremy, Nick – or if you really get bored me! This week’s column includes a few sports titles getting special releases, including one that is already getting a re-release after its special edition last year.
PRIDE OF THE YANKEES – 65th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
d. Sam Wood
c. Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Babe Ruth
release date: March 18, 2008
msrp: $14.98
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I think back to something I wrote on April 9, 2007 – NINE LONG MONTHS AGO. I was talking about the release that day of the 65th Anniversary Edition of Pride of the Yankees. I also remember thinking how crappy it was the DVD was only getting a trailer as a special feature. Despite my dislike for the Yankees, it is a masterpiece and deserved better than that. Well, it looks like on March 18, almost a year after the release of the 65th Anniversary Edition, we will be getting another 65th Anniversary Edition? Am I the only person who thinks that makes no sense? Well, looking at IMDB.com, I see it originally received a limited release on July 14, 1942 – which makes last year its 65th Anniversary. However, its wide release was March 05, 1943, which makes this year the 65th Anniversary of that. Look for another 65th Anniversary Edition to hit in 2014, when it will be celebrating its 65th Anniversary of its re-release (May 20, 1949). Well, I got good news for the fans of the movie: there are extra features this time around. You get a Making of Pride Of The Yankees featurette, a Man Behind The Iron Horse featurette that discusses the real Lou Gehrig, a What He Left Behind featurette that looks at the Lou Gehrig memorabilia currently housed at the Baseball Hall of Fame, and an Always featurette on the hit song. Oh, but they do have to piss someone off, right? All Yankees fans should be excited to hear that the final two featurettes will be an interview with Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling discussing Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and Curt Schilling: A Legend on a Legend feature. Guess they couldn’t find an actual Yankees player to discuss?
EIGHT MEN OUT – 20th ANNIVERSARY EDITION
d. John Sayles
c. John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, David Strathairn
release date: March 18, 2008
msrp: $14.98
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“The Best Baseball Movie Ever” – USA Today. Is that hyperbole? Maybe, but Eight Men Out is a great movie – baseball or not. Directed by John Sayles, Eight Men Out retells the story of the Black Sox scandal from 1919, where players from the Chicago White Sox accepted bribes to throw the World Series. Questions remain today about the guilt or innocence of Shoeless Joe Jackson and the fairness of the lifetime bans placed upon them by the commissioner. The DVD will include the movie plus some extras about both the movie and the actual historic event. Director John Sayles takes part in an Audio Commentary and you also get a 2 Part Retrospective featurette – Story Behind The Movie featurette that takes an in-depth look at the Black Sox Scandal, and a DB, The Bat & The 2005 World Series featurette that looks at the 2005 White Sox World Series Championship.
BULL DURHAM – COLLECTOR’S EDITION
d. Ron Shelton
c. Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins
release date: March 18, 2008
msrp: $14.98
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Now, if you’re talking about the greatest baseball movies ever, here is the one that should be towards the top of everyone’s lists. Kevin Costner plays “Crash” Davis, a minor league baseball catcher who is asked to take a young, hotshot pitcher named “Nuke” LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) under his wing to help develop him as a player. It is the tale of life in the minor leagues and looks at both the career minor leaguer in Crash and the young upcoming superstar Nuke who is just awaiting his big league call up. Susan Sarandon also stars as the woman who is basically a baseball groupie who sleeps with one minor leaguer a year and begins a complicated love triangle with both players. Director Ron Shelton is a former baseball player himself and shows us the world of the minor leagues like it had never been seen before. This is a true modern classic. Extras will include an audio commentary from director Ron Shelton, a second commentary from Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, a Greatest Show on Dirt featurette, a Diamonds In The Rough featurette that explores minor league baseball, a Between The Lines: The Making Of Bull Durham featurette, and a Kevin Costner profile. The only difference between this and the last special edition release is the Dirt featurette and the Diamonds featurette.
Finally, here is the cover of everyone’s favorite punching bag, due to hit stores on March 18, 2008 as well:
