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The Official World Series Film Collection Sale-$152.49! Compare & Purchase The Official World Series Film Collection at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: $229.95 Amazon Price: $152.49 Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

The Official World Series Film Collection Description:

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

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22866 in DVD
• Brand: Team Marketing
• Released on: 2009-11-10
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 20
• Running time: 2955 minutes

Features

• OFFICIAL WORLD SERIES FILM COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

Customer Reviews:

A Piece of History for any Baseball fan
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

Missing footage!!!!
I just got this set and began watching some of the oldest films, which I enjoyed. Since I had the Yankee set of 13 films I skipped those, but just to make sure it was OK I popped in the 1949-1953 disk. While watching the 1953 film I decided to watch Mantle’s grand slam. To my surprise, they showed the bases being loaded, showed Russ Meyer come to the mound and then suddenly went to the next inning. I fast forwarded to the end and lo and behold they didn’t show Billy Martin’s game 6 game and series winning hit, just jumped to the end of the film wrapup.

So I got out my Yankee set and began comparing timings series by series. Well, folks, in order to cram as many as 6 films on a disk A&E, the producer of both sets, heavily edited many of the films. Remember, these are only the ones I can verify, the Yankee victories.

1943 is missing 21 seconds.
1947 has no difference.
1949 is missing 11 seconds.
1950 is missing over 9 minutes.
1951 has no difference.
1952 is missing 21 seconds.
1953 is missing 1 1/2 minutes.
1956 has no difference.
1958 is missing 1/2 minute.
1961 is missing 14 minutes.
1962 is missing almost 16 minutes.

From 1977 on there seems to be nothing missing. But it’s obvious that somebody at A&E made some very arbitrary decisions about what was “interesting” and what wasn’t. I can only assume that other films from the 40’s through the 60’s were similarly chopped. I’m not very happy about this product being advertised as the definitive collection when so much footage is gone. The book is nice, and it’s still valuable to have all of the available Series is one place to the extent they’re there. But I’m not as pleased as I should be.

Finally, all of the films released on DVD
Over the past few years, A&E has released numerous collections of World Series films that have left a few of them out. Most notably, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1971, 1979 and 1995 were never rereleased on DVD. They are finally out in this Book/DVD combo. The book itself, while very short, is a great coffee table book. The 20 discs sit comfortably inside the book. Another huge improvement, especially for those that had the previous World Series film DVDs is that all of the films themselves have chapters so it is easy to navigate between the different games. These are all of the films that were originally released immediately after each World Series, so the 1946 film is in black and white with very little graphics and no interviews while the 2008 film is much longer with interviews, extensive highlights, etc. I would highly recommend this set, even though it is rather pricey.

Amazon.com
The Official Major League Baseball World Series Film Collection is an impressive 20-disc set that assembles all the official World Series highlight films between 1943 and 2008’s Philadelphia Phillies victory. The films themselves–the earliest are black and white and under a half-hour, the most recent well over an hour– are fascinating time capsules of the game, recording many of its greatest players, greatest teams, and greatest moments: the Yankees-Dodgers-Giants intracity rivalry, the St. Louis Cardinals’ “Gas House Gang,” Willie Mays’ catch and Don Larsen’s perfect game, Bill Mazeroski’s and Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home runs, the Mets’ miracles, the Big Red Machine, and the Red Sox’s curse-breaker. They’re packaged in an eye-catching book-sized tome that collects facts and descriptions of the Fall Classic starting in 1903, a list of all winners, a foreword by Bob Costas, and two empty slots to house future films. It’s a great gift for any serious baseball fan. –David Horiuchi

Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films Lowest Price! Compare & Purchase Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: $850.00 Amazon Price: $772.49 Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films Description:

• Amazon Sales Rank: #75658 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-10-24
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Russian
• Number of discs: 50
• Running time: 5347 minutes

Customer Reviews:

remarkable
This is certainly the most remarkable collection of films to come out in one DVD package. And I would really like to thank Criterion for overpricing their DVDs so much that I had very little overlap with my existing library, having passed on most of their editions of these films. Here are a few observations that might be of use to potential buyers:
1) the widescreen movies are anamorphic
2) Haxen is 104 min, substantially longer than the 77 min version that has shown on premium cable.
3) I compared the Janus versions of two films, Wages of Fear and Seven Samurai, with the Criterion versions I had. I expected them to be identical (figuring that Criterion probably did the work for Janus) but they were considerably different. In both cases, the Janus copies were amazingly superior: much better (and louder)sound, crisper images with fewer defects, much better definition in shadowy areas, and a much more stable image. I never realized how poor the Criterion prints were until I saw the comparison. It’s amazing the psychological effect of all that. In both cases, I was strongly tempted to continue watching the whole film with Janus, and found the Criterion copy ‘tiring’. The translations also differed, with Janus having fewer errors (e.g. Samurai’s “the rice we’re eating now” v.s. “the rice we’re eating, how”). I cannot wait to watch the rest of these films.
3. I could detect no difference between Anchor Bay’s and Janus’s Kind Hearts and Coronets.
4. The print of Lady Vanishes is the clearest I’ve seen. The el cheapo Brentwood print, in their Hitchcock collection, is unwatchable.
5. The one really bad aspect of the collection is that the DVDs are wedged tightly into paper slots. Every single disc was covered with tiny flecks of paper, and every disc was scratched, sometimes quite badly (but not enough to affect playback, I think). Whether this occurred putting the disc in, or taking it out, I can’t say. However, repeating this process would rapidly damage the surface. I put all the discs into individual cases, and I STRONGLY recommend doing so. Some of the discs felt like they were glued to the page, the packaging was so tight. If you are a real fanatic about surface defects, and don’t plan on reselling the set, you might even want to use a razor to cut the paper and LIFT the disc out. Whatever you do, don’t rotate the disc as you try to unstick it or you may get a spiralling defect.
Despite that caveat, this is an incredible bargain - less than $12 per film instead of $30 for Criterion’s. That makes those commentaries pretty bloody expensive.
One can only hope Janus will put out another 50 movies (hopefully in individual cases, though).

This is put out by Criterion
Re: The previous reviewer’s points: The product info is somewhat vague on this, but this set is put out by Criterion. As the comment on that review says, any differences vs. earlier Criterion releases are attributable to upgrades made in later editions. Seven Samurai and M have been upgraded since their original Criterion release, and there may be other cases among the films collected here. On another point, it’s true that individual Criterion releases are expensive, but they usually include many extras of interest to cinephiles. If price is your main consideration, this package is a great way to get Criterion quality at a lower price per disc (although without the extras). I will be ordering one at some point, even though I already have about a dozen of the films, just because it looks to be a gorgeous package. FYI, there is a review in the NY Times today (11/7/2006) that provides some historical background on Janus and Criterion.

Special Features and Scratches
I would like to notify everyone who got scared about this set when they heard the dvds came in outrageoulsy tight slots that either this has been changed, it never was true, or i have an exeptionally awsome set because mine is not that way at all. In my set every page of the DVD book has 4 dvds that are in slots that are not too tight or loose. You do not have to induvidually unwrap the dvds or anything, just open up the book, and pull a dvd out. I have been pulling these discs out and putting back in and have seen absolutely no damage done. Not one of the movies has skipped yet. I have seen no “flecks of paper” and none of my DVDs “felt like they were glued to the page” like -a movie fan’s-. I strongly suggest everyone with a film appretiation to buy this set, even if you already have a few from the set. It is definatally worth it. And about the special features, I would like to inform anyone turned off by the fact that there are none that there is a 200 page book that comes with the set. That book has rare posters, photographs, the history of revolutionary JANUS and a page description of every film - the context of time and place the film came out, a little about the director and actors, the impact the film had, the meaning behind the film, etc. If that is not enough for you, then…sorry. I personally dont mind, considering the internet exists for any other information about the film I want to know.

Amazon.com
50 Years, 50 Films

One Spectacular DVD Box Set Janus Films opened American viewers’ eyes to the pleasures of Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, and François Truffaut at the height of their artistic powers. Celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of this world-renowned distribution company with Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films, an expansive collectors’ box set featuring fifty classic films on DVD and a lavishly illustrated hardcover book that tells the story of Janus Films through an essay by film historian Peter Cowie, a tribute from Martin Scorsese, and notes on each of the fifty films.

• Eight Academy Awards

• Twenty-eight Academy Award nominations

• Two Palme d’or awards

Amazon.com
Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films is a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. Packaged in a heavy slipcase set (remember, lift with your legs, not your back), one volume contains the DVDs in sturdy cardboard pages; the other volume is a hardback book with introductory essays and essays about each of the films. Janus Films is the precursor to the Criterion Collection, and this set is far and away the most beautiful art object the company has ever created. The substantial and subdued packaging is meant to stand the test of time, as are the films immortalized within. From The Seventh Seal to Jules and Jim to M and Pygmalion and The 39 Steps, this exquisite set is the art house DVD release of 2006, if not the decade.

The 200-page book provides context for the films and is worth reading in its own right. Martin Scorcese offers a brief and celebratory introduction, reminiscing about the thrill of seeing the antiquated Janus Films logo when attending a movie in one of New York City’s art house theaters. Film historian Peter Cowie’s essay about the history of art house cinema in America casts light on how films by directors like Akira Kurosawa and Ingmar Bergman first found American audiences. These days it’s easy to take for granted our access to films from around the globe, but in the early 20th century it was only due to the efforts of a passionate few that these great films found theatrical life in the United States. Many of these films, particularly those from Europe, boasted more liberal attitudes about such things as sex and war, facing the threat of censorship and hostility from Hollywood-fed audiences who weren’t accustomed to considering films as works of art. Janus Films evolved as a way to bridge these cultural gaps, introducing Americans to foreign sensibilities and big-screen stories that transcended language.

What DVDs Are Included?
The DVDs presented represent the cream of the crop of the Janus Films catalog, and the best of the Criterion Collection’s bar-setting technical sophistication. Six of the films are being debuted on DVD on the occasion of the set’s release, though they may be released separately later. These include Fires on the Plain, The Fallen Idol, Pandora’s Box, Le Jour Se Leve, Miss Julie, and Three Documentaries by Saul J. Turell. Fans of copious extra features should take note–the discs contain only the films themselves. Those wishing to dig into the two bonus discs of material offered with Criterion’s latest release of Seven Samurai, say, won’t find that opportunity here. As for the selection of films, cinephiles may get into arguments about what’s included and what’s not, but any film school student would be far ahead of the game by devouring these fifty films. The treasures are listed below. –Ryan Boudinot

ALEXANDER NEVSKY (1938)
ASHES AND DIAMONDS (1958)
L’AVVENTURA (1960)
BALLAD OF A SOLDIER (1959)
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1946)
BLACK ORPHEUS (1959)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1945)
THE FALLEN IDOL (1948)
FIRES ON THE PLAIN (1959)
FISTS IN THE POCKET (1965)
FLOATING WEEDS (1959)
FORBIDDEN GAMES (1952)
THE 400 BLOWS (1959)
GRAND ILLUSION (1937)
HÄXAN (1922)
IKIRU (1952)
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (1952)
IVAN THE TERRIBLE, PART II (1958)
LE JOUR SE LÈVE (1939)
JULES AND JIM (1962)
KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (1949)
KNIFE IN THE WATER (1962)
THE LADY VANISHES (1938)
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP (1943)
LOVES OF A BLONDE (1965)
M (1931)
M. HULOT’S HOLIDAY (1953)
MISS JULIE (1951)
PANDORA’S BOX (1929)
PÉPÉ LE MOKO (1937)
IL POSTO (1961)
PYGMALION (1938)
RASHOMON (1950) RICHARD III (1955)
THE RULES OF THE GAME (1939)
SEVEN SAMURAI (1954)
THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957)
THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE (1973)
LA STRADA (1954)
SUMMERTIME (1955)
THE THIRD MAN (1949)
THE 39 STEPS (1935)
UGETSU (1953)
UMBERTO D. (1952)
THE VIRGIN SPRING (1960)
VIRIDIANA (1961)
THE WAGES OF FEAR (1953)
THE WHITE SHEIK (1952)
WILD STRAWBERRIES (1957)
THREE DOCUMENTARIES BY SAUL J. TURELL

The Official World Series Film Collection-Retail $229.95! Sale Only $152.49! Compare & Purchase The Official World Series Film Collection at Amazon by clicking here! List Price: $229.95 Amazon Price: $152.49 Click Here To Purchase At Amazon!

The Official World Series Film Collection Description:

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

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22866 in DVD
• Brand: Team Marketing
• Released on: 2009-11-10
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, DVD, Black & White, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 20
• Running time: 2955 minutes

Features

• OFFICIAL WORLD SERIES FILM COLLECTION (DVD MOVIE)

Customer Reviews:

A Piece of History for any Baseball fan
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

Missing footage!!!!
I just got this set and began watching some of the oldest films, which I enjoyed. Since I had the Yankee set of 13 films I skipped those, but just to make sure it was OK I popped in the 1949-1953 disk. While watching the 1953 film I decided to watch Mantle’s grand slam. To my surprise, they showed the bases being loaded, showed Russ Meyer come to the mound and then suddenly went to the next inning. I fast forwarded to the end and lo and behold they didn’t show Billy Martin’s game 6 game and series winning hit, just jumped to the end of the film wrapup.

So I got out my Yankee set and began comparing timings series by series. Well, folks, in order to cram as many as 6 films on a disk A&E, the producer of both sets, heavily edited many of the films. Remember, these are only the ones I can verify, the Yankee victories.

1943 is missing 21 seconds.
1947 has no difference.
1949 is missing 11 seconds.
1950 is missing over 9 minutes.
1951 has no difference.
1952 is missing 21 seconds.
1953 is missing 1 1/2 minutes.
1956 has no difference.
1958 is missing 1/2 minute.
1961 is missing 14 minutes.
1962 is missing almost 16 minutes.

From 1977 on there seems to be nothing missing. But it’s obvious that somebody at A&E made some very arbitrary decisions about what was “interesting” and what wasn’t. I can only assume that other films from the 40’s through the 60’s were similarly chopped. I’m not very happy about this product being advertised as the definitive collection when so much footage is gone. The book is nice, and it’s still valuable to have all of the available Series is one place to the extent they’re there. But I’m not as pleased as I should be.

Finally, all of the films released on DVD
Over the past few years, A&E has released numerous collections of World Series films that have left a few of them out. Most notably, 1955, 1957, 1960, 1971, 1979 and 1995 were never rereleased on DVD. They are finally out in this Book/DVD combo. The book itself, while very short, is a great coffee table book. The 20 discs sit comfortably inside the book. Another huge improvement, especially for those that had the previous World Series film DVDs is that all of the films themselves have chapters so it is easy to navigate between the different games. These are all of the films that were originally released immediately after each World Series, so the 1946 film is in black and white with very little graphics and no interviews while the 2008 film is much longer with interviews, extensive highlights, etc. I would highly recommend this set, even though it is rather pricey.

Amazon.com
The Official Major League Baseball World Series Film Collection is an impressive 20-disc set that assembles all the official World Series highlight films between 1943 and 2008’s Philadelphia Phillies victory. The films themselves–the earliest are black and white and under a half-hour, the most recent well over an hour– are fascinating time capsules of the game, recording many of its greatest players, greatest teams, and greatest moments: the Yankees-Dodgers-Giants intracity rivalry, the St. Louis Cardinals’ “Gas House Gang,” Willie Mays’ catch and Don Larsen’s perfect game, Bill Mazeroski’s and Kirk Gibson’s dramatic home runs, the Mets’ miracles, the Big Red Machine, and the Red Sox’s curse-breaker. They’re packaged in an eye-catching book-sized tome that collects facts and descriptions of the Fall Classic starting in 1903, a list of all winners, a foreword by Bob Costas, and two empty slots to house future films. It’s a great gift for any serious baseball fan. –David Horiuchi

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