MLB Productions, Shout! Factory Continue Their World Series Success With 2021 Collector’s Edition Presentation

Courtesy: MLB Productions/Shout! Factory

Major League Baseball’s 2022 Spring Training session is scheduled to launch Feb. 26, with all 30 of the league’s teams set to take the fields.  Of course, thanks to the league’s current lockout – the first since the 1994-1995 season – that date might get pushed back.  What’s more it may leave 29 of the league’s teams and their fans wondering when “next year” will happen.  There is at least one consolation prize of sorts courtesy of Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory.  It comes in the form of this year’s annual World Series presentation, The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition.  Scheduled for release Tuesday, the eight-disc set is another success for MLB Productions and Shout! Factory in the companies’ ongoing partnership.  That is due in no small part to its general presentation, which will be discussed shortly.  The bonus content that accompanies the collection adds to its appeal.  It will be examined a little later.  The set’s pricing rounds out its most important items and will be discussed later, too.  Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered, they make The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition a presentation that Atlanta Braves fans and baseball fans will enjoy as they wait for the start of the 2022 season.

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s forthcoming 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition Blu-ray package is a presentation that baseball fans (and especially Atlanta Braves) will find appealing.  That is due in part to its general presentation.  The general presentation is important because it compiles the entire six-game 2021 World Series along with the whole of Game Six of the National League Championship Series and the 2021 World Series documentary in one setting.  On the surface that might not seem overly important.  However, in the bigger picture, the inclusion of all of that content in one setting will save space and money for audiences.  In years past, the companies separated the World Series and its documentary, meaning audiences had to pay extra and find space on their DVD/BD racks for each.  Now with everything in one package, audiences no longer have to worry about that pricing (which will be addressed a little later) and finding space for the set and a separate documentary.  That makes this collection a win for the companies and for audiences alike.  To that end, MLB Productions and Shout! Factory are to be highly commended.  It is just one of the items that makes this collection successful.  The bonus content that accompanies the set adds to the collection’s appeal.

The inclusion of the 2021 World Series documentary is itself bonus content.  That is, again, because it marks the first time ever that Shout! Factory and MLB Productions have included the documentary with the World Series itself.  The documentary is certain to keep audiences engaged and entertained, this despite the lacking narration of rapper Chris “Ludacris” Bridges.  He did a much better job working on Jim Henson Company/Lifetime’s 2015 movie, Turkey Hollow.  The documentary follows the Braves’ unlikely run to the World Series title after reaching only 44 wins by the mid-season break.  The note of GM Alex Anthopoulos’ roster moves at that break deserved maybe a little more attention.  Though, the tribute that the team made to the legend himself, #44, Hank Aaron (who died in January) during and after the documentary is reason enough to watch.  Diehard Braves fans will appreciate the note from Manager Brian Snitker of how perhaps Aaron gave the team a little extra help during the season’s second half, noting how the team had 44 wins at the season break, and how the team had 44 runs through the World Series.  That Shout! Factory and MLB Productions ensured the tribute to the legendary baseball star made during the World Series was included in the documentary makes for even more appeal.  Between that and the in-depth story of how the team reached the proverbial mountaintop, the documentary offers audiences so much to appreciate, even if they are not Braves fans.  This is just one of the bonuses that makes the 202 World Series Collector’s Edition so enjoyable.  The trivia-filled booklet that accompanies the collection is its own enjoyable bonus.

This year is hardly the first that MLB Productions and Shout! Factory has featured a companion, trivia-filled booklet with its World Series collections.  It is no less appreciated, either.  Audiences learn so much extra about this year’s World Series through the noted information.  For instance, audiences learn that “through Game 2, teams scoring first in the 2021 postseason had won 26 of 33 games.  Interestingly enough, Atlanta scored first in Game 1 of this year’s Fall Classic, proving the stat even truer.  On another note, in Game 1, audiences learn through the trivia, the Astros’ loss in Game 1 made th team the first to lose five straight World Series home games since the Braves’ teams from 1996-1999.  That is just a small sampling of what audiences learn through the booklet’s trivia.  Viewers and fans also learn that Houston’s win in Game 5 made the team the first this year to defeat Atlanta at home in the 2021 postseason.  Between these bits of trivia and so much more that are spread throughout the collection, the companion booklet once again proves itself to be a solid bonus and then some.  Add the appeal of that item to the fact that audiences once again get audio options from Fox, both teams’ home radio broadcasters, and even in Spanish as yet another bonus, and no doubt is left that the bonus content featured in this collection strengthens the set’s appeal even more.  It is just one more way in which this latest World Series presentation proves so successful.  Keeping in mind the engagement and entertainment that the overall content ensures, it makes the set’s pricing appealing in its own right.

The average price point for The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is $47.08.  The price was reached by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Books-A-Million, and Shout! Factory.  In looking at the separate prices, Amazon offers the set at the least expensive price of $41.99.  Book-A-Million’s listing of 59.98 is the most expensive of the listings, far exceeding that average. Walmart’s listing of $46 even is just below the average and exceeds it when shipping and handling are added in to the mix.  Target lists the et at $43.49 while Best Buy lists the set at $42.99.  Shout! Factory lists the set at just above the average, at $47.98.  So while there are some more expensive listings, there is at least one relatively inexpensive listing through Amazon.  Again, considering all of the content featured in the collection, there is no denying that the noted least expensive listing of $41.99 through Amazon is worth paying by any diehard Braves and baseball fan.  When that listing and others just below the noted average are considered collectively with the set’s overall content, the whole makes The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition a presentation that any baseball collector and diehard Braves fan will appreciate.

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s forthcoming 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is another enjoyable offering from the companies through their ongoing partnership.  The set’s appeal comes in part through its general presentation.  The general presentation is important to the collection because it houses the entire 2021 World Series in one setting for the first time ever.  That includes the annual World Series documentary that MLB Production creates to accompany the World Series presentation.  The bonus content that accompanies the collection (including that documentary) adds to the set’s appeal.  That is because it will ensure audiences’ engagement and entertainment just as much as the general presentation.  The set’s pricing proves appealing for the most part, too.  That is because of the breadth and depth of the content featured in the set and its presentation.  Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of the collection.  All things considered, they make the collection another successful offering from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory, and one more of the best of this year’s family DVDs/BDs.

The 2021 World Series Collector’s Edition is scheduled for release Tuesday through MLB Productions and Shout! Factory. More information on the set is available online along with all of the latest Major League Baseball headlines at:

Website: https://www.mlb.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mlb

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mlb

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like “it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, MLB Prouctions “Score” Again With ‘2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers’

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

The first tow months of each new year are the most important of all for baseball fans.  That is because it is during those months that news starts arriving about Major League Baseball’s spring training and regular season schedules.  The league’s spring training was cancelled I 2020 and its regular season start delayed until July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Now that news is finally coming out about the hopefully soon distribution of a vaccine to fight the virus, anticipation is likely building even more over what will happen with Major League Baseball’s 2021 season.  With any luck, fans and teams alike will get a full season with no asterisks (unlike this recently ended season).  Until then, fans will get to relive the 2020 World Series in part thank to Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory.  The companies have partnered once again to release a look back at MLB’s annual fall classic, this time in the form of 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers.  The two-disc set, which features the program on DVD and Blu-ray separately, is a presentation that will appeal equally to Dodgers fans and baseball fans in general.  That is due in no small part to the documentary’s primary feature, which is narrated by legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully.  This will be discussed shortly.  The bonus (secondary content) that accompanies the program builds on the appeal created through the retrospective’s primary content and makes the overall presentation that much more entertaining and engaging.  It will be discussed a little later.  The whole of that primary and secondary content collectively makes the set’s average price point important to address in its own way, too.  It will also be discussed later.  When it is considered along with the set’s overall content, the whole of this presentation proves itself such that it will keep baseball fans across the board entertained, regardless of whether MLB’s 2021 season starts on time (which hopefully it will).

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s annual World Series retrospective presentation, this year focusing on the 2020 World Series, is a work that is certain to appeal to baseball fans, regardless of team affiliation and loyalty.  That is proven in no small part to the documentary’s primary feature.  The production, narrated by legendary Dodgers voice Vin Scully, takes audiences through the back and forth six-game battle between the Dodgers and Rays.  Adding to Scully’s narration — which shows zero bias toward the Dodgers at any point (audiences will appreciate this aspect of Scully’s work very much) — was commentary from members of the Rays and Dodgers, recalling thoughts and emotions on both sides of the ball as the series progressed.  From the momentous “battle of the bats” in the series’ fourth game, to the controversial decision by Tampa Bay Manager Kevin Cash to pull pitcher Blake Snell in the sixth inning of Game Six, to the impact of Mookie Betts for Los Angeles throughout the series, and more, audiences are presented a rich picture of the action throughout the series thanks to that first hand insight and narration.  The cinematography that pairs with Scully’s narration adds to the experience. 

Media access to the World Series was limited on and off the field due to COVID-19 restrictions, but despite that, enough footage was captured that audiences still managed to see firsthand, the highs and lows for each team.  Even with restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the cameras were still fully able to capture all of the on- and off-field action.  The editing of that footage helped tell the series’ story.  Audiences will watch in awe as certain pitches make their way past the batters and as the fielding units make their way to the walls, making seemingly impossible leaps to catch the balls.  Even seeing the looks on the players’ faces throughout the course of the series adds to the impact of the cinematography.  The editing of that footage into the presentation shown here works with Scully’s narration to make the program’s pacing solid from start to end.  According to information on the program’s case, its run time is 90 minutes.  That run time passes by with ease thanks to everything noted here collectively.  The result is a primary presentation that ensures this retrospective will keep audiences watching time and again as they count down to the start of the 2021 season.

The primary presentation featured in 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers is undeniably important in its own way to the whole of this program.  As important as it is to the retrospective’s whole, it is just one aspect worth examining in the presentation.  The bonus content that accompanies the set’s primary content adds its own share of entertainment and engagement for audiences.  The whole of that content opens with the “How The yGot There” featurette.  Clocking in at approximately five minutes (give or take a few seconds here and there) this featurette chronicles the Dodgers season-long run to its first MLB title in 32 years.  One of the biggest highlights of the featurette is the team’s acquisition of star Mookie Betts from the Boston Red Sox during the off-season.  His addition to the team clearly made a big difference, as this featurette shows.  Just as interesting to see in this presentation is the tension between the Dodgers and their rivals, the San Diego Padres as the season progressed.  Obviously there was no love lost between the two teams, as the documentary shows.  The brief, but still rich presentation culminates with the final out in the sixth game of the World Series.

The “Clinching Moments” and “Season Highlights” that accompany the bigger look back take audiences back through some of the biggest moments of the season and post season for the Dodgers, including one game in particular that saw Betts go yard three teams.  Other notable highlights are big moments from Betts’ teammates, such as Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and Clayton Kershaw.  Everything is rounded out by the Game Six post game interviews with the Dodgers’ players.  The interviews, conducted by on-air staff with MLB Network and Fox Sports, show an interesting picture of calm from the team members.  One would think that after a drought of 32 years without a championship, the team members would be jubilant and excited even in the interviews.  Given, they were clearly upbeat, the control in their presentation is something to behold, considering everything going on around them.  One of the most interesting questions that came up (multiple times) was the thoughts of the Dodgers; team members about that controversial move by the Rays’ manager to pull Snell.  It shows the clear impact that Snell had in the series.  Betts’ response to the question is telling in itself.  He took the high road and refused to let the announcers try to pull him into the controversy, which is a wonderful show of his professionalism.  The interviews in whole are a great accent to the bonus content that opens with the “How They Got There” featurette, showing that the sequencing of the bonus content is just as important as the content itself.  It helps to enrich the story of the 2020 World Series even more.  When this content and its sequencing is considered along with the set’s primary content, the whole of the set’s content gives audiences plenty to appreciate.

Considering the breadth and depth of the content featured in 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers, the double-disc set’s average price point prove to be its own positive worth noting.  The average price point, using listings at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, and Major League Baseball’s online store, is $21.70.  The set is not listed through Target or Books-A-Million.  The documentary’s standalone DVD presentation is listed through Target at $14.99.  Speaking of the DVD, its average price point comes to $18.31.  That price is obtained by adding in the aforementioned retailers’ listings along with that noted listing at Target.  Amazon and Target offer the lowest DVD listing at $14.99 while MLB’s listing of $24.99 is the most expensive.  Its listing of $29.99 is also the most expensive of the Blu-ray/DVD combo set price listings while Best Buy’s listing of $19.99 is in fact the best buy in this case.  Considering that the Blu-ray/DVD set’s average price point barely tops the $20 mark and that the standalone DVD set’s price point comes in at just below the $20 mark, that in itself is motivation for baseball fans.  Neither price will break any fan’s budget, and that together with the noted content makes the prices even more positive.  Given, the singular price listings  are somewhat expensive at some retailers, but the least expensive listings are below $15 (DVD) and below $20 (Blu-ray/DVD).  That overall affordability is undeniably another positive to this presentation.  When it is considered along with the retrospective’s overall content, the whole of the presentation leaves zero doubt as to its value for the most devoted baseball fans.  It is a presentation that will keep viewers entertained and engaged as they wait for news on the start of the 2021 MLB season, especially when it is considered along with the forthcoming full, six-game World Series set that is due for release in February.

Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory’s 2020 World Series retrospective 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers is a welcome presentation for Dodgers fans and baseball fans alike as they wait anxiously for news about the 2021 MLB season.  That is proven in no small part through its primary feature, which chronicles in depth, all six games of this year’s World Series.  The narration by legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully and the first hand accounts from team members on both sides of the ball does so much to entertain and engage audiences.  The cinematography and editing that pairs with the overall story adds to the presentation’s positive impact.  The average price points for the documentary’s Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and its standalone DVD presentation prove to be their own positive as do their least expensive singular listings.  They are prices that will not break any viewer’s budget.  Add in the amount of content in the overall presentation and that content’s depth, and those least expensive listings become even more positive.  Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the documentary.  All things considered, 2020 World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers proves itself a great way for Dodgers fans and baseball fans alike to pass the time until Major League Baseball (hopefully) returns in March for its 2021 season.

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

2017 World Series Box Set Hits It Out Of The Park On Phil’s Picks’ 2017 Top 10 New Family Box Sets List

Courtesy: Major League Baseball/Shout! Factory

Family programming.  What does one think of when one hears the term?  One probably thinks of stuff that appeals more to kids than it does grown-ups, right?  I.E. cartoons and other programming aimed at younger viewers.  The reality of family programming is that it can include programs that grown-ups can watch with their younger counterparts, whether it is something new or perhaps even something older such as the classic television shows that today’s grown-ups watched when they were children.

Keeping all of this in mind, one might ask what does that have to do with anything.  It is important to note in setting up Phil’s Picks 2017 Top 10 New Family DVD/BD Box Sets.  This year’s list features titles that will appeal to children and grown-ups alike.  Some of the material might even appeal to both audiences at the same time (E.g. Cook’s Kitchen Season 10 and America’s Test Kitchen: Season 17).  Both titles are included in this list alongside the ninth season of Nickelodeon’s Spongebob Squarepants and even the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition, which the whole family can watch together.  For those families who already enjoy baseball, it’s a great watch.  For those parents perhaps hoping to connect with their children over a common interest, it’s just as critical.  Add in everything in its presentation, and it proves an important release all the way around.

Also included in this year’s list are new Peanuts collections from Warner Home Video as well as the “new” Real Ghosbuters DVD set, which was released this past October.  It features “over 100 episodes” of the series.  That still is not the entire series, but it is more cost efficient than buying each of the standalone collections separately.  Originally aired in France, the programs included in those box sets definitely stand out from their American counterparts, but could still be entertaining for the whole family.  For older youths, this list also features recent releases from Saban’s Power Rangers universe.  Even Green Acres: The Complete Series has been pulled over as it might not wholly appeal to younger viewers, its content is appropriate for the whole family.  It is a family friendly sitcom — something that is sadly missing from television today.

Between the titles noted here and the others that make up the rest of this list, audiences will see that there is plenty out there for the whole family — just as much as there is solely for grown-ups.  As with every previous list, this list features this critic’s Top 10 new Family DVD/BD Box Sets alongside five additional titles for a total of 15 titles.  Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks 2017 Top 10 new Family DVD/BD Box Sets.

PHIL’S PICKS 2017 TOP 10 NEW FAMILY DVD/BD BOX SETS

1. 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros
2. Green Acres: The Complete Series
3. C.O.P.S.: The Animated Series
4. Cook’s Country: Season 10
5. America’s Test Kitchen: Season 17
6. Spongebob Squarepants: The Complete Ninth Season
7. Sports Detectives: Season 1
8. Peanuts: Snoopy Tales
9. Peanuts: Go Team Go
10. Peanuts: School Daze
11. Power Rangers SPD: The Complete Series
12. Power Rangers Mystic Force: The Complete Series
13. Power Rangers Jungle Fury: The Complete Series
14. The Secret World of Alex Mack: The Complete Series
15. The Real Ghostbusters: Vol. 1 – 10

That’s it for this list.  Now we’ve got the top new box sets for grown-ups and for families.  Again, some of the grown-up sets are just as viable as family entertainment as they are for grown-up audiences.  That is a testament to the ability of their content to reach a wide range of viewers.

While this list is now done, there’s still work to be done.  There is still a list of the year’s top new Children’s DVDs as well as potentially the year’s top new independent movies, theatrical releases and overall movies to wind down the year.  It can’t all be guaranteed before the year ends tomorrow, but this critic will try nonetheless.  So stay tuned!

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Burns & Novick’s New Vietnam Miniseries Doc Is A Must See For Everyone

Courtesy: PBS/Public Media Distribution

Year in and year out, PBS proves that it is the last bastion of truly worthwhile programming left on television.  In comparison to the programming put out by History, Discovery and even Science Channel, PBS’ programming stands solidly above those networks.  The documentaries put out by PBS and Public Media Distribution this year are proof positive of that.  They make up the majority of this critic’s list of 2017’s top new From the true history behind what was nearly one of America’s worst nuclear disasters in American Experience: Command and Control, to the hard-hitting (and fittingly titled) documentary The Talk: Race in America, which focuses on relations between law enforcement and minorities, to even the Mythbusters-esque NOVA: Secrets of the Shining Knight and beyond, PBS has put out another strong crop of new documentaries this year.

Of course PBS is not the only company represented in this year list, despite its once again strong presence.  Smithsonian Channel and even MLB Productions are also represented here, too.  Leading off this year’s list of the top new documentaries is the The Vietnam War: A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick.  This mini-series documentary presents both familiar and not so familiar information about the war as well as footage that is impacting in its own right.  Musical work by Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor and his friend Atticus Ross add even more to the documentary series.  Also included in the list, as noted already, is American Experience: Command and Control, which focuses on what was nearly one of America’s worst nuclear disasters.  If that isn’t enough, there is also a history of the evolution of subway transportation in American Experience: The Race Underground.  MLB Productions gets a nod with its new 2017 World Series Documentary, which tells the full, in-depth story of this year’s World Series.  Smithsonian Channel’s nod comes in the form of the WWII documentary Hell Below, which focuses on the submarine conflict both in the Atlantic and Pacific theater.

As with every previous list, this list features this critic’s Top 10 titles in their category alongside five additional titles for a total of 15 titles.  Without any further ado, here for your consideration is Phil’s Picks 2015 top 10 New Documentaries.

PHIL’S PICKS 2017 TOP 10 NEW DOCUMENTARIES

1. The Vietnam War: A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick
2. The Talk: Race in America
3. American Experience: Command & Control
4. American Experience: Race Underground
5. Hell Below
6. American Experience: The Great War
7. Secrets of the Dead: Nero’s Sunken City
8. NOVA: Secrets of the Shining Knight
9. Secrets of the Dead: Graveyard of the Giant Beasts
10. Secrets of the Dead: Leonardo, The Man Who Saved Science
11. Secrets of the Dead: After Stonehenge
12. NOVA: Ghosts of Stonehenge
13. 2017 World Series Champions: Houston Astros
14. Farewell Ferris Wheel
15. NOVA: Killer Volcanoes

That’s it for this list.  It’s not the end for the DVD and Blu-ray titles, though.  There is still more on the way including the year’s top new Family DVDs and BDs, best new DVD and DVD re-issues, and hopefully a couple of box set lists.  Stay tuned for all of that!

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

‘2017 World Series’ Doc Is An Excellent Companion Piece To The ‘2017 World Series Collector’s Edition’ Set

Courtesy: Major League Baseball/Shout! Factory

The Houston Astros’ run to the 2017 World Series Championship is an historic part of Major League Baseball’s history. When the city that the team calls home was inundated by flood waters from Hurricane Harvey, the team became a beacon of hope for its residents. The team took that mantle and literally ran with it, giving its all from one game to the next, eventually finishing the regular season with 101 wins before advancing steadily but surely through the post season and on to the World Series Championship. Now thanks to Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory, baseball fans nationwide can relive the Astros’ unlikely season, from the devastation of Harvey this summer to the final out of the World Series’ seventh game in the new 2017 World Series documentary. That story is told through the doc’s bonus material and its roughly 90-minute main feature, both of which are key elements of the doc’s presentation. The doc’s availability on DVD, Blu-ray and digital on one platform is also key in that it allows viewers to take in the story in all three platforms through just one setting. Each element is important in its own right to this forthcoming documentary, which is currently set to be released Tuesday, Dec. 5. All things considered, they make this documentary a solid companion piece for the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros.

Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory’s upcoming 2017 World Series documentary is a solid companion piece to the companies’ also soon-to-be-released 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros. That is due in no small part to the story told through the pairing of the doc’s bonus material and its main feature. The main feature, which runs roughly 90 minutes, takes audiences through the entirety of the 2017 World Series, one game at a time, while also acknowledging the motivation that the Astros had to play so hard. It is told through the words of the men who took to the field on both sides of the ball game-by-game and through footage recorded during each game. That footage includes pre-game warmups by both teams. The frank words from the players does plenty to enhance the series’ importance because it lets audiences know firsthand what they must have been feeling in each game. The original broadcast audio from both teams’ radio networks adds even more emotion to the story. While there is some extraneous narration from Morgan Spector, his verbiage is kept to a minimum, making the experience all the more enjoyable. That minimization allows the teams and announcers to tell the story, again making for plenty of enjoyment. That enjoyment more than ensures viewers’ maintained engagement from beginning to end. Of course the story told through the doc’s main feature is only one way in which the story told here proves so solid. The story told through the bonus material also plays into that strength.

The bonus material included in the 2017 World Series documentary includes two short yet impacting segments — “Houston Strong” and “How They Got There” — that tell the story of the Astros’ motivation to play hard for Houston and the impact of that drive. The prior tells the story in short but concise fashion, the story of Hurricane Harvey hitting Houston and of the Astros’ desire to be there for the city’s people. The latter tells the story of how the team’s efforts got it through its highs and even the lows of mid-season injuries, eventually giving way to the acquisition of Justin Verlander and the return to form for the Astros. The whole thing culminates with the Astros’ ALCS win over the Yankees. Given, it’s an extremely brief mention, but is there nonetheless. The bonus “Clenching Moments” and “Regular Season Highlights” reels add to the story told through the two main bonuses, making for even more engagement and entertainment for audiences. When all of this additional bonus material is set alongside the doc’s main feature, the end result is, for all intents and purposes, an in-depth story of how the Astros went from starting over from 2016’s struggles to taking on the mantle of Houston’s guiding light (so to speak) to Major League Baseball Champions. It is a story that every baseball fan will appreciate regardless of team loyalty, and is just one more reason that the doc in whole proves such a solid companion to the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros. The availability of the program on three separate platforms in one single setting puts the finishing touch on the program’s presentation.

Major League Baseball Productions and Shout! Factory have made it possible for audiences to enjoy the 2017 World Series documentary on DVD, Blu-ray and digital platforms in one single combo pack. That’s nothing new for the companies’ World Series documentaries. What is really great for audiences is that they have made it possible for audiences to enjoy the program on all three platforms in one single setting, rather than forcing them to choose between platforms. The average price point of $22.78 ($23 and change with tax) gives audiences all three platforms in one, allowing them to enjoy the program at home and on the go. For those wanting just one platform, the program is also being made available on standalone DVD at an aver age price point of $20.22. That’s not a bad price point, and is cheaper on the surface than the price point for the 3-platform combo pack. However in a 24/7 digital world, the slightly more expensive combo pack that includes a digital download code makes more sense. Not only that but it also allows audiences to watch the program on any platform or even lend one of the discs to family and/or friends without worry. Keeping that in mind, the availability of this documentary on both multi-platform setting and a single platform setting shows how much thought was put even into this aspect of its presentation. MLB Productions and Shout! Factory are to be commended just as much for this as for the product presented through the program’s central and bonus content. When all of this is considered along with the story told through the noted content, the result is a presentation that is just as enjoyable to take in as the actual World Series and that expertly completes the presentation of this year’s Fall Classic.

MLB Productions and Shout! Factory’s upcoming 2017 World Series documentary program is a solid companion piece for the companies 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros. It takes the presentation in that program and builds on it by giving audiences an even deeper look into the World Series from the mouths of the men who took the field. It also takes audiences through the Astros’ regular and post season with separate highlights reels. Those reels, while short, come together in whole to paint a relatively full picture of Houston’s road to the World Series. The availability of that full story on three platforms in one setting (DVD/BD/digital combo pack) strengthens the program’s presentation even more. Each element is clearly important in its own right to the presentation’s whole. All things considered, they make the 2017 World Series documentary a solid companion piece for the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros and certainly another program that every baseball fan will appreciate regardless of team loyalty. It will be available Dec. 5 and can be pre-ordered online now via Shout! Factory’s online store. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Shout! Factory, MLB Productions Score Again With The 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros

Courtesy: Major League Baseball/Shout! Factory

The boys of summer are officially done for another year, but as teams take their annual break from the fields, fans nationwide will soon have a new way to pass the time as they count the days to the start of the 2018 season. That is because Shout! Factory and Major League Baseball have partnered to release this season’s seven-game World Series in whole on DVD and Blu-ray in the form of the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros. This collection is everything that baseball fans have come to expect from the sport’s annual World Series collections beginning with the series’ very presentation. This will be discussed shortly. The set’s companion booklet adds to that presentation, and will be discussed later. The set’s bonus American League Championship Series Game 7 is a welcome bonus that rounds out the set’s most important elements. Each element is key in its own way in this collection’s presentation. All things considered, they make this latest World Series Collection another set that baseball fans nationwide will appreciate regardless of team loyalty.

Major League Baseball and Shout! Factory’s forthcoming 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros is a collection that baseball fans nationwide will appreciate regardless of team loyalty. That is due in no small part to the set’s very presentation. Presented in this set is the complete 2017 World Series. All seven games are shown from the top of each inning to the bottom just as they aired on FOX stations nationwide. As an added bonus, audiences can choose how they experience the game’s call not just one way, not two ways, but four ways — the Dodgers’ radio network, Astros’ radio network, Spanish-Language radio broadcast and Fox television broadcast. In giving audiences so many listening options once again, Shout! Factory and Major League Baseball Productions have once more shown great respect for baseball fans everywhere. The edits between innings are clean, making the experience all the more engaging and entertaining. That is because keeping the commercial breaks in the production maintains the feeling of having seen the series live without the wait times from the initial airings. As if all of that is not enough for audiences, each disc once again presents the final score for said game on its art, setting the stage before each game even starts. Shout! Factory and MLB Productions are to be highly commended for paying such close attention to every detail yet again. It shows that MLB Productions has lived up to its reputation once more in this box set. Keeping that in mind, it’s just one way in which MLB Productions has impressed yet again with this set. The companion booklet included in the set adds just as much enjoyment to the set’s presentation.

The companion booklet that is included in the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros gives audiences just as much to appreciate as the presentation of the games themselves. As with every one of the Fall Classic’s past home releases, the 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros‘ companion booklet takes audiences game-by-game through the series. Stats for each team are presented again for each game alongside inning-by-inning scores, trivia about the teams’ (and series’) history, gametime weather, game lengths in terms of time (and innings) and so much more. Some of the key trivia included in the rundown for Game 1 included the revelation that this year’s series marked the first time since the 1970 World Series between the Reds and Orioles that two 100-game-plus teams faced off for MLB’s top title. In the Game 5 info, audiences learn that “the eight go-ahead homers and six game-tying blasts hit in Games 1 through 5 are both records for a Fall Classic of any length.” Between the in-depth, game-specific stats, trivia and other info included in the series’ companion booklet, audiences get a full standalone experience in itself from the booklet. When the games are on, audiences can use the booklet as a program of sorts, following every pitch, hit and out as it happens, making the experience just as good as being at the games, if not better. This dual purpose use makes clear why this set’s booklet is so important to its overall presentation. It is not the last of the set’s most critical elements, either. The set’s bonus American League Championship Series Game 7 presentation rounds out the set’s most important elements.

Just as with each of the World Series’ games, Shout! Factory and MLB Productions present the seventh game of the ALCS in its entirety. The companies did not ignore that game either in the set’s companion booklet. It is outlined in full in its own page in the booklet. Given, the trivia included in the World Series games is not there. The full details on the game are there, though, allowing audiences to follow that game just as easily as the World Series games. Also as with the World Series games, the ALCS Game 7 disc also features its final score on its art, once more setting the stage for the game. Houston won that game 4 – 0 against the Yankees, who at the time of this posting are interviewing Carlos Beltran (a former Yankees player) for its managerial job. When all the positives of this bonus game are set alongside the positives of the set’s 2017 World Series presentation, the whole of the two presentations — and the set’s companion booklet — make this collection overall yet another home run for Shout! Factory, MLB productions and baseball fans alike.

Shout! Factory and MLB Productions upcoming 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros box set is a collection that is a home run for baseball fans nationwide regardless of team loyalty. That is due in part to the full seven-game series presentation of this year’s World Series and the full presentation of the Astros’ ALCS Game 7 matchup against the New York Yankees. The set’s companion booklet adds even more to its presentation because of the breadth of information highlighted in each game. That includes game-specific trivia, box scores and stats. That information, coupled with the complete in-depth broadcasts, makes watching each game (whether on DVD or Blu-ray) just as good as seeing The 2017 World Series in its original broadcast if not better. The 2017 World Series Collector’s Edition: Houston Astros will be available next Tuesday, Dec. 5. It can be pre-ordered online now via Shout! Factory’s store. More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

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Shout! Factory, MLB Productions Go To Bat Again For 2016 World Series Game 7 Standalone Release

Courtesy: MLB/MLB Productions

It’s time to fly the “W” again.

Shout! Factory is going to bat with Chicago Cubs fans one more time next month when it releases the historic seventh game of the 2016 World Series in its own standalone Blu-ray and DVD release. The iconic game marked the end of a 108 year wait for the club, its fans and the city that supported it through thick and thin.

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2016 World Series: The Complete Game 7 Ultimate Edition will be released in stores and online on separate two-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets on Tuesday, May 9. Retailing for MSRP of $24.97 (Blu-ray) and $19.97 (DVD), viewers can pre-order it online now via Shout! Factory’s online store at a discounted price of $19.97 (Blu-ray) and $16.97 (DVD).

This latest presentation of the 2016 World Series’ seventh game presents the landmark four hour, twenty-eight minute matchup in its entirety complete with four separate audio options.  Those options are the original TV broadcast audio, Chicago Cubs radio broadcast, Cleveland Indians radio broadcast and Spanish-language broadcast.

As an additional bonus, the two-disc set also includes highlights of the Cubs’ 2016 postseason wins on the way to the World Series and the parade that followed.

More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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‘2016 World Series Collector’s Edition’ Is A Win For Cubs Loyalists, MLB Fans Alike

Courtesy: MLB Productions/Shout! Factory

The 2016 World Series is one of the most important fall classic series that Major League Baseball and its fans have seen in over a century.  It was through this year’s World Series that “next year” became “this year” and “it can happen” became “it did happen.”  Next Tuesday, Cubs loyalists and baseball fans alike will be able to own the complete 2016 World Series for themselves thanks to MLB Productions and Shout! Factory in the form of the 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs.  This piece is a must have both for Cubs loyalists and for MLB fans in general.  That is due in no small part to the 8-disc set’s overall audio and video presentation.  That will be discussed shortly.  The companion booklet included in the set is just as important to note in examining the set’s presentation as its overall presentation.  Last but hardly least of note here is the set’s bonus disc.  Each element is key in its own right to the box set’s presentation.  All things considered, this box is the year’s top new sports box set, the year’s top new family box set, and one of the year’s top new overall DVD/BD box sets.

Shout! Factory and MLB Productions’ 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs takes three swings and hits it out of the park all three times.  This set is the year’s top new sports box set, the year’s top new family box set and one of the year’s top new DVD/BD box sets.  That is due in no small part to the overall presentation of the 7-game series in the set’s main feature.  Presented in the set’s main feature is the 2016 World Series in its entirety from the first pitch to the last out.  All seven games are here just as they were originally presented on FOX.  The commercial breaks are even included in each game, just without any commercials.  So that speeds things up at least a little bit, making the overall viewing experience even better.  If that isn’t enough for fans, MLB Productions and Shout! Factory have offered fans the option to experience the game with standalone radio broadcasts from the teams’ home radio stations in place of the TV call and even in Spanish.  On the surface that might not seem like much, but in the bigger picture of the series’ presentation here, it is very important to note.  Some people prefer radio broadcasts to the TV call whether in English or another language.  Others prefer the TV call to radio.  So what MLB Productions and Shout! Factory have done here is honor all of the game’s fans.  They are to be highly commended for paying such attention to even this detail.  Of course, those familiar with MLB Productions’ past World Series know this is nothing new for those productions.  That makes MLB Productions even more deserving of applause here.  It shows that MLB Productions has lived up to its reputation once more in this box set.  Keeping that in mind, it’s just one way in which MLB Productions has impressed yet again with this set.  The companion booklet included in the set adds just as much enjoyment to the set’s presentation.

The full, diverse TV and radio presentation of the 2016 World Series in the 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs is in itself a hugely important piece of the set’s presentation.  It allows audiences to re-live the 7-game series in its entirety not just on TV but on radio while still getting to see it on TV.  What’s more, Shout! Factory and MLB Productions have allowed fans here to experience it simultaneously on radio and TV both in English and Spanish.  This is a huge statement of the dedication to the game’s fans across the board.  In and of itself, it makes this element a hugely important piece of the set’s presentation.  It is only one important piece of the set’s presentation, too.  The companion booklet that is included with the set lives up to MLB Productions’ reputation just as much as the presentation of the game on disc.  Once again, MLB Productions has included a complete box score for each game.  That means it presents the numbers not just for the Cubs but for the Indians, too in each game.  Audiences even get some interesting trivia with each game to enhance the viewing experience.  Just one of the interesting pieces of that trivia that is included in the set’s companion booklet comes in the outline of Game 7.  The booklet notes with this game;s information, :The Cubs are the first team to come back from a 3 – 1 deficit and win World Series Games 6 and 7 on the road since the 1979 Pirates.”  Audiences also learn of the Indians in the notes for Game 3, “The Indians’ Game 3 shutout was their fifth in the 2016 postseason, establishing a Major League record for a single postseason.”  As an added note, fans also learn here that the Indians’ game three World Series win meant the team won all eight postseason games when it scored first.  These are just some of the interesting tidbits that are shared through the series’ companion booklet.  There is far more that audiences will enjoy when they purchase the set for themselves or that special MLB fan.  Each game even includes a note of the temperature at the start of each game, the games’ attendance and much more.  The booklet gets that specific with each game’s outline and then some.  When this is all taken into consideration, it becomes even more clear why the collection’s companion booklet is just as important to its presentation as its overall presentation.  It is just one more piece of the set’s presentation that stands out.  The inclusion of the Cubs’ NLCS Game 6 win over the Dodgers rounds out the set’s most important elements.

The overall TV and radio presentation of the 2016 World Series in the 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs and the set’s companion booklet are both key components of the set’s presentation.  The overall TV and radio presentation of the series and its presentation of the series in its entirety gives audiences a full viewing experience in the utmost sense of the term.  The set’s companion booklet adds even more depth and enjoyment to the set’s presentation with its bonus trivia and fully in-depth box scores.  Both elements are key by themselves and together.  However, they aren’t the set’s only important elements to note.  The bonus NLCS Game 6 presentation included in the set rounds out the set’s most important elements.  MLB Productions and Shout! Factory have included in this set, the Cubs’ 5 – 0 shutout of the Dodgers in Game 6 of the 2016 NLCS as a bonus for audiences here.    For those who might not know, the NLCS was just as interesting as the World Series.  The Cubs opened the series with a solid 8 – 4 win over Los Angeles,  But then, Chicago fell behind 2 games to 1 in games 2 and 3, only to come back and win the next 3 games and take the series.  Thanks, again, to MLB Productions and Shout! Factory, audiences get to see the Cubs’ dominating NLCS Game 6 in its entirety.  It was that game that catapulted the Cubs into the World Series.  So audiences get to see that pivotal game and the World Series in whole, and even follow along at their own pace through the set’s companion booklet while learning some interesting facts along the way, too.  Clearly, all three elements play their own huge part in the set’s presentation.  All things considered, they show that MLB Productions has lived up to its reputation once again as has Shout! Factory, the leading name in home entertainment (at least in this critic’s view).  They make this set in itself yet another home run for Cubs fans and MLB fans alike. When all of this is combined with the equally impressive 2016 World Series Film, which was released Dec. 6, the whole of both sets is a grand slam for any MLB fan and any Cubs fan.

2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs is yet another home run for MLB Productions and Shout! Factory.  That is evident through an overall TV/radio broadcast that once again lives up to fans’ expectations of MLB Productions’ titles.  The same can be said of the set’s companion booklet.  Once again, MLB Productions has added so much depth to another presentation through its fully in-depth booklet, complete with game-specific trivia.  The bonus NLCS Game 6 disc included in the set rounds out its most important elements.  Audiences get to see that game in its entirety just as each of the World Series’ seven games.  Each element is clearly important in its own right to the game’s presentation.  All things considered, they make this set yet another home run for MLB fans and Cubs loyalists alike. When the set is joined with the newly released 2016 World Series Film, the two together make for a grand slam for all involved.  The 2016 World Series Film is available now in stores and online.  It can be ordered online via Shout! Factory’s online store.  The 2016 World Series Collector’s Edition: Chicago Cubs will be available next Tuesday, Dec. 13.  It can be pre-ordered online now via Shout! Factory’s online store.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

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Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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The 2016 World Series Official Film Is A Big Win

Courtesy: Shout! Factory/MLB Productions

History was made this year in Major League Baseball.  That is because next year finally became this year for the Chicago Cubs.  After 108 years, America’s favorite lovable losers finally ended the curse of the billy goat and won baseball’s most coveted prize.  Baseball fans can relive that history making moment for themselves and more thanks to MLB Productions and Shout! Factory beginning December 6^th with The 2016 World Series.  This double-disc set looks back on the 2016 World Series between the Cleveland Indians and Chicago Cubs.  The program’s central story is its key element.  It will be discussed shortly.  The program’s bonus material is just as important to its presentation as its central story.  It will be discussed later.  The platforms on which the film will be made available round out is most important elements.  One could also note the program’s editing is worth noting in examining its presentation, too.  All things considered, Shout! Factory and MLB Productions’ presentation of The 2016 World Series is another home run for any baseball fan regardless of team loyalty courtesy of MLB Productions and Shout! Factory.

The 2016 World Series official film from MLB Productions and Shout! Factory is a home run for any baseball fan regardless of fans’ team allegiance.  That is due in part to the program’s central story.  The story, narrated by actor Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, The Break-Up, Fred Claus), follows the Cubs’ road to the Major League Baseball Championship.  It includes interviews with members of both teams’ lineups.  They add even more emotion to the store and in turn make the story even more gripping.  From the high of winning the second game to the come from behind climb that the Cubs had to make to eventually win Game 7, baseball fans will be left on the edge of their collective seats even if they got to see each game live on TV or in person.  The teams’ interviews, Vaughn’s narration, and the use of the game footage join together to keep viewers completely enthralled throughout the course of the story’s 90-minute run time.  The editing used in the footage makes the story even more powerful.  It will be discussed later.  Getting back on topic, the story, with all of its combined elements, proves to be one of the most important of this program’s elements if not its most important element.  It’s just one of the program’s important elements, too.  The program’s bonus material is just as important to note in examining its overall presentation as its central story.

The story at the center of The 2016 World Series official film is an important part of the program’s presentation.  It could be argued, in fact, to be the program’s most important element.  It is just one of the program’s key elements, too.  The program’s bonus material is just as important to its presentation as its story.  It is important first and foremost because it covers not just highlights from all seven games of the 2016 World Series, but also from the Cubs’ historic season and even the parade in which the team was welcomed home as heroes. Audiences get to see in the regular season highlights, key moments from the Cubs’ games against the Phillies, Reds, and others as they made their way to the top of the league.  The clinching moments include highlights from even more games.  Much like the regular season highlights, they show the team’s power and what made the Cubs this year’s team of destiny.  The World Series highlights put the finishing touch on the central story, reminding audiences once more what made this year’s World Series one of the game’s best in ages.  The parade highlights put the finishing touch on the bonus material, rounding out their mini-story and is just as certain to leave baseball fans (and especially Cubs fans) shedding tears of joy without the slightest regret.  Of course the story that is told through the bonus material is itself just one reason that the bonus material stands out.  Audiences will note in watching the bonus material that it is presented chronologically.  It takes viewers through the regular season, into the post season and to the end of the road this year.  This is hardly the first time that MLB Productions has done this, and MLB Productions is to be applauded for once again taking such an approach.  When all of this is set alongside the program’s central story, the two elements make even clearer why The 2016 World Series official World Series film is so enjoyable presentation.  They are not its only important elements, either.  The program’s triple-platform presentation rounds out its most important elements.

The story at the center of The 2016 World Series official film and its companion bonus material are both key to the program’s overall presentation.  Both by themselves and together, they tell a story that will keep baseball fans across the broad completely enthralled.  This applies even for fans who watched every game live on TV or in person.  They are not its only key elements, though.  The platforms on which the film will be made available round out its most important elements.  Audiences will be happy to know The 2016 World Series  will be offered on a single disc DVD/Digital package and deluxe DVD/BD/Digital combo pack.  The DVD/digital combo pack features the film, obviously, on DVD and includes a digital download code while the deluxe edition features the film on a double-disc presentation that also includes a digital download code.  One of the discs is a DVD presentation of the film and the other a Blu-ray presentation.  The DVD/digital combo pack’s average price is $20.22.  That is important to note because that average price is right along the lines of Shout! Factory’s own price point of $20.99.  So while Shout! Factory’s price for the DVD/digital combo pack might not be the cheapest price on the surface, it is actually very affordable considering the combo pack’s average price.  The average price for the DVD/BD/Digital combo pack is $27.61.  Its list price is $34.99.  Considering this and Shout! Factory’s price of $27.99, audiences will pay about the same regardless of which outlet they choose.  That makes Shout! Factory’s store a great place from which to order both the BD/DVD/digital combo set just as much as the DVD/digital combo pack. When this is set alongside the film’s central story and its bonus material, all three elements show clearly why The 2016 World Series official film is a home run for any baseball fan.  It boasts a gripping story, enjoyable bonus material and a relatively affordable price point across the board.  That’s not even touching on the program’s editing, which adds even more depth and enjoyment to the program.  All things considered The 2016 World Series proves to be one of 2016’s top new sports documentaries and a piece that every baseball fan should have in his or her own home DVD/BD library.

The 2016 World Series official film is one of this year’s top new sports documentaries, and a piece that every baseball fan should own regardless of team allegiance.  That is due to a number of reasons beginning with its story.  It presents a story that will keep baseball fans across the board completely engaged.  The bonus material included in the program’s presentation adds even more depth and enjoyment to the program with its chronological presentation of the Cubs’ 2016 season.  The program’s price point both on DVD/digital combo pack and BD/DVD/digital combo pack is relatively affordable, too.  Considering the general price of similar combo packs, those price points are especially important to note.  Each element is important in its own right, including even the program’s editing.  All things considered, The 2016 World Series official film is, again, one of this year’s top new sports documentaries and a doc that every baseball fan should own regardless of team allegiance.  It will be available Tuesday, December 6^th online and in stores.  More information on this and other titles from Shout! Factory is available online now at:

 

 

 

Website: http://www.shoutfactory.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/ShoutFactory

 

 

 

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MLB Productions’ New Babe Ruth Bio Is One Of 2015’s Top New Sports Documentaries

Courtesy: Lionsgate/A&E Networks/A&E Home Video/MLB Productions

Major League Baseball’s 2015 season has officially hit the home stretch. Only a matter of weeks is left before the playoff field is set. That means that every single game counts now. And as things begin to heat up in the race for the post-season, MLB Productions has given fans even more reason to get excited about the game thanks to the release of the documentary American Hercules: Babe Ruth. Released earlier this year, American Hercules: Babe Ruth is an interesting look at the life and legacy of one of the league’s most mythical figures. The story presented within the course of its roughly sixty-three lies at the center of its enjoyment. The story in question is especially interesting for those that have always known Ruth’s name but little else about the man behind the myth. The footage featured throughout the presentation is another of its positives. It is a mix of modern day footage, and vintage footage used together to fully illustrate the documentary’s central story. The bonus material that is included with the documentary rounds out the presentation, completing it. Among the bonuses included in this presentation are the standard “making of featurette” an examination of Ruth’s World Series appearances, and even a look at Ruth’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Each extra in its own presents plenty of insight into who Babe Ruth was. Collectively, they add even more interest to the story of Babe Ruth the man, the myth, and the legend presented in the documentary’s main presentation. When combined with the documentary’s main presentation and the footage that is used to help illustrate the story, all three elements show exactly why American Hercules: Babe Ruth is one of the best of this year’s best sports documentaries.

American Hercules: Babe Ruth is one of the best of this year’s crop of new sports documentaries. While it was originally released late this spring, it is just as enjoyable for baseball fans now as the league makes its way through the last weeks of the regular season. It is just as enjoyable for any sports history buff as for baseball fans. The main way in which it proves itself to have such broad appeal is through the story at the center of the dcumentary. The story presented here is more than just another standard story of Babe Ruth’s baseball career. Rather it is the story of his life and career both on and off the field. From his days growing up in a troubled home to becoming an orphan growing up at St. Mary’s to his wild, infamous life off the ball field, audiences get a full picture of who Babe Ruth was and how he became the legendary figure that has been mythologized in the decades since his passing. Audiences that might not have otherwise known will be interested to learn that Ruth actually started out his professional baseball career not as a member of the Red Sox or even the Yankees but rather with none other than the Baltimore Orioles. Just as interesting to learn is that while his legend surrounds his hitting, Ruth actually started out as a pitcher. It wasn’t until he became a member of the Yankees that his hitting talent was really discovered. The story is made even more interesting as it follows what is known in the study of mythology as “The Hero’s Journey.” The concept is presented by mythologist Phil Cousineau. It is a surprisingly clear representation of his life in every stage. The Call to Adventure and meeting with his mentor come in his childhood at St. Marys. Crossing the threshold comes as Ruth’s star rises. As his fame rises, he is also forced to navigate the labyrinth with all of its temptations. The ultimate ordeal comes as he faces his wife’s death and then has to re-collect himself and start his journey again. The journey continues from here and is explained in depth but not so deeply as to lose audiences. In taking in Ruth’s journey, audiences will gain not only an appreciation of who Ruth was on and off the field but for what he did for the game of baseball, too. In the end, audiences that follow his Hero’s Journey will agree that the story lying at the center of American Hercules: Babe Ruth is the most important element of the documentary.

The story at the center of American Hercules: Babe Ruth is the most important element of the documentary. It is thanks to this in-depth presentation that both sports history buffs and baseball fans in general will gain a whoole new appreciation for who “The Babe” was both on and off the field. It is only part of what makes this presentation such an enjoyable watch for sports fans. The footage that is incorporated into the story gives it even more depth and interest. Thanks to the tireless efforts of all involved, audiences get to see Babe Ruth the baseball player annd Babe Ruth the family man with this wife and adopted daughter. There is footage of his early days playing with the Orioles as well as his days with both Boston and New York. This comes into play again later in the documentary’s bonus material. It will be discussed at more length later. Audiences even get to see Ruth the infamous playboy; the man who, as narrator Martin Sheen (yes, THAT Martin Sheen) notes, came about as a result of his childhood, growing up an orphan. The older footage that is incorporated into the body of American Hercules: Babe Ruth is only part of what makes the story so interesting. Again thanks to those charged with finding and editing the footage, audiences get to see today the early childhood home of Babe Ruth, the orphanage where he spent the majority of his youth and young adult life, and even the memorial in Baltimore that was scultped in honor of one of the city’s most beloved sons among much more footage. The vintage and modern footage together expertly illustrate the story of Babe Ruth’s life. Not everybody has seen every bit of the footage presented here. That being the case it makes the footage in whole all the more enjoyable both for sports historians and baseball fans alike. For all of its worth the collective footage used to help tell the story of Babe Ruth’s life is just one more element of this recently released DVD that makes it so enjoyable for sports historians and baseball fans alike. The disc’s bonus material rounds out the presentation, completing it and proving in full why American Hercules: Babe Ruth is one of this year’s best new sports documentaries.

The bonus material included with American Hercules: Babe Ruth rounds out the ways in which the DVD shows itself to be such an enjoyable watch. The bonus material isn’t just a bunch of clips, etc. Rather audiences get an in-depth making of featurette that explains the painstaking efforts undertaken to bring the documentary to life all the way down to finding an authoritative voice that would keep audiences engaged. That search for such a powerful is what led those behind the lens to employ veteran actor Martin Sheen as the film’s narrator. There is also an in-depth look at Ruth’s years with the Yankees as New York became the powerhouse that it is known to be today. even more insightful is the revelation that the team that won so many of the Yankees’ early titles was essentially bought from its hated rivals, the Red Sox. There’s even an interesting insight in regards to how Yankee Stadium came about as a result of tensions between the then Giants and Yankees. If that isn’t enough for fans, there is a look at Ruth’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This feature allows one of the documentary’s rare moments in which audiences actually get to hear him talk. Hearing his voice adds a certain something more to Ruth’s profile; something on which a finger can’t be placed but that does in fact add even more interest to the featurette. Famed sports broadcaster Bob Costas lends his talents to one of the bonus featurettes, making for even more reason for audiences to check out all of the disc’s bonus material. By themselves, these bonuses make for their own share of enjoyment and insight for audiences. When partnered with the disc’s central story and the footage used to illustrate and advance the story, all three elements together prove it to be a work that any sports historian and baseball fan will welcome to his or her personal DVD library regardless of their team allegiance.

American Hercules: Babe Ruth offers sports historians and baseball fans alike plenty to enjoy between its central story, its mix of vintage and modern footage, and its bonus material. Regardless of one’s team allegiances, every sports historian and baseball fan alike will agree that all three elements together prove the presentation in whole to be one that is a welcome addition to any of the noted audiences’ home libraries. It is available now in stores and online and can be ordered directly from MLB Productions’ online store now at http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=65306866. More information on this and other titles available from MLB Productions is available online now at:

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