Product Description

THE TRUE STORY OF A LEGENDARY RACE HORSE THAT OVERCOME ALL THE ODDS TO WIN THE TRIPLE CROWN. THE OWNER, TRAINER AND JOCKEY WERE ALL UNDERDOGS THAT SHINED AT THE MOMENT OUR COUNTRY NEEDED IT THE MOST.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6359 in DVD
• Brand: UNI DIST CORP. (MCA)
• Released on: 2003-12-16
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 141 minutes

Amazon.com
Proving that truth is often greater than fiction, the handsome production of Seabiscuit offers a healthy alternative to Hollywood's staple diet of mayhem. With superior production values at his disposal, writer-director Gary Ross (Pleasantville) is a bit too reverent toward Laura Hillenbrand's captivating bestseller, unnecessarily using archival material--and David McCullough's familiar PBS-styled narration--to pay Ken Burns-like tribute to Hillenbrand's acclaimed history of Seabiscuit, the knobby-kneed thoroughbred who "came from behind" in the late 1930s to win the hearts of Depression-weary Americans. That caveat aside, Ross's adaptation retains much of the horse-and-human heroism that Hillenbrand so effectively conveyed; this is a classically styled "legend" movie like The Natural, which was also heightened by a lushly sentimental Randy Newman score. Led by Tobey Maguire as Seabiscuit's hard-luck jockey, the film's first-rate cast is uniformly excellent, including William H. Macy as a wacky trackside announcer who fills this earnest film with a much-needed spirit of fun. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker
Gary Ross's adaptation of Laura Hillenbrand's 2001 best-seller about the miraculous racehorse of the nineteen-thirties has been shaped as a national epic-not as a good story but as the good story. The horse, knobby-kneed and perverse, comes from behind and knocks off the more famous Thoroughbreds of the era. He is saved from obscurity by an unlikely trio: Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges), a millionaire auto salesman with a venturesome streak; Tom Smith (Chris Cooper), a down-and-out trainer, practically a relic of the nineteenth century; and Johnny (Red) Pollard (Tobey Maguire), an embittered, not terribly talented boxer and jockey. The horse becomes such a popular favorite that, as Hillenbrand and Ross tell it, he redeems the millions of unemployed "forgotten men" in the Depression. In case we don't get the point, there are solemn interludes of photomontage accompanied by narration from the historian David McCullough. The Oscar-hungry movie stamps itself with a seal of approval rather than simply telling its story. Much of it, however, is beautifully made in conservative-humanist style, and the races are thrilling. With William H. Macy in a great bit as a poetizing radio announcer. -David Denby
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Reference Quality HD DVD
This review rating is not for the content of the movie itself, but for the quality of the HD DVD transfer.

This is one of the best titles for picture quality to come out so far in the HD DVD format. The standard DVD release was great for picture quality, so I was excited to see what this one is like in the HD DVD format. Picture quality is very impressive. The textures of the period clothing in the film really stand out. Blacks are very dark, and the movie has great shadow detail.

The sound quality is also a dramatic improvement over the standard DVD. While there is no Dolby True HD sound, the Dolby Digital plus soundtrack is great.

A long shot becomes a legend
In the middle of a summer of bad sequels "Seabiscuit" came along as a bit of fresh air. No other film this year thus far has been filled with such emotion, beauty, and heart. "Seabiscuit" is a rare gem of a film. It does not rely on special-effects, explosions, or cheap romances. The beauty of this film is that it is simply about the pure heart of a horse and the people around him.

Writer/Director Gary Ross (Pleasantville, Big) adapted Laura Hillenbrand's painstakingly researched bestseller into an amazing script. The story itself is so extraordinary that, if it hadn't happened, wouldn't have been remotely plausible as a film. If Seabiscuit wasn't a real horse, I would have taken one look at this film and said "Ridiculous! Like that could really happen!" The fact that the story is true makes "Seabiscuit" an even more beautiful and emotional journey.

Tobey Maguire plays Red Pollard, a half-blind, oversized jockey who was abandoned by his family as a child and now rides the worst horses at the worst races. Chris Cooper plays Tom Smith, an old fashioned horse trainer who prefers the company of a horse to that of a person who one day finds a barbed wire fence and cars in the middle of his wilderness homeland. Jeff Bridges plays Charles Howard, a self-invented millionaire dealing with the loss of his only son. These three "broken" men and a banged up little racehorse unite together and beat incredible odds to become an inspiration to a nation that isn't in the best shape itself.

Everything in this film is amazing. From the remarkable racing scenes to Randy Newman's haunting score, "Seabiscuit" is one film you won't want to miss. Please excuse my vagueness, I can't put into words how astounding this film is (as you can probably tell from this dismal review). I am just so in awe that words escape me!

A New Classic--Seabiscuit
Astounding! Breathtaking! Heartfelt! Inspiring! I can't say enough about this wonderful film.

Seabiscuit is the best movie I have seen in a long, long, time. The kind of movie that is destined to become a CLASSIC and the kind of wonderful film that Hollywood doesn't seem to make any more.

This is not only the story of a "little" horse with "heart" but it is also a story of the human spirit and the healing of men during the historical event of the American Great Depression.

The actors are ALL marvelous. Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, Tobey Maquire, Elizabeth Banks, William H. Macy and I can't remember who plays George Wolf, one of the other jockeys, but he is great too. The tenderness and the spirit in which each plays their role should win some (or all) of them an Academy Award nomination--especially Jeff Bridges and Tobey Maguire. The casting director should be commended.

This is a wonderful, inspiring, and uplifting film--the best of the current CENTURY. It is also very revelent for our current economic times and will bring you a contentment you haven't felt in a long, long time. Take your kids, your teens and everyone to see it. This type of film genre won't come around again for a very long time. Don't miss it! This is one INCREDIBLE FILM!