Product Description

Original documentary of the horse seabiscuit made in 1939 by the horses owner charles howard. Studio: Arts Alliance America Release Date: 03/15/2005 Run time: 50 minutes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #20723 in DVD
• Released on: 2003-11-11
• Rating: Unrated
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Black & White, Color, DVD, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 50 minutes

EyeCraveDVD.com, July 29, 2003
"An entertaining and enlightening documentary presented with flair...makes a great compliment to the big-budget SEABISCUIT"

TheCritics.org, July 28, 2003
"...the real value of this documentary is the complete race footage of the "Match Race" between Seabiscuit and WarAdmiral"

Wade Major, Box Office Magazine, August 2003
"Extras include some riveting original radio broadcasts and a trivia game."

Customer Reviews

Enjoy actual footage of the real Seabiscuit.
If you enjoyed the 2003 film starring Jeff Bridges and Toby Mcquire half as much as I did, then you are sure to enjoy the documentary on this famous horse. I'll be the first to admit that I'm a sucker for the underdog and after seeing this year's blockbuster movie about this awesome animal, I wanted to learn as much as I could about this inspirational true life story. Originally filmed in black & white and now available in vibrant color, this documentary shows footage of Seabiscuit as a colt through his triumphant victory over War Admiral. The story of Seabiscuit allows me to appreciate the struggle we face in life and reminds my that obsticles can be overcome. So if this story has any effect on you and you're interested in seeing some exceptional footage of this incredible animal, then this documentary is a must have.

Very informative DVD for lovers of Seabiscuit and horses
I found this in a bargain bin, and what a bargain it is!

First of all, the details: This is a single- sided DVD (which is not enhanced for 16X9 viewing) with a single page insert that has a list of chapter stops. There is not a single frame of matted, widescreen, or letterboxed video. And this DVD is not at all any sort of promotion of the Universal dramatic film release of 2003 (and I think there is one mention of the movie that took all of 4 seconds, so it isn't a platform or publicity release). The DVD has a slide show, a "Seabiscuit Trivia Game," and "Races on the Radio," which has lengthy radio broadcasts of some Seabiscuit matches.

I was expecting a lame production, but the producers found some very informative people to give insight into the story. Even the music was better than I expected. It was a mix of period- style music with a dab of modern every now and then, but the music wasn't overbearing.

I still have yet to view the Tobey Maguire movie or any other documentary of this incredible story and was prompted to purchase this while shopping for other items after I saw its price. Honestly, the video doesn't dazzle you with the lighting or recreations (the producers saved some money by simply inserting stock footage of generic horses, jockeys, and races to add additional color) and is by no means an award- winning presentation a la "Ken Burns" style. But the DVD is information- rich, which kept me entertained. One really neat item is that narrator J.J. Johnson explains the origion of the phrase, "So long, Charlie!" that is so popular.

Those in love with horses or caught by the story of Seabiscuit and the humans that rallied behind him are encouraged to grab this DVD. The staff interviewed people who had direct or indirect knowledge of Seabiscuit, its owners, trainers, or jockeys (so you'll see a good share of talking head segments). But they mix enough footage and archival photos that yield a decent balance for the documentary. There is even some footage of some stars like Bing Crosby, Joe E. Brown, Jimmy Durante, and Lucy and Ricky.

One final note: I tried the trivia game and although it's somewhat elementary (it took me back to memories of the pop quiz in school), its quirkiness was still entertaining. Just check out the reactions the DVD plays when you fail to answer a question correctly. It kinda humbles you when you hear the jeering!

"Lost Documentary" is a Great Piece of Horse Racing History
I really enjoyed "Seabiscuit - The Lost Documentary". First, I am a diehard Seabiscuit fan so I am biased. But it takes the viewer through Seabiscuit's life, from his birth as a colt in the stables, and culminates in his great match race with War Admiral. When we see him as a baby with his mother, it's very cute. In between, you get a peek at Charles Howard and Marcela, and Seabiscuit's rise to fame. I wish it would have been a little bit longer because I found it very interesting, but you get to see Charles Howard's original tribute to this special horse in both black and white and color, and for a 60-year old film, it looks remarkably good. "Seabiscuit - The Lost Documentary" is a nice complement to the major motion picture Seabiscuit. Buy it if you are a Seabiscuit fan or a horse racing history fan!