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Price Of Glory
List Price: Unknown [Buy now and save at Amazon]
The Movie:
"Price Of Glory" is a small film about boxing that got a minor theatrical release early this year, but was mostly overlooked by audiences. The film stars Jimmy Smits as Arturo Ortez, a former boxer who sees the possibility to achieve the success in the sport that he didn't achieve through his young sons, who he is training to be boxers. Smits is the reason why the film works as well as it does. There are times when he is a jerk to his children as he forces his goals as a boxer upon them, but his intensity and realization of what he's doing is engaging to watch.
The film was written by a New York sportswriter, and although he gets the details of the sport right, the rest of the tale seems like nothing terribly fresh or new, livened mainly by the very good performances. The three performers (Ernesto Hernandez, Jon Seda and Clifton Collins, Jr) give the sons more individual personalities and feelings than it would seem that they would have from the script alone. Some of the dialogue though, falls dangerously close to "TV movie-of-the-week" territory.
Again, the fact that I cared about the characters was able to pull me along, but the film never really pulled me in. The scenes that revolve around boxing in any way work best, from the promoters trying to talk the boys into fighting to the battles in the ring, which are very well-done. When the film tries to go towards a more usual drama, it doesn't really provide much we haven't seen before. Overall, it's a movie that works about half the time, and provides some good performances.
The DVD
VIDEO: Another edition from New Line that doesn't provide any suprises - in other words, it's another excellent presentation from the studio, although this time with a few very minor exceptions. Sharpness is very good. Some scenes from the film, especially a couple of the darker sequences, seem a bit on the soft side, but I didn't find this to be too much of a distraction. Detail is pleasing, and clarity, although there are some moments that aren't as crisp, is fine.
There are a few scenes where a slight bit of grain appears, although this doesn't become a distraction. The print used is completely clear and free of any marks or scratches, much like New Line's other recent releases. There are a few trace instances of pixelation, but these are extremely slight. No complaints.
Colors are great as well, looking bold and bright, with no visible problems. Another fine presentation from New Line - offers both the widescreen(1.85:1/anamorphic) and pan&scan versions of the film. Before you start, you are given the choice of which you want to watch.
SOUND: I was, quite honestly, very suprised by the film's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. No, it's not jaw-dropping, but still it manages to be very effective during many of the scenes, especially some of the boxing matches, where the cheers from the crowd can be heard in detail from all around the viewer. The music also frequently booms through nicely, and the more subtle moments of the score are captured clearly as well. Dialogue is clear and easily understood. A good soundtrack that maybe isn't a knockout, but goes a few rounds very well.
MENUS:: Suprisingly, New Line, who has always done fantastic menus for even smaller titles in the past, chooses to go the basic route, with basic, non-animated menus.
EXTRAS:
Commentary: This is a commentary from director Carlos Avila, who provides a very personal and honest commentary track. He talks in-depth about his experiences during the production and some other interesting details such as his reaction to the audience reaction to the scenes where the children were being taught to box, which didn't always meet with a positive reception. Also interesting is when he discusses his opinion that the film sometimes leans towards some characters more than others, and that although the story is mainly focused towards the father and sons, some attempt was tried to give others more screen time and balance. If ultimately I didn't find myself completely feeling positive about the movie, I certainly enjoyed hearing the director's viewpoint about what he wanted to come across in the story and how he went about telling the story. There are some pauses throughout the track, but I think that overall, it's a track worth listening to for those who enjoy the movie.
Deleted Scenes: There are 5 scenes included here with optional commentary by the director. These scenes are mainly cut down because of time concerns, but they are generally good scenes and although maybe didn't need to be in the final picture, are entertaining to watch here. The first scene is additional information that was cut from the opening, and the additional scenes develop characters and relationships.
Also: Cast and crew bios, trailer(Dolby Digital 5.1), DVD-ROM weblink
Final Thoughts: "Price Of Glory" is worth a rental, especially for fans of the sport.
"Price Of Glory" is a small film about boxing that got a minor theatrical release early this year, but was mostly overlooked by audiences. The film stars Jimmy Smits as Arturo Ortez, a former boxer who sees the possibility to achieve the success in the sport that he didn't achieve through his young sons, who he is training to be boxers. Smits is the reason why the film works as well as it does. There are times when he is a jerk to his children as he forces his goals as a boxer upon them, but his intensity and realization of what he's doing is engaging to watch.
The film was written by a New York sportswriter, and although he gets the details of the sport right, the rest of the tale seems like nothing terribly fresh or new, livened mainly by the very good performances. The three performers (Ernesto Hernandez, Jon Seda and Clifton Collins, Jr) give the sons more individual personalities and feelings than it would seem that they would have from the script alone. Some of the dialogue though, falls dangerously close to "TV movie-of-the-week" territory.
Again, the fact that I cared about the characters was able to pull me along, but the film never really pulled me in. The scenes that revolve around boxing in any way work best, from the promoters trying to talk the boys into fighting to the battles in the ring, which are very well-done. When the film tries to go towards a more usual drama, it doesn't really provide much we haven't seen before. Overall, it's a movie that works about half the time, and provides some good performances.
The DVD
VIDEO: Another edition from New Line that doesn't provide any suprises - in other words, it's another excellent presentation from the studio, although this time with a few very minor exceptions. Sharpness is very good. Some scenes from the film, especially a couple of the darker sequences, seem a bit on the soft side, but I didn't find this to be too much of a distraction. Detail is pleasing, and clarity, although there are some moments that aren't as crisp, is fine.
There are a few scenes where a slight bit of grain appears, although this doesn't become a distraction. The print used is completely clear and free of any marks or scratches, much like New Line's other recent releases. There are a few trace instances of pixelation, but these are extremely slight. No complaints.
Colors are great as well, looking bold and bright, with no visible problems. Another fine presentation from New Line - offers both the widescreen(1.85:1/anamorphic) and pan&scan versions of the film. Before you start, you are given the choice of which you want to watch.
SOUND: I was, quite honestly, very suprised by the film's Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack. No, it's not jaw-dropping, but still it manages to be very effective during many of the scenes, especially some of the boxing matches, where the cheers from the crowd can be heard in detail from all around the viewer. The music also frequently booms through nicely, and the more subtle moments of the score are captured clearly as well. Dialogue is clear and easily understood. A good soundtrack that maybe isn't a knockout, but goes a few rounds very well.
MENUS:: Suprisingly, New Line, who has always done fantastic menus for even smaller titles in the past, chooses to go the basic route, with basic, non-animated menus.
EXTRAS:
Commentary: This is a commentary from director Carlos Avila, who provides a very personal and honest commentary track. He talks in-depth about his experiences during the production and some other interesting details such as his reaction to the audience reaction to the scenes where the children were being taught to box, which didn't always meet with a positive reception. Also interesting is when he discusses his opinion that the film sometimes leans towards some characters more than others, and that although the story is mainly focused towards the father and sons, some attempt was tried to give others more screen time and balance. If ultimately I didn't find myself completely feeling positive about the movie, I certainly enjoyed hearing the director's viewpoint about what he wanted to come across in the story and how he went about telling the story. There are some pauses throughout the track, but I think that overall, it's a track worth listening to for those who enjoy the movie.
Deleted Scenes: There are 5 scenes included here with optional commentary by the director. These scenes are mainly cut down because of time concerns, but they are generally good scenes and although maybe didn't need to be in the final picture, are entertaining to watch here. The first scene is additional information that was cut from the opening, and the additional scenes develop characters and relationships.
Also: Cast and crew bios, trailer(Dolby Digital 5.1), DVD-ROM weblink
Final Thoughts: "Price Of Glory" is worth a rental, especially for fans of the sport.
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