66 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not very much on these discs, June 25, 2003
This review is from: NFL Films - Inside the Vault, Vols. 1-3 (DVD)
I felt compelled to write a review on this because I sorta feel conned. I bought this 3-disc set hoping for a little more than about 50 minutes on each disc. Film companies can fit hours and hours of footage on one DVD, why did NFL Films decide to stick less than an hour of footage on each disc? It doesn't make sense other than to be able to charge more for it. It's fascinating to watch and I love NFL Films but all this footage could have easily fit on one DVD. It's not like theres directors commentary or any real special features. One every disc they have little snipsets of individual players and the Sabol comments on them (Jim Brown is one example). Even with this, you're not getting any more than a little over an hour of material on each DVD. It's a great set but it's not worth the price at all
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37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Wait...save your cash!, November 21, 2003
This review is from: NFL Films - Inside the Vault, Vols. 1-3 (DVD)
I really, really wanted to get this DVD...been waiting for NFL films to put together footage of the 1950's & 60's. But I was less then satisfied, anything on this DVD can be seen on TV, ESPN and now on the NFL channel. It's over produced with lots of talking which is OK if back up with video that last more then 30 seconds....each volume lasts 41 minutes, so you get only about two hours, but with lots of repetition. Bottom line- this is not for the serious fan...watch it on TV and not waste your money like I did.
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18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
'Inside the Vault' is must for NFL Films fans, June 20, 2003
This review is from: NFL Films - Inside the Vault, Vols. 1-3 (DVD)
"NFL Films: Inside the Vault 1960-1970," featuring Vols. 1-3 in the "Lost Treasures" series of outtakes, is ideal for longtime fans of NFL Films, particularly those who are curious about how the shows are produced. The DVD is also a lot of fun for football fans who are fascinated by the game's history.
NFL Films President Steve Sabol remarks early in the first disc on how great the old Kodak Ektachrome film stock looks, and wonders why it was discontinued. We wonder, too, as the footage is indeed stunning in its richness and clarity. As amazing as it looked on ESPN Classic on the "Lost Treasures" shows, the film is perfectly suited to a DVD presentation.
Disc 1, "At the Creation (1962-65)," explains how NFL Films was born. It's a familiar story to those who have been watching the shows for a while, even including founder Ed Sabol's recollections of the company's first production, the 1962 NFL Championship Game. But, against the backdrop of this pristine footage, we get more detail than ever before about the crew's struggles with somewhat primitive equipment, about how it learned what shots viewers liked and how to get more of the same; what kinds of shots the teams preferred, what they wanted left out, and so on.
Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of Disc 1, and of the entire set, is Steve Sabol's recollections and opinions about the kind of football prevalent in the NFL during the '60s. On the first disc, there's a chapter stop called "Roughnecks," in which Sabol talks about why the game was, in his view, more violent at the time. It wasn't just the sort of toughness NFL Films celebrates in some of its other productions like "Crunch Course;" rather, the violence of the period -- much of it blatantly dirty -- reflected a more casual attitude on the part of the still-emerging league. The NFL's later insistence on protecting quarterbacks and wide receivers was still far off, and the excitement of the footage is enough to make us wonder if such measures were best for the game.
Disc 2 looks at the rival AFL ("The Renegades (1960-69)"), why it seemed unlikely to succeed at the beginning; the tactical blunder by the NFL that kept it afloat long enough to justify a big TV contract with NBC in 1965 (the money from which gave it the clout to force a merger with the NFL); its wide-open style of play; and the more open racial policy that gave it a steady stream of African-American talent.
Disc 3, "The Merger (1970)," underscores some of the themes explored on the previous discs, while explaining some of the changes that came to the game in the early '70s. One memorable segment explores Sabol's disdain for the decade's new stadiums, such as Three Rivers, Riverfront, Veteran's, etc.
All three discs contain several short extra features. Some of these seem a bit too short, but are certainly entertaining.
The high quality of "Inside the Vault" is certainly sufficient to warrant a strong rating here.
It does make one wish, however, for a comprehensive DVD issue of NFL Films' most impressive productions, which are its yearly highlight films, as well as the game-length "Greatest Games" shows. For years, in its regular catalog, compilations of several vintage highlight films for teams like the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants, Baltimore Colts, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers and Dallas Cowboys were available. Surely, in the DVD era, these should be showcased again. As it stands now, these older films are relegated to the company's Special Order service, at prices well beyond the reach of most fans.
In the meantime, it's safe to say that the best NFL DVD available is "Inside the Vault."
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