Customer Reviews

NFL Films Super Bowl Collection - Super Bowls XI-XX

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Some people have criticised this title for not containing the entire games. What they fail to understand is that NFL Films does not own the footage from the TV broadcasts and therefore cannot publish such material.
The actual documentaries are of an excellent quality, both in cinematography and in narrative. Of course, with narration from the likes of John Facenda and Harry Kalas, the overall effect is multiplied.
These documentary films really capture the spirit of the big games, and to have ten of them on five discs, and the season review films, plus extras, represents excellent value for money. I very much recommend this, and other titles in the "Super Bowl Collection" series.

After reading the reviews on this item, I can say that if one expects complete games, highly detailed analyses or critical interviews there will be utter disappointment. However, to those who love the NFL, this set is superb. Now let's face it, rabid NFL fans are never really satisfied with these kind of presentations. Rabid fans want complete games, complete player characteristics and commentaries, pregame and postgame analysis and copious amounts of verbage on game strategy. Since this would be an impossible task, a collection set like this one is the next best thing. All the dvds contain footage previously released by NFL Films and broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2 and the like. NFL fans who have taped many of these programs can now appreciate these episodes in the new dvd format. This collection of highlights puts related items into one chronological presentation. This is an excellent set for all NFL fans and, especially, the fans who favor the victorious teams in their respective Super Bowls. Particularly, fans of the Steelers (2 SB wins), Raiders (3 SB wins) and the 49ers (2 SB wins). Each dvd contains highlights of each NFL season that leads to the Super Bowl and then highlights of the Super Bowl itself. Featurettes (two for each Super Bowl year) pertaining to the players or the teams are also provided. Each featurette is approximately 5 minutes in length. While NFL Films has tried, in later years, to provide more intricate analysis and detailed reviews for the enjoyment of serious fans, most of this set is simply for the entertainment. However, one can see the evolution of season and game commentary with analysis in the later games as in comparison to the earlier games. In other words, Super Bowls XIX and XX are given a more detailed analysis and commentary than earlier Super Bowls. If greater attention to a team is desired, NFL Films has released season reviews and "complete" histories for several of the NFL teams. In all, this is a great set and I look forward to the release of future collection sets in this series, especially, if the trend to present more and better commentaries and analyses will continue. Great memories are rekindled and excitement is relived while viewing some of the greatest athletes playing in the world's greatest game. Enjoy!

As a young kid growing up, I always looked forward to a couple of days before the actual Super Bowl to watch these old super bowl highlights on espn. I always recorded them on my vhs tapes. after a while, though, after playing them over and over again, they got worn out. When I found out that NFL films was releasing the first Super Bowl collection (I-X), I was really excited. I bought that set and it really surpassed my expectations. Watching all of the season in reviews and the super bowl highlights in the dvd format was stunning, seeing this with great clarity and stereo sound.

NFL Films has done it again with Super Bowl XI-XX. You'll never have to watch super bowl highlights on espn again. It's a joy watching these highlights from the end of the Steelers dynasty, to the beginning of the 49ers dynasty. Can't wait for Super Bowl XXI-XXX.

I was really hoping this would contain uncut footage of the games themselves. Unfortunatley, this is a collection of previously aired NFL Films footage from each year. While they are fun to watch, these short films do not really contain any critical insights into any particular team. Steve Sabol and the rest of the NFL Films crew do a good job mining particular nuggets of footage (neat angles and the like) but that's about as far as it goes.

If you are a fan of NFL Films then you'll probably enjoy these; but if you are looking for the games themselves, complete and uncut, you'd better look elsewhere.

But still very enjoyable. The thing I found most impressive are not the 30 minute clips of past Super Bowls (Though I must say, my favorites are XIII and XIV - Facenda is the man. I Love his recount of Dallas' furious, yet futile finish, as well as that last RAMS Drive.) , but of the seasonal footage. Watching the growth of the "Air Coryell" Chargers, Broncomania, two underrated Tampa Bay Buccanears teams and near miss Houston Oiler teams and the continued excellence of the Raiders, Redskins, Rams, Vikings, Cowboys, Dolphins and of course, the Steelers. You also saw the Origin of those great 49ers teams.

I must say this: I probably won't by XXI-XXX. Though I like Harry Kalas, Jeff Kaye and Earl Mann, the narratives have just not been the same since John Facenda passed away in 1984. Even with his voice sounding weak in his last narration (XVIII) it was still better than all of the voice-overs since.

I have always like watching the Superbowl highlights films on ESPN, but it is even better on DVD because they are uncut plus you have a season highlights of that superbowl year. For those expecting to see the whole game of those Superbowls will be disapointed. It would be nice to see the actual broadcast of those Superbowls, but I am not sure if they still exist. For now, the highlights that NFL Films shows from the superbowl are the best we have. I love the music.

If you are a great football fan as I am you will love love these videos. No greater game than the Super Bowl XX and what a great game it was. It doesn't matter if you are a fan of the Bears or not buy this series. Greatest ever.

As stated in the review for volume one of this set, NFL Films gets it right with these sets.

As a burgeoning football fan in the late 70s in through the early 80s (I graduated High School in 1985), my interest in Pro Football stemmed from three things:

*Watching the games played on Sunday.
*Watching HBO's "Inside The NFL" every Thursday evening.
*Watching NFL Films highlight films during the week.

I grew up in an era where football wasn't available every day except on Tuesday. For us, you either watched College Football on Saturday and Pro Football on Sunday, or you had to catch the NFL Films highlight films shown on ESPN during the week. And of course, NFL Films was a part of "Inside The NFL." So collectively, for me, my love for the game intertwines with NFL Films.

I can remember treating Super Bowl Sunday almost like Christmas morning. I would get up early and start watching the Super Bowl highlight films starting at 5:00am and watching all the way through until the Super Bowl pre-game show (then only an hour or two long). I still have my original VHS tapes recorded in the mid 80s.

In Volume one (Super Bowl I-X) and in this set (Super Bowl XI-XX) are found my most favorite NFL Films Super Bowl films. These are the films that supported my early love of the game. Also included are the recap films of each season, a very nice touch. I wish NFL Films would release more of the individual team seasons in collections like these. I would certainly buy them.

The next volume in this collection is also good (Super Bowl XXI - XXX), but here NFL Films starts to stray from their early formula. In the first two volumes, the highlight films were made up of the following elements: wonderful photography, rousing Sam Spence scores, John Facenda's legendary voiceovers and very little else. Maybe some natural sound and a very light smattering (if at all) of play-by-play. Sadly, more modern day NFL Films highlight films are rife with constant radio play-by-play that I find distracting if not completely annoying. I would rather have narration and music and very little play-by-play.

At any rate, I highly recommend all of the volumes in this collection, but especially the first two sets and the third set also.

I am very satisfied with the product because it was what I hoped. The shipped was very fast so:
Thank you very much.

Well it is not what I thought it would be. I was expecting the actual broadcast of the game, not just seeing the highlights....That was disappointing.