Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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63 of 64 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The greatest sporting event ever, February 21, 2002
I was only five when the U.S. beat the vaunted hockey juggernaut from the U.S.S.R., but the memory is one of the most distinct that I have from my early childhood. Of course at the time I couldn't appreciate the full significance of the victory, but as I've grown older I've become more and more impressed by what occurred. This just wasn't a hockey game, it was great power politics played out on ice, and if you think otherwise, just watch this disc.That's what makes this such an intriguing documentary, in addition to the expected player background and game highlights, and of course Al Michael's famous call, the state of the world in 1979-80 is examined. What is revealed in the process is that literally nothing had gone right for the U.S. in the year leading up to the Olympics. The Iran hostages, the invasion of Afghanistan, oil shortages, etc., etc. Then, along came a group of college kids playing a sport that most Americans knew nothing about, and they started something amazing: people started getting excited about being Americans again. For at least a little while, they were America's team, and the whole country's hopes and fears were placed squarely on their backs. And lo and behold, they delivered in a situation where no rational observer would have expected anything but defeat. Perhaps I'm being overly sentimental, but even if you're only interested in the hockey, this is a great disc. The background material on the players, coach and the team as a whole is superb. Moreover, the build-up to the Olympics is deftly handled; such that by the time the viewer reaches Lake Placid the tension is unbearable. My only complaint, which I've seen in other reviews, is that the entire game is not included on the disc. This is not a particularly long documentary, and there aren't any DVD bonus features, so there would have been more than enough room. Ultimately, though, that's a small complaint about an otherwise superb documentary. This is a must have for any hockey fan...or student of international politics!
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18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the Best Documentaries Around, March 4, 2002
This is simply the most moving sports documentary I've ever seen. Produced by HBO, this chronicles the journey of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team from unknowns to national heroes."Do You Believe in Miracles?" follows the team from the tryouts in 1979 through the exhibitions they played, including the one against the Russians in Madison Square Garden, and finally, the triumph over the Russians and the Finns to win the gold medal. It includes interviews with head coach Herb Brooks and several players, including team captain Mike Eruzione, goalie Jim Craig, and defenseman Mike Ramsey. But the documentary also does an excellent job chronicling the feeling of America before and after the U.S. won the gold, including the low feelings after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and during the Iranian hostage crisis. One of the most fascinating interviews in the whole thing is with Barry Rosen, one of the hostages, who didn't find out about the Olympics until returning home months later. Of course the highlight of "Do You Believe in Miracles?" is the victory over the Soviets. The documentary uses footage from the network telecast for the highlights, including the calls from Al Michaels (who is also interviewed here). If you don't tear up when Eruzione scores or when Michaels shouts "Do You Believe in Miracles?", something's wrong. The players reactions afterwards, even though this was done twenty years after the fact, are still very touching to watch. Overall, I think this is one of those sports documentaries that transcends time. Years from now, people will still watch this documentary and still cry when they hear Al Michaels utter "Do You Believe in Miracles?".
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I believe ..., January 8, 2002
This is without question, the single greatest sports documentary to be produced by HBO Sports. To a non-sports fan, born in the last 25 years, this event may seem trivial, almost meaningless in a time where the Cold War has melted, the Iron Curtain raised and the US and Russia allies.But 22 years ago, in the shadow of the Cold War, with Soviet troops in Afghanistan, rising prices at the gas station, spiraling inflation and US hostages in Iran, things were anything but OK in the US and this docuemtenary superbly illustrates the dark times in the US and how a nation's spirits were lifted by a group of college kids who refused to give up. They were led by a colorful ambassador of the game, whose own mind games united an amateur team and allowed them to take down a colossus of Russian professionals. The documentary strings together interviews with former players. Captain Mike Eruzione, Forward Mark Johnson, Goalie Jim Craig all chip in with memories and commentary, as well as Russian goalie Vladimir Tretiak and an Ex-Soviet sports journalist. It's an exhaustively crafted piece, full of clips of practices, exhibition games and exhaustive research, all powerfully narrated to put the cherry on top. Everyone remembers where they were the day the United States of America beat the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 4-3 at Lake Placid, NY. This documentary bring chills up your spine, as Al Michaels screams that famous call "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!"
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