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| Special Features: |
Widescreen anamorphic format
Chapter selections
Commentary by Dennis Quaid and director John Lee Hancock
Featurette: "The Inspirational Story of Jim Morris" - Meet the Real "Rookie"
Spring Training: Baseball tips
Deleted Scenes Introduced by the director John Lee Hancock
Sneek peeks.
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| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (2.35:1)
[SS-DL]
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
French (Dolby Digital 5.1)
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| Subtitles: |
English, Spanish.
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| Captions: |
Yes
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| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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Disney recaptured some of their former magic with "The Rookie." This film tells the inspirational and entertaining true story of Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid), a baseball coach who challenged his losing team to do their best. If his team wins the championship, Morris will fulfill his lifelong dream and try out for the Big Leagues (at age 38!). Who would have thought that a live action film with a G rating would be a hit in this jaded marketplace? Maybe other studios will take a risk on films like "The Rookie." Dennis Quaid stars as Jim Morris, a man who never gave up on his dream to become a major league pitcher. To read Jonathan Hickman's review of "The Rookie" CLICK HERE. Jonathan was also lucky enough to talk to Dennis Quaid at a press junket in Atlanta. To read that article CLICK HERE.
Great movie, picture, sound and extras. Disney hits one out with "The Rookie."
Picture Quality: 10/10
Outstanding transfer. Great flesh tones. Lush colors. Great delineation of colors. The blacks are near perfect. No pixilation or artifacts.
Sound Quality: 10/10
The score by Carter Burwell sets the right tone for the film. It is rousing, subtle and inspirational depending on the needs of the film. The score sounds great. Excellent balance. The subwoofer mixes the low tones well with the rest of the sound. There are none of the occasional bursts of bass that you find on many DVDs. No loss of dialogue. I appreciated the Elvis music on the soundtrack too!
Menu: 10/10
Nice simple design. Even though the menu is not that complex, it fits in well with the movie's message and tone. Nice use of music and images from the movie. Easy to navigate.
Extra Features: 10/10
The audio commentary track is one of the best I've heard. Director John Lee Hancock's passion for telling stories with pictures comes across in every sentence. It is obvious that he and Dennis Quaid had great respect for each other's talent and vision. If Dennis Quaid is silent during portions of the commentary track it is due to his modesty when director Hancock is complimenting Quaid's performance. Lots of great tidbits about the production of this specific film and movies in general.
There are 7 deleted scenes. Director Hancock introduces each scene and gives the various reasons for their deletion. I was surprised that the director admitted that several of the cuts were made due to audience responses at sneak previews. I don't think Peckinpah or Sergio Leone ever made edits based on response cards.
 The "Baseball Tips" featurette is a 'how to' look at the fundamentals of pitching, hitting, fielding and eating hotdogs!
"The Inspirational Story of Jim Morris" is a 20-minute documentary about the real life Jim Morris. The featurette includes interviews with Morris and his family. Lots of photos and home movies of his life.
There are previews for 6 Disney films and DVDs. Not really an extra.
The Final Word:
This one's a keeper! Disney knocks it out of the park with this great DVD. "The Rookie" is much more than a baseball film. This DVD is a nice way to discover the many layers of this film.
Rusty White
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