The Bronx Is Burning
by Jeremiah Chechik
List Price:
Our Price: $0.99
You Save: $38.96 (98%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: DVD
See more DVD releases
Buy this DVD movie at online store in your country
Canada
Canada
DVD Cover Information
Actor: Daniel Sunjata, John Turturro, Oliver PlattDirector: Jeremiah Chechik
Brand: Team Marketing
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Dolby, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.78:1
Running Time: 360 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-09-25
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Color: Multi
Studio: Espn
Product features:
- Officially Licensed
- Highest Quality Recording
- Derek Jeter Majestic MLB Home Pinstripe Replica New York Yankees Youth Jersey
- New York Yankees 2008 Wall Calendar
- New York Yankees 101 (101 My First Team-Board-Books)
- New York Yankees Authentic MLB Knit Hat
Movie Reviews of The Bronx Is Burning
Movie Review: John Turturro as Billy Martin is the one who is on fire in "The Bronx if Burning"
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Bronx is Burning" is ESPN's mini-series about the 1977 New York Yankees, when owner George Steinbrenner (Oliver Platt), brought in Reggie Jackson (Daniel Sunjata) to play for manager Billy Martin (John Turturro). Martin wanted Bobby Grich to play shortstop, not to mention wanting to bat Chris Chambliss clean-up instead of Jackson. The headlines are talking about how many games the Yankees are behind the Orioles and/or Red Sox as the summer gets hotter, but most of the drama is off the field. Will George fire Billy? Will Billy bat Reggie cleanup? Will Reggie ever stop saying things to the press that tick off his teammates? The answer is that in Game 6 of the 1977 World Series versus the Los Angeles Dodgers, Reggie Jackson will hit three home runs, on three swings, off of three different pitchers.
The point going into this mini-series is that we know how it ends, or, at least, that the Yankees win the World Series, because there is still the aftermath of the victory, with Martin still tormented by his demons and the bit before the final credits where we find out what happened to the main characters in this little drama. The title "The Bronx is Burning" comes from what Howard Cosell said during the ABC telecast of Game Two of the 1977 World Series, where a large fire was raging out of control near Yankee Stadium. Jonathan Mahler used Cosell's words as the title of his book, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning: 1977, Baseball, Politics, and the Battle for the Soul of a City." There are points where the series wants to be about more than the Yankees, focusing on the New York Police Department's pursuit of the Son of Sam killer, the blackout that saw widespread looting in the city, and the financial problems that would see Ed Koch end up as mayor of the city. But time and time again we come back to Steinbrenner, Jackson, and Martin, and it is always Martin who stands out, thanks to John Turturro.
Watching Turturro's performance as Martin I was reminded, of all things, of Robert Duvall's performance as Augustus McRae in "Lonesome Dove," because I knew I was once again watching a character actor at the top of his game. I know the Emmy nominations are a long way off, but Turturro has to be the one to beat for Best Actor in a Mini-Series. Platt's performance seems less and less like a caricature of Steinbrenner in each episode and Sunjata never seems to really nail Reggie, but Turturro is the one to watch. You can just see the tumblers of Billy Martin's mind turning every time you look at Turturro's eyes. I also thought highly of Joe Grifasi's performance as Yogi Berra, especially in his scenes with Turturro. Grifasi captures Berra as the calming influence on the Yankee's bench without ever resorting to his famous Yogiisms. I was skeptical of Christopher McDonald being cast as Joe DiMaggio, but was certainly impressed by the results.
In the first half of the mini-series The Son of Sam and the race for mayor New York City are big concerns, but by the time David Berkowitz is caught everything other than baseball gets out of the way. I would have preferred to spend that time looking at more of the Yankees besides Jackson. I mean, come on, should we really have more of Fran Healy (Loren Dean) than Thurman Munson (Erik Jensen)? Only if the focus in on Reggie, because Healy was the only Yankee with whom Jackson was on speaking terms. Healy does have a big moment, when he counsels Reggie to take begin benched for Game 5 of ALCS, but Munson was the heart of the Yankees during that period and there should be more of him. I hate to think that Mickey Rivers (Leonard Robinson) always trying to hit his teammates up for money to cover gambling debts should be the most memorable thing we get out of "The Bronx ix Burning" after all the stuff about Reggie Jackson (or should I say, "Reg-gie" Jackson?) on a team that has "Catfish" Hunter (Jason Kosow)?
I wonder if there were concerns with staying away from some of the other players because they went on to write books. You have Graig Nettles, who wrote "Balls," and Sparky Lyle's "The Bronx Zoo" (the latter is about the 1978 season, but it Lyle does touch on the previous year when he was the American League Cy Young Award winner). Granted, Reggie Jackson was the most colorful person on the team, but both Nettles (Alex Crammer) and Lyle were considerable characters in their own right and apparently nobody even plays Lyle in the series (they could glue on the mustache).
In the end, I round up on "The Bronx ix Burning" not only because of Turturro's masterful performance, but also because of the extras ESPN provides. The "Backstory" provided at the end of each episode when it aired on ESPN as well as all the things to check out at the show's website (e.g., "Go Back to 1977"), embrace the fact that this is a dramatization of what happened, and they are only capturing part of the story. This 3-disc DVD also loads the bases when it comes to extras.
Summary of The Bronx Is Burning
In the summer of 1977, New York was a city in crisis. Paralyzed by a citywide blackout, political strife and the Son of Sam killing spree, the Big Apple was burning. Rising out of this troubled urban landscape to bring hope and inspiration came one of baseball s most storied franchises, The New York Yankees. Emmy® Award-winner John Turturro (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Oliver Platt ("The West Wing") and Daniel Sunjata ("Rescue Me") star in The Bronx is Burning, an ESPN Original Entertainment presentation of the amazing-but-true story of how the New York Yankees single-handedly helped raise the spirits of a city in a time of darkness and uncertainty. Bonus Features:
Outtakes, Deleted & Extended Scenes
Stories of 77 Featurettes
- The Fenway Brawl
- The Straw That Stirs the Drink
The Bronx is Burning Webisodes
On the Set Featurette
Extended Interviews
- Reggie Jackson
- George Steinbrenner
- Billy Martin Jr.
- John Turturro
Complete Stats for the 1977 Yankees Including ALCS and World Series Box Scores
Similar DVD Movies
The Perfect GameIMAGE ENTERTAINMENT; Release date: 2011-08-02; DVD
Best price: $15.14
Price in other shops:
The Natural: Director's CutTeam Marketing; Release date: 2007-04-03; DVD
Best price: $2.95
Price in other shops:
The BabeUniversal Studios; Release date: 2003-07-01; Published: 2003-07-01; DVD
Best price: $3.98
Price in other shops:
Bang the Drum SlowlyTeam Marketing; Release date: 2003-03-04; DVD
Best price: $4.92
Price in other shops:
The Pride of the Yankees (Collector's Edition)Sony; Release date: 2008-03-18; DVD
Best price: $8.19
Price in other shops:
HustleRelease date: 2005-03-29; DVD
Best price: $1.88
Price in other shops:
The Final SeasonSony Pictures; Release date: 2008-04-15; DVD
Best price: $4.30
Price in other shops:
Chasing 3000Maya Entertainment; Release date: 2010-09-28; DVD
Best price: $6.98
Price in other shops:
Eight Men Out (20th Anniversary Edition)Sony; Release date: 2008-03-18; DVD
Best price: $7.23
Price in other shops:
61*Team Marketing; Release date: 2001-09-11; Published: 2001-09-01; DVD
Best price: $2.52
Price in other shops: