Personal Best (DVD)
APPROX. 128 MINS. - PROD. YEAR: 1982 - MPA RATING: R
" There's no questioning its authenticity.... However, the movie tends to make its points early and then repeat itself unnecessarily.
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"Personal Best" is not your average movie, at least not in content, but it may be that Towne bit off a little more than he could chew in its execution. At over two hours the film tends to overstay its welcome by a good thirty minutes, and in the second half it rather plods along toward its inevitable ending. Still, it's probably as naturalistic a presentation of sports as you'll find, and it beats most of the so-called "real-life" inspirational sports stories we usually get at the picture show. I just wish Towne had allowed his narrative to unfold at a more concise and more consistent tempo rather than pacing it so leisurely, with so many words and so many cinematic contrivances.
Video:
Warner Bros. did their usual good job transferring the movie to disc. They use a high bit rate and anamorphic processing to ensure the picture looks as good as possible. The film does have a modicum of grain in its original print, so some scenes look a tad gritty, and while colors can be quite vivid, there are times when they look a touch pale. Most of the time the screen is free of age marks, although one notices minor flecks in a few solid black areas. Faces can sometimes appear too dark in medium and long shots, but for the most part flesh tones are quite natural. When the video looks good, which is most of the time, it sparkles.
Audio:
There is little one can say about the sound. It's in monaural, reproduced via Dolby Digital 1.0. The engineers balanced the midrange nicely with the rest of the sonic spectrum, and backgrounds are quiet. The audio is clear, to be sure, but it just doesn't have much range or impact, so it's not exactly in the state-of-the-art category of modern soundtracks.
Extras:
The primary bonus item is an audio commentary with the film's writer, producer, and director, Robert Towne, and two of its stars, Scott Glenn and Kenny Moore. They provide some lively discussion, and, frankly, I found myself cutting into it whenever the action on screen slowed to a crawl; which means I listened to a good deal of the commentary. In addition, you'll find a generous thirty scene selections but no chapter insert; a widescreen, anamorphic theatrical trailer; English as the only spoken language; French subtitles; and English captions for the hearing impaired.
Parting Shots:
There's no questioning the sincerity of "Personal Best," its authenticity, its attention to detail, its naturalistic acting, and its attempt to show all sides of the competitive spirit. However, the movie tends to make its points early and then repeat itself unnecessarily, making for a rather long and sometimes sluggish run to the finish. It's worth a first viewing, but I can't imagine wanting to see it again.
"Personal Best" is a part of Warner Bros.'s third wave of "Directors' Showcase" releases, which also includes Robert Ellis Miller's "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (1968), Daryl Duke's "Payday" (1972), Richard Lester's "The Ritz" (1976), and Lee Grant's "Tell Me a Riddle" (1980). WB have made them all available separately, and they are all first-time DVD releases, sporting all-new transfers.
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