THE SEVENTH IN A FAR LESS OCCASIONAL SERIES OF FORGOTTEN FILMS THAT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED! 

It seems like only a short while ago that I started this mini-series of mine that remembered films time had long-since sent to the recycled bin because the DVD (and soon to be blu-ray DVD  process) ignores films that were neither blockbusters (like “Batman and Robin”, Eurgh!) nor deemed of critical importance only to be resurrected on late night TV every now and then when the schedules don’t know what to put on.  But this one is what I would class as a truly fantastic movie.  It’s a feel-good film that feels almost cliche BUT it is not only based on a true story, but some of it’s even more fantastic elements were left out because they were almost too unbelievable.  Based on the book by Laura Hillenbrand (A truly great sports book and one I would recommend to anyone who considers themselves human) it tells the story of three men and a racehorse that was Oscar-nominated but overlooked by the Academy as it was already a foregone conclusion that “Return of the King” would win everything (I was first told about that rumour in 2002) but that shouldn’t put you off.  The cast is fantastic and the DVD extra of the original footage of the “Race of the Century” just adds to what is a great film for anyone to watch but so few have.  

So ladies and Gentlemen, I present the case the “SEABISCUIT”

SEABISCUIT (2003)

For anyone who doesn’t have any idea what the unusually titled film is a bout I’ll start with the book.  Laura Hillenbrand writes that in 1937, Roosevelt, Mussolini and Hitler had fewer newspaper column inches attributed to them than Seabiscuit, a racehorse that was just all wrong, ridden by a jockey who was too big, owned by an owner who didn’t know what he was doing and trained by someone who was perceived as a whack-job!  I came to the book after watching the film and I would recommend that course for anyone.  It is a tale of America during it’s darkest period of recent history, the depression.  

The film is, I have to admit, a bit of a slow burner when you first watch it, with it being hard to see how Toby Maguire’s Red Pollard, Chris Cooper’s Tom Smith and finally car-loving Charles Howard (Jeff Bridges, majestic here as in so many other films) will work as a team.  But this isn’t their story in a way.  It’s Seabiscuit’s story, and the tale of how this, almost magical, creature brought them together.  Seabiscuit is like the Rocky of horses.  A horse that had potential but seemed destined to be an also-ran, until they figured out what it was that made it run, that made it strive to be better than any other horse, a horse that both of its riders, Red Pollard and George Woolf, rated as the best horse they ever rode.

There have been many standard reviews given for this film and its one of those that infuriates me because for any normal person watching, i.e: not a critic, they can’t help but get caught up in the inspiring tale that they’re witnessing, AND, like I said, some of the more fantastic elements of the story have actually been removed which is so un-hollywood.  Usually they add sentimental fantastical stuff to true stories not take it away.  

This is one of those films that I can’t recommend strongly enough and as I said the extra’s on the DVD version include, what was dubbed at the time, the race of the century.  Add that to what is one of the greatest sports movies ever made and you’ve got one hell of a good purchase and 2 hours of an evening well spent.

ENJOY! 

(PS:  The thing that makes this trailer that little bit better is the music from Shawshank Redemption I think ...But I'll leave that up to you to decide)

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTkyNzM4Mjc4NF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNjQxNzgxMQ@@._V1._SY317_.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fnYdEGeXbM