The amazing-but-true story of how the New York Yankees single-handedly helped to raise the spirits of a city in a time of darkness and uncertainty. Based on the best-selling novel by Jonathan Mahler, this historic 8-part dramatic miniseries captures the summer or 1977 like never before. Packed with over 2 hours of historical footage and behind-the-scenes features. Product Description
 |  | Perfect gift for a Yankees fan |  |
First off, not that it matters, but I'm a die hard Red Sox fan. I bought this miniseries back when it came out for my GF's father. He loved it. At the time, I took a chance on it having heard little or nothing about it & it ended up being really good. Though I said "Perfect gift for a Yankees fan" I would really recommend this to anyone who has a love for baseball as the game it is.
July 6, 2008after terrible projects such as the pete rose movie and the dale earnhardt movie. espn hit a grabd slam with this one.all the key players really look like the real guys .billy martin and thurman munson in particular.i could have used a little better acting on son of sam sub plot.but thats minor, because its the 77 yankees soap opera that grabs you.how they won anything is beyond me.
May 15, 2008| | | A Very Tumultuous Year for Baseball and.....New York. | |
1977 was a very tumultuous year for both Baseball, in particular, the Yankees, and the City of New York. The events that gripped both baseball and the city itself are captured very well in the mini series that was originally broadcast on ESPN in August of 2007 (appropriately enough, the 30th anniversary of the events that took place). The Yankees' drive to the AL Pennant and the World Series is put very well into perspective with the other events that were capturing the collective imaginations of New Yorkers in the Summer of 1977. To this day. I remember those events as though they took place yesterday. At the time, I was a 15 year old living in Westchester County and I followed everything that was going on in the pages of the New York Daily News. In fact, reading "New York's Hometown Paper" became part of my daily routine. You had the massive manhunt for David Berkowitz, who was first known as The 44 Calliber Killer and then became the self-proclaimed, "Son of Sam". I remember vividly people wondering where he was going to strike next. Then there was the Great Blackout, which reminded people of the previous blackout in 1964. The blackout didn't stop The Daily News from publishing. The paper was printed at a plant in Queens until operations returned to normal. Finally, there was the New York City Mayoral Race. Four main candidates emerged from the field - each with a very different personality. There was Mario Cuomo, the by-the-book politician who had the backing of Governor, Hugh Carey. There was the outspoken Feminist, Bella Abzug, vivacious and outgoing in her colorful hats. Then, there was The Quiet Man, Ed Koch - a little known Congressman from Lower Manahttan who had the backing of former Miss America, Bess Meyerson. Finally, there was the incumbent, Abe Beame who had very nearly run New York City into the ground. In the end, it would be Koch who would emerge victorious. All of this provided an exciting background to the three-way race in the AL East that was taking place between the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox would experience a collapse in 1977 that was similar to, but not as noteworthy as the one they experienced the following year. The Orioles, few people realize, got into the race very late. The stars of the mini series played their roles to the hilt. John Turturro as Billy Martin was dead on. He had Billy pegged from the cowboy outfits he always wore to the affected Southern drawl with which Billy sometimes spoke. But, the thing that really made him shine in the role the way he played Martin's firey temper. One scene that comes to mind was a scene during the 1977 AL Playoffs when Yankee Second Baseman Willie Randolph was taken out on a slide by a Kansas City Royals base runner. The umpire called it a clean slide and Turturro, as Martin, gets up in the ump's face (just as the real Martin would have) and says, "Clean Slide? Clean Slide, my a**!!!" Daniel Sunjata as Reggie Jackson had his character down pat. He was a dead ringer for Jackson with his 70's-style Afro and the round John Lennon-type glasses. He also perfectly portrayed Mr. October's swaggering attitude. Oliver Platt (although he was a bit chunky for the role) was perfect as Yankee owner, George Steinbrenner. He portrayed Steinbrenner just as Steinbrenner really was - the guy that wanted a winner and who wanted to run a tight ship. One particularly amusing scene was the re-creation of the famous Steinbrenner/Martin Lite Beer commercial from 1977 - the one that ends with George saying, "Billy...You're Fired." and Billy saying, "Not Again." I would recommend this series to anyone - Yankee fan or otherwise (I'm a Cardinals' fan myself). The series was further enhanced by the soundtrack provided by The Ramones, who, at that time, were regulars on the CBGB's scene in Lower Manhattan and were just coming into their own as one of New York's leading Punk Rock bands.
February 7, 2008Being a life long, diehard Yankee fan, when I saw the preview for this series on my beloved ESPN, I knew I HAD to see it. Naturally. I wasn't sure how it would be, but I knew the casting was great to start with. From the first episode, to the last, I loved it. Every minute. It was truly an original series. I love how it captures not just the Yankees moments, but the moments of NYC, as well. This is a great series for Yankee fans, and sports fans alike. I wish I had a third hand, cause I'd give this series 3 thumbs up!! Go Yankees!
January 28, 2008| | | Very interesting point of view. | |
I enjoyed all the different angles in which they covered all the important events of the time-not only baseball-nice touch.
December 21, 2007More reviews at Amazon.com ...
Daily Birthdays
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