History of Soccer: The Beautiful Game

The breadth of enquiry is naturally impressive, as is the narrative structure, but it's the deft handling of the subplots that really sets this apart, including: analysis of the dominant club sides such as Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Milan (volume 2); the evolution of Brazil (volume 3); the superstar casualties, like Maradona and Garrincha (volume 5); football as an agent of social control in Victorian England (volume 1); the revolution in French football that created the 1998 World Champions (volume 4); and the failure, so far, of Africa to fulfil Pele's famous World Cup prediction (volume 6). There's so little material here that isn't memorable that it's difficult to pick highlights, but action aside (and it's hard to think of an historically important game that isn't featured), an emotional Maradona exposing the "conspiracy" that fixed the 1990 World Cup final (volume 2) is an unforgettable slice of soccer culture.

History of Soccer on DVD comes complete with a heap of extras (between 33 and 54 minutes' worth per volume) including, across the set, every single goal from every World Cup Final game; extended interviews with the likes of Pele, Maradona, Zidane, and Bobby Charlton; loads of "first-ever-recorded-on-film" material including the 1907 England-Scotland game; text-only biographies of the major interviewees; extended tournament highlights of past European Championships, African Nations Cups, World Club Championships, Asian Cups, and, of course, World Cup Finals. The picture itself is presented in widescreen, and there's a Spanish-language track plus an Easter egg of additional hidden material in every volume. --Alex Hankin

Spotlight Reviews
great present for a husband who loves soccer (2008-01-01)
Customer Review : 5
I bought this for my husband this year for Christmas. He's really enjoying it.
It's well done and includes a wide spectrum of the sport of soccer. Informative, entertaining and just really well done. Of course one could always find something to complain about, but over all I say a fantastic way to spend the days. Great viewing.

All History, No Soccer (2007-07-09)
Customer Review : 1
6 Needless DVD's (all information could probably be combined onto 2 DVD's). More footage of scenery than anything else (mountains, rivers, oceans). Very little goal or highlight footage. More political than soccer-related. More interviews than anything else. This is a low budget film wrapped in expensive, attractive packaging. They milk scenery footage and interviews (i.e. filler) for all they're worth because they obviously don't want to spend money on goal and soccer highlights. Also, this movie only covers through 1998 so it's already outdated. You'd get much more entertainment from "All the goals of World Cup 1998" or something like that.

If you don't like Ken Burns and bad audio, then you won't like this (2007-06-11)
Customer Review : 2
First of all, the production standards are terrible on this. Very nice, a bit staid, cinematography, but the sound mix is atrocious. The music booms, along with the narration, but interviews are recorded on sub-par, breathy microphones and are mixed very low in comparison to everything else. Even with the volume set too high for comfort in respect to the music and Stamp narration, you strain to hear the interviews.

And the presentation is very formulaic and drowsy. None of the energy of the game is captured. Instead you find the Ken Burns-ian approach of reducing any story, no matter its particular dynamics, to a deadly pace of voiceover over obvious imagery - cut to interview - cut to historical shot. I've only made it through Disc 1, and find it difficult to believe I'd make it through seven. But if I'm proven wrong, I will append this review.

Classic review on a classic sport (2007-05-10)
Customer Review : 4
Though I am not an avid soccer fan, this series allowed me to truly appreciate the popularity of the sport. Now I am more apt to pay more attention to the sport as I am tired of the NFL more often these days. The presentation is a well done video and audio spectacle.

Incredible (2007-01-18)
Customer Review : 5
The most complete history of the sport I have ever seen. Beginning with the ancient mayas and exploring the evolution of the sport to the present time. Also the best all-time goals and all the winning goals throughout the world cups. A must-have for soccer fans.