Bradley Cooper has fuelled rumours this week that he is set to star as Lance Armstrong, the disgraced former Tour de France Champion in JJ Abram’s upcoming biopic. So this week we thought we would take a look at our favourite hard-hitting sports biopics on Blu-ray. If you are unsure what to watch on Blu-ray this weekend, why not try one of the following:
Seabiscuit
An indie trailblazer launched at the Sundance Film Festival back in 2003, Seabiscuit serves as an inspirational allegory sure to resonate with modern audiences. The movie is based on the true story of racehorse Seabiscuit, a 100-1 outsider as he pushes the boundaries of what is possible in the midst of the depression. Seabiscuit demonstrates the possibility for reimagining the American dream and the potential for anyone to achieve success. The Blu-ray version comes with a host of extras including deleted scenes and a Director’s commentary.
The Damned United
Described by The Daily Telegraph as “a biopic made in heaven” the Damned United follows the catastrophic forty four days in which football manager Brian Clough led reigning champions Leeds football club into disaster. The Blu-ray version brings Clough’s colourful character to life and includes several featurettes including a personality profile of Clough and a piece on his notorious ‘Cloughisms’. For avid fans, the Blu-ray also provides deleted scenes and a piece on the face of football in the 1970s.
Moneyball
In Moneyball, Brad Pitt stars as Billy Beane, real-life manager of baseball team the Oakland As. Struggling to rebuild his floundering squad on a tiny budget, he challenges traditional baseball tactics and drafts in the help of Yale educated economist Peter Brand (Hill). Together the pair pulls together a group of misfits and set about changing the face of the sport forever. The soundtrack on the Blu-ray version brings the most challenging sounds, down to the sound of a crack of the ball onto a bat vividly to life, and the special features give you an insight into the incredible true-life events that take place in the film.
What are your favourite sporting movies? Let us know in the comments box below.
