In the world of Major League Baseball no one has created a mythology like Nolan Ryan. Told from the point of view of the hitters who faced him and the teammates who revered him, FACING NOLAN is the definitive documentary of a Texas legend.
For thoughts on Facing Nolan, please see my colleague Shawn Paul Wood’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
Facing Nolan comes to Blu-Ray from Unobstructed View, Utopia and Kino Lorber with a stellar high definition master which presents this movie exactly as intended. This feature is a mixture of newer interviews along with older clips and pictures to help round out the legacy of this man. The talking head interview segments look incredibly crisp and clear with natural skin tones and some detailed facial features. Modern material in ballparks and other places outside of this controlled setting are likewise sharp and detailed. The older footage from Nolan in his prime seems to be derived from the most stable sources possible, even if some of them are not up to HD standards. The colors featured in the footage have an pleasing sense of vibrancy to them. The transfer does not feature anything in the way of compression artifacts or digital nuisances of the sort. This is a film that deserves to be seen in high definition.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures every nuance perfectly. This is largely an interview showcase with a plentiful amount of talking heads to complement the candid footage and vintage clips. Dialogue is the star right up front in the center channel as you get these anecdotes relayed in a controlled environment. The pleasant score and other musical moments come through with a natural fidelity as it fills the room in a wonderful way. The surround sound presentation makes the world more three dimensional such as some animal noises or the roar of the crowd at a game. There were no digital anomalies or other issues spotted. This track delivers in every respect. There are optional English subtitles provided.
Special Features
- SXSW Q&A: A nine-minute featurette from SXSW 2022 featuring Nolan Ryan, Reid Ryan, Producer Russell Wayne Groves and Director Bradley Jackson in which they discuss how this project came to be and how quickly everything fell into place. There are also questions from the audience about Nolan’s favorite ballparks, the interviews they were unable to secure, the most competitive players Nolan ever faced, and other great moments that fans will eat up.
- The Pitching Ninja Panel: A tremendous 67-minute virtual panel hosted by “The Pitching Ninja” Rob Friedman with Bradley Jackson, Nolan Ryan, and pitching legend Tom House in which they discuss the film and different elements of baseball and pitching in general. This is pure shop-talk which will have baseball fans riveted from beginning to end.
- Facing Nolan Clips: Two-and-a-half minutes of clips from Facing Nolan are provided here which almost feel like a trailer.
- Trailers: The two-minute trailer for Facing Nolan is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Facing Nolan is a fascinating documentary which shines a spotlight on a sports legend in a way that will appeal to die hard fans and newcomers alike. As someone who has never followed baseball, this feature was an illuminating portrait which made me understand why exactly Nolan is so revered and why you should not expect to see someone quite like him every day. It is wonderful to not only hear directly from the man himself about his career, but also gain insights from his peers and fans for a more thorough examination. This documentary delivers in a way that you can only hope most can. Unobstructed View, Utopia and Kino Lorber have released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some rock solid special features. If you appreciate a great documentary, give this one a shot. Recommended
Facing Nolan is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Unobstructed View, Utopia & Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
