As a New York playwright, Nicky Rogan made his name in boulevard comedy, and now has ventured closer to home and written something he really cares about. Though he won’t admit it, he is desperate for another success. From the outset, things begin to go wrong. His daughter informs him that his wife wants a divorce. His mistress notifies him that his lead actor has a parasite in his brain and can’t remember his lines, and an old acquaintance regales him with tales of Steven Schwimmer, a new and powerful critic who is so poisonous, so destructive, that the New York theater community lives in terror. Although Nicky has grown up in New York, he is a die-hard Red Sox® fan and the film is set on October 25, 1986, the day of the most Shakespearian of sporting events, Game 6 of the World Series. The Red Sox are poised to win. At the last minute, Nicky decides to skip his opening night in order to watch his beloved team. This could be it. If his “cursed” Red Sox can finally win the World Series, maybe Nicky can break his own downward spiral. Written by acclaimed writer Don DeLillo, Game 6 is an intelligent, witty, unsettling tale of one man’s encounter with his demons, his passions and his infatuation with failure.
For thoughts on Game 6, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Game 6 comes to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from a new 2K scan of the best available film elements. The fact that Ronix Flix has not only rescued this film from obscurity but has also given it a striking new presentation is very impressive. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the source without any hints of digital tinkering. The grain presents as organic rather than overwhelmingly noisy, which allows for greater depth to the image. Overall clarity and detail is very strong, and skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial features easily noticeable in closeup. Colors are well saturated even if the potentially vivid hues are coated with New York grime. Black levels are deep and hold up well with crush not serving as a noticeable issue. Instances of print damage have been cleaned up immensely with no overly distracting blemishes. This new presentation is better than any fan of the film probably ever dreamed it might get.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that accurately captures the intended sound of the film. The evocative score from Yo La Tengo and other subtle musical flourishes are used well to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it elegantly throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The bustling urban environmental sounds are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Ronin Flix has given this film a perfectly preserved audio presentation that brings the story to life in a most pleasing manner.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Michael Hoffman delivers a commentary track packed with information including the long development of the film, the realities of shooting on a limited budget, the commitment of Michael Keaton, the work of the talented ensemble, his favorite details from the screenplay, the production design and more.
- The Making Of Game 6: A pretty decent 16-minute archival featurette which covers some of the same material in straight interview form as the cast and crew discuss the history of the project, how this film functions as a labor of love, shooting on a limited budget, the casting of Michael Keaton and more. This piece is great for getting a sense of why each person decided to take part in this film.
- Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Game 6 goes beyond the typical sports movie as you are invited into a personal odyssey of self reflection with sports as a narrative backdrop. Michael Keaton was not officially “revived” by industry standards at this time, but this nuanced performance proves that he never really lost a step. The impressive ensemble all make brief but memorable impressions that propel you forward through this dreamlike state. Those who do not jive with “talky” pictures will not enjoy this one, but fans of high-minded discussions will eat this up. Ronin Flix has rescued this one from relative obscurity with a new Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a couple of great supplemental features. Whether you are a Keaton fan wanting to see more of his work or just looking for a thoughtful drama, this film is worth your time. Recommended
Game 6 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Ronin Flix and MVD Entertainment 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.
