Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 18, 2023

I have probably spent more time of my life around baseball than I have around movies. My playing days were short and limited, but my love for the game, my understanding of the game, and my appreciation for the game is nearly limitless. Yet for all I know and love about baseball, there is no way I can appreciate what it must be like to stand in that batter's box and face a pitcher whose fastball travels those 60 feet and six inches with the ferocity of a freight train. I've stood in the batter's box at the old Ballpark in Arlington. Nolan Ryan never pitched off that mound -- he retired in 1993 and that park opened in 1994 -- but standing there it's startling just how close that mound is to the plate, and how fast that Ryan Express fastball must have seemed coming off from any mound in the Majors. Facing Nolan is a wonderful documentary chronicling the Hall of Fame hurler's life and baseball career, from Alvin, Texas to Cooperstown, New York and beyond, from the words of those who watched those fastballs sail by in the blink of an eye.

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.

The back of Nolan Ryan's baseball card reads like a record book, and for good reason. The Hall of Fame hurler's dominance through the 1970s and the 1980s cemented his legacy as one of the greatest hurlers of all time, and arguably -- even considering names like Koufax, Gibson, Clemens, and Johnson (Walter and Randy) -- the best of all time. But it was not just because of the statistics. Numbers cannot tell the full picture of Ryan's growth on the mound and the sheer intimidation of that fastball and the command that would eventually accompany it. But Facing Nolan can. Beyond those facts and figures was the presence on the mound, “that swagger and that look” that terrified batters nearly as much as that legendary fastball. The film assembles a number of ex-players -- both teammates and opponents -- as well various figures from the baseball and sports journalism worlds to chronicle Ryan's legendary career, spanning four decades, four teams, 51 big league records, and a staggering 5,714 strikeouts, which is one of those few baseball records that seems impenetrably secure for all time (Randy Johnson, second on that list, accumulated 839 fewer over his career).

The film is essentially an overview of Ryan's life and career in the classic documentary style: contemporary interviews interspersed with vintage footage and still photos, the latter including everything from pictures of Ryan's parents to his baseball cards. The documentary begins with a linear story that chronicles Ryan's birth to baseball and from there goes in-depth through the years, beginning with his time with the Mets, playing a key role in the team's 1969 World Series win, and the moves to the Angels, Astros, and Rangers, emphasizing career highlights, milestones, and other key moments from his career. The film capably and richly assembles his story both on the mound and off of it, building a full portrait that is focused in the ballpark but certainly takes its time to explore the man away from the diamond as well.

Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Facing Nolan puts a good face forward with its 1080p transfer. The image is rather basic. The interview clips are presented at the 1.78:1 aspect ratio and offer fine digital definition, revealing facial features such as wrinkles, pores, and hairs with very fine and intricate revelatory detail. The frame is consistently crisp and accurate, presenting additional in-frame elements with all of the clarity one could desire. Color reproduction is excellent. The image boasts of good, natural depth, accurate contrast and temperature, solid black levels, bright whites, and healthy skin tones. The image does offer a fair bit of 4x3 material as footage from Ryan's career appears throughout the film, and various still photos presented in several varying aspect ratios are also included. As always, the quality of this vintage material does not factor into the overall score; "it is what it is" and it looks fine within the larger context of the film's narrative. The new digital content looks great and is absent any significant noise or compression related issues. Fans should be pleased with the end result here.

Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Facing Nolan features a trio of English language tracks: 2.0 and 5.1 lossy Dolby Digital and 5.1 lossless DTS-HD Master Audio. The latter is the track of concern with this review. It's fuller than the 2.0 track and more robustly clear and lifelike than the lossy track, but all three satisfy the film's basic audio needs. The lossless 5.1 soundtrack offers the more expressive sound stage, presenting dialogue and a few basic effects with excellent, natural clarity. There are a few pleasing effects, such as a train whistle heard in the distance and off to the side, and a few amplified audio cues that offer a modest sense of stage stretch and depth. Mostly, however, the surrounds are scarcely used and sparsely populated, handling on the very odd complementary effect. Dialogue takes center stage, literally, with good, natural, clear, and well prioritized presentation from the front-center channel. There is very little else of need; light score is pleasantly spread along the front, but various interview segments carry the bulk of the audio elements. There's not much at all to this one, but the odd spatial effects and overall clarity excellence make the 5.1 lossless mix the best of the bunch.

Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Facing Nolan includes a few supplements. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• SXSW Q&A (1080p, 9:02): Director Bradley Jackson, Producer Russell Wayne Groves, Nolan Ryan, and Reid Ryan discuss the film.
• 'The Pitching Ninja' Panel (1080p, 1:06:46): Bradley Jackson, Nolan Ryan, Tom House, and Rob Friedman virtually meet to discuss the film and the Nolan Ryan life and story in a lengthy, in-depth, and captivating style.
• Facing Nolan Clips (1080p, 2:35): A series of clips from the film that essentially serve as previews for the film.
• Trailer (1080p, 2:12).

Facing Nolan Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Facing Nolan is a treasure of a baseball documentary and certainly one of the best of its kind. The production is straightforward, but the passion for the man, his accomplishments, and the game in which he achieved them is plain. Baseball fans are going to be in for a treat when they settle in to watch this one. It goes by in the blink of an eye, at the speed of a Ryan fastball, and its value for repeat viewings is high, especially for those who simply love the game: this is a living piece of history that is well worth a spot in every baseball fan's library. The Blu-ray is very good, delivering healthy video and audio along with a few good extras. Very highly recommended.