Remember the Titans [VHS] [2001]

What makes it even more amazing, is that this 'story' actually happened; that one man could actually change the views of a whole neighbourhood of people through high school football.

With equality being recognised, one very saddening scene and a great soundtrack, Remember the Titans is the best film i have seen in a long time. And Denzel washington is, again, on form, presenting Herman Boone fantastically. Absolute brilliance.

If you haven't seen this film already, buy it and watch it over and over again until you know the words to every part of the film, it is a great watch with a great message behind it. No matter what colour skin you have, you can still work as a team with someone from a different background. And if it takes more Herman Boone's to make that happen, bring on even more titans. SO " before we reach for hate, always always, Remember the Titans".

Movies that are based upon, or inspired by true events are somewhat difficult to quantify for you never know how closely the true events are followed. This DVD has lengthy additional documentary features that bring to viewers not only the two coaches that made a seemingly impossible relationship work, but many of the players of the original team as well.

The forced integration of the team and its high school was as ugly as any other imposed changes involving forced integration. In this case not only was a black coach hired, he then replaced a very popular and successful head coach, a job that not even he sought. It is a testimony to both men that you will meet in the film that they stayed, worked together, and produced one of the most successful high school teams in the nation. The accomplishments on field would have made a great story, that it was done amidst such racial strife is amazing.

The cast of little known or unknown actors that were put together to create these teams are an amazing group. Whether they worked so well because of the material they were given, or it was just a pleasant happenstance is unknown, but they do a great job portraying not only the Titans, but their opponents as well.

The film deals with race, and forced integration in all its ugliness and shameful behavior, and were it not for the fact the story is true, and you have a chance to meet the real people that were once the coaches and young men, it would be easy to dismiss this as Hollywood embellishment to varying extremes. But the men, who were the boys that year, will visit with you and you will reminisce with the coaches that guided them as an amazing group of young men.

On a final comment, the soundtrack is phenomenal, that rare instance when you may likely go out and purchase it to place next to the DVD, so when the film is not on, the music will remind you of the great moments in the film.