Official Synopsis:
While the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights movement and political scandal were consuming the nation, a basketball legacy grew in Southern California. Led by coach John Wooden, the UCLA Bruins amassed an unprecedented ten NCAA titles in the 12 seasons from 1964-1975, setting a standard of excellence and consistency in a volatile country. Capturing the spirit of the era through the comments of former team members, students, commentators and Coach Wooden himself, along with archival footage, HBO Sports' The UCLA Dynasty sheds light on a team that triggered unprecedented national interest in the sports and the NCAA tournament, helping college basketball grow at a pace never before seen.
  
Our Take:
With UCLA advancing to the this year’s Final Four and on the cusp of competing for another NCAA title, what better time is there to take a look at the school’s illustrious basketball history? Specifically the dynasty that was forged between 1964-1975 which included ten titles in little more than a decade—a feat that hasn’t even come close to being matched since and likely never will be—is explored in the context of what it meant to the school, the sport and the nation.

The HBO documentary looks at some of the players including Lew Alcindor (who would come to NBA fame under the name Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Sidney Wicks, and later Bill Walton, as well as Coach John Wooden who, perhaps more than anything, signifies what the dynasty was all about. In addition it shows how Wooden restored glory to a once prominent program and set the stage for an aura that still exists today. Perhaps most importantly, it shows how the team was able to sustain that success for such an unprecedented amount of time.

No documentary about something that happened in the sixties would be complete without looking at the context in which it was occurring. The anti-war protests, the Civil Rights movement and the general upheaval of the era placed basketball—specifically college basketball—in a precarious position. With everyone looking to college campuses for riots and protests, UCLA was largely able to stay above the fray, and give people a more positive reason to turn their attention to college students.

The only real disappointment with this DVD is its total lack of extras, Despite that, though, it’s got a lot of good qualities. If you’re one of the countless UCLA fans out there, it’s a must-watch; if you’re an avid college basketball fan it’s a should-watch; and if you’re a casual fan looking to pass some time between rounds of the tournament, it’s definitely worth checking out and learning a little something about one of college basketball’s most significant teams.

RECOMMENDED!

Overall Picture:
Movie: A-
DVD: C

- Cris Savino
Staff Writer