Ultimate Jordan: Deluxe Edition
Well, where to start? Like many children
of the 1990s I idolised Michael Jordan, wearing my Bulls singlet every
chance I got, watching videos like Airtime over and over with
friends and trying my best to emulate his moves on the basketball court,
at least as well as a skinny white kid from the Melbourne suburbs could
ever hope to. His athleticism, virtuosity and gift for inventiveness on
the court were unparalleled, as were his ability to snatch a game or
playoff series from the jaws of defeat.
Time after time he put in
almost superhuman efforts in his thirst for victory, and was rewarded
with no less than 6 Championship rings during his years with the Chicago
Bulls. More so than any other basketball great in an era that was rife
with legends like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Charles Barkley and
Shaquille O’Neal, Jordan came to epitomise the complete game and was
almost singlehandedly responsible for a monumental surge of interest in
the NBA the world over.
Beyond’s sprawling new 7-disc Jordan box
set is an absolute must for sporting fans; in fact it’s an absolute must
for anyone, anywhere. I don’t care who you are or how much you know
about basketball: leave the house right now, buy this box set and marvel
at the exploits of the greatest athlete ever to walk the earth. You
won’t be disappointed!
Included are all five of Jordan’s videos,
namely Come Fly With Me (1989); Michael Jordan’s Playground
(1990); the unmissable Airtime (1993); Above and Beyond
(1996), which charts Jordan’s return from retirement and his journey
to his second straight ‘Three-peat’; and His Airness (1999), a
career retrospective that was produced following Jordan’s second, and
what was presumed to be his final, retirement. These run around an hour
each and to varying degrees compile documentary, highlight, interview,
training and ‘Jordan at home’ footage. For many years they were only
available on VHS - it’s great to have them housed on DVD under one
roof.
The set’s other big draw in five classic
Jordan games included in their entirety, including in most cases the
pre-match buildup (though not, sadly, much in the way of post-match
interviews). These include Championships games, two of Jordan’s
highest-scoring games including his 69-pointer against Cleveland in 1990
and the infamous ‘Flu Game,’ in which a sick, dehydrated and visibly
exhausted Jordan overcame a serious virus to score a game-winning 38
points against a hapless Utah Jazz.
In addition there are also a number of
fantastic bonus features, including Slam Dunk Contest Highlights, a
fairly explosive compilation entitled ‘Best Dunks, Moves, Clutch Plays &
Assists,’ a Making-Of Featurette for Michael’s Jordan’s Playground,
footage of Jordan’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony and plenty more.
It’s a thrilling and expertly-compiled collection, and with a runtime of
almost 17 hours will keep fans busy, as it has me, for many a night.
Really superb stuff.
Also available on Blu-ray.
