ESPN Films 30 for 30: Four Days in October

For generations the Boston Red Sox and their fans lived with the Curse of the Bambino—their last World Series title came in 1918, and they had many close calls when they came up short over that span. Many of those close calls, such as 1949, 1978, and 2003, came against their archrivals, the New York Yankees. 2004 was the year that saw the Red Sox finally beat the Yankees when it mattered and then win their long-sought World Series championship.This "30 for 30" episode, "Four Days in October," recalls Boston’s comeback from a three-games-to-none deficit in the ALCS in 2004. Told through the voices of Red Sox fans, players, and the manager, it recalls the key plays of the last four games. The hitting of David Ortiz, the pitching of Curt Schilling, and contributions from numerous other players sent the series to Game 7, in which the Red Sox beat the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. The video discusses what the win meant to the New England fan base.There are also a few bonus features on this DVD. "Four Days in October" already feels a bit dated. For the longest time, when one thought of the Red Sox, one thought first of Fenway Park and then The Curse. Fifteen years and four world titles later, the Red Sox have distanced themselves from their past to the point that The Curse is now not only slain, but is fading into history and is seldom thought about.

A must have for everyone in Red Sox Nation. ❤ ⚾️

I just watched the film on ESPN. As a life-long Red Sox fan, I'm certainly not going to be able to be unbiased and thought the film was very good. But this potentially perfect documentary was ruined by seemingly constant cutaways to the two of the biggest buffoons in Red Sox Nation...Bill Simmons and Lenny Clarke sitting in an empty bar. Their lame smart-assed attempts at comedy fell flat and really distracted from the dramatic nature of the the story and the film. I would have liked it better if the director had used the valuable screen time he wasted on Simmons and Clarke to interview some elderly Sox fans who had waited forever for that day, speak to more Sox players or even interview some of the Yankees for the feelings they had being on the losing end of the most remarkable comeback in sports history. Perfect example is Keith Foulke, who got almost no mention in the film, but whose role was vital in the Sox winning the ALCS and World Series. Foulke basically blew out his arm and his career from being overused in the 2004 post-season and it would have been interesting to hear his memories. Or Tim Wakefield's feelings on beating the Yankees almost a year to the day after losing game 7 of the ALCS in the same stadium. A fine film that unfortunately could have been better and thus only 4 stars.

I saw this production for the first time when it was broadcast on ESPN. I was a freshman in college when the '04 series took place. This production brought me right back to my dorm surrounded by many Sox fans yelling and screaming during the highs and lows of the '04 playoffs. I went to school at the University of New Haven which proved to have a heavy support base for both sides.As soon as I saw this on ESPN, I pre-ordered on Amazon. If you haven't seen it yet or are looking to buy it as a gift for a hardcore Sox fan, it is a must-buy. The first time I saw it, I was brought back to my first year in college. The second time I saw it, I was like a little kid in a candy store - giddy with excitement. The third time - brought tears to my eyes. This DVD was done so well it literally ran chills down my spine.There is no such thing as being on the fence about this DVD. Your choices are either a) buy one .... or b) buy more than one.Enjoy.

I DVR'd this when it broadcast, and have watched it a couple of times. I am eagerly ordering it so that I can have it forever. I watched it with my 11 year old son, who remembers that season but was too young to appreciate the magic of those games. Mercifully, he is also too young to know the angst of being a Sox fan prior to 2004. It is not a painstaking play by play documentary of the whole series. Instead, it focuses on the signature moments: Dave Roberts steal, the Bloody Sock, ARod slapping the ball out of Aroyyo's glove, etc. It does a great job a capturing the emotion of the times. As others had said, I could have done less with Simmons and Clarke, although I think they do add something to it. Overall, it does a splendid job of showing the 4 days that changed Red Sox Nation forever. And yes, watching Yankee fans cry does make for great TV!

I saw this program on ESPN and it was like I was right back in 2004, moaning and groaning about what was bound to be another blow to the fragile Sox fan psyche. I was alternately crushed, then relieved, and finally totally elated as I watched the whole drama unfold again. I cannot describe how real it seemed. I bought this for my brother for Christmas since he's been a long suffering Sox fan as well and he really enjoyed it. I have watched it about 5 times now and I am still back in game 4, thinking "well, there's always next year" and then watching as they managed to snare one from the Yankees. I thought that was as good as it was going to get in 2004 but little did I know....2004 was our year! And we did it by handing the Yankees the biggest choke in baseball history! If you are a Sox fan you need to own this. Just sayin'.

Couldn't agree more with everyone else's sentiments here regarding the two buffoons in the bar. Those cutscenes are AWFUL. Not to mention the perfectly poured glasses of beer on the counter and Lenny Clarke's HIDEOUS outfit.That being said, every Red Sox fan should see this. It fills a need to document what was simply one of the greatest sports dramas ever witnessed.If I had my druthers, I'd kind of like to see something spanning the whole 7 games. I think it would set the stage a bit better overall.And you know what else-why doesn't Damon's grand slam in game 7 get more play? That was the single greatest moment for me. Game 7 was a bit anti-climactic, but you didn't know that in the 2nd inning. Does anyone remember that the Yanks brought in a new pitcher and Damon hit the FIRST PITCH out? Sweet, sweet justice that was.

I have lost count of the number of times I have watched this and it never fails to pique my emotions. Yes, the two guys at the bar are annoying, but the rest of this production more than compensates for that annoyance. Also, what it lacks in game play, it makes up for in emotion and tbh that is what this film is all about - not the actual baseball per se, more the emotion of the curse and 86 years of hurt and waiting. Any true fan will appreciate this, and tbh, if you want the babseball go buy the 2004 World Series DVD!To paraphrase the mighty Kevin Millar "They shocked the world that day!"

This documentary, one of ESPN's 30 for 30 series, is the best of the bunch and is story-telling at its best. Boston's epic comeback in the 2004 ALCS (which led to an easy World Series triumph) is chronicled by archival footage, player interviews, and fan reactions. For Red Sox fans, it was the beginning of two unforgettable weeks when the Red Sox turned the corner and went from being vulnerable to becoming invincible. The editing and music is superb. More than one Bosox fans has been moved to tears by this video. When a documentary can do that--it is indeed special. Five stars.

Beat the Yankees in the greatest comeback in playoff history...priceless

This should give you goose bumps even if you are not a Red Sox fan.

I'm not sure how hard it is to put the right DVD in a cardboard box and then ship it out but I received the wrong item. Under the Amazon.ca "ITem Being Reviewed" caption - they depict the wrong DVD image ("Four Days in October"). That is the DVD I received. What a waste of time.