Espn Films 30 for 30: Of Miracles and Men

I'm not a sports fan, but I watched this on a streaming service and loved it. My brother was a goalie who loved Jimmy Craig and I remember when Miracle with Kurt Russell came out. Loved that movie as well. What really drew me to this was a) I love documentary movies and b) I've never really heard anything from the former USSR's perspective. It was incredibly interesting to me (and my brother and dad!). The first half of this documentary focuses on the USSR training growing up all the way to the Olympics / Miracle on Ice game. The second half focuses on breaking away from Russia's team in order to play in the NHL and how it was viewed as betrayal. Being a hockey player in Russia is like being an A-List celebrity in the USA, so it was a feat for Fetisov to get to the NHL. I wasn't as interested in the latter part of the documentary initially, but after watching it again I enjoyed it. My brother and dad were very interested in the latter half as hockey fans. Definitely worth a watch!

It met my expectations by providing a different aspect to this great event than the usual one.

One of my favourite documentaries. I saw it through the public library, but I bought this one for my father for Christmas who played hockey in Canada in the 60's/70's.

Video arrived in excellent condition and very quickly delivered.

The DVD arrived safely in perfect condition well within the delivery time frame.The story is about 1980 Olympic Hockey in Lake Placid. However, it is not simply about the US team. The documentary explores the political climate of the time, as well as the history and background of the Russian players and systems in which they played and lived.

Very throughly done from the Soviet 1980 team prospective! This is a must watch to get the full existent of the miracle that was pulled off against the best team in the world til feb 22,1980

Interesting take on the 1980 Miracle Russian team and there side of the story very good ESPN 30 for 30 documentary will buy more in the future!!

I liked finding out the USSR's perspective.

Finally getting around to watching this documentary giving the Soviet side of the story behind the historical 1980 Olympic hockey game. I thought it might be a bit dull, but the players interviewed in later life come across as interesting and articulate (with the aid of English subtitles). The eager, nervous little boys trying out for the hockey school could be children in any country in the same situation (and I admit I was surprised by the use of color film for what was essentially just "home movies" of the kids' lessons in the rink and frolicking outdoors). The scenes of the original coach's unique training methods for what became the world's best team in the 1970s -- copying moves from Russian folk dance companies, for instance, to increase the players' flexibility on the ice -- were particularly interesting, as was the explanation as to why the Soviets decided in the first place to learn to play "Canadian hockey" as opposed to the makeshift game of "bandy" they'd been playing on ice, which wasn't appropriate for the Olympic Games. (And as a Canadian myself, I was surprised to hear of their awe, almost fear, of the players from my country. At least, until they discovered that their hard-driving coach's methods made them capable of holding their own on the ice against Canadian teams.) A few clips from "Miracle" are included, as well as the Russian players' unanimous disparagement of the film, which let through a glimpse of their lingering bitterness over their defeat by a team they admitted they had underestimated. I particularly liked the part where one player returns to Lake Placid many years later accompanied by his beautiful 21-year-old daughter, showing her around the town (including the now-prison building which was used for the athletes' village and was condemned by all the athletes from every country) and inside the unchanged arena, easing into clips from The Game itself as the old player stands at center ice and reminisces for his daughter. I found this documentary interesting and quite eye-opening and am glad I bought it. I had to dock one star because it's that irritating kind of DVD that flips back to the beginning whenever you stop it for awhile. There's no scene selection, you just have to start at the beginning again and fast-forward until you reach the part where you left off. But all in all, highly recommended if you want a well-rounded picture of an iconic moment in sports history.

It seem like it's a copy of the original one burn on a dvd. Not a great quality but i'ts watchable.

Wrong disc in the box, couldn't watch it, unfortunate mistake.