This 1973 feature from acclaimed documentary producer David Wolper chronicles the 1972 Munich Olympics as seen through the lens of eight major directors, although Visions of Eight is ultimately less of a sports documentary than a survey of impressions from noted filmmakers. “I am not interested in sports, but I am interested in obsessions,” explains Mai Zetterling before her segment, “The Strongest,” which follows weightlifters from the training room to the contest, zeroing in on their preparation and focus. Arthur Penn watches high-jumpers and pole-vaulters in slow motion and silence, capturing the grace and wonder of men in flight in “The Highest,” while Kon Ichikawa does the same for sprinters in “The Fastest.” John Schlesinger breaks the singleminded emphasis on athletes and competition with the only glimpses of the tragic terrorist kidnapping of the Israeli competitors that year in the most compelling and revealing segment, “The Longest,” which is framed by the perspective of a single marathon runner. Other directors include Yuri Ozerov (“The Beginning”), Michael Pfleghar (“The Women”), Milos Forman (“The Decathlon”), and Claude Lelouch (“The Losers”). Visions of Eight serves up no statistics and no list of winners, merely scenes of individuals in preparation, competition, and at rest—in victory and defeat. Winner of a Golden Globe, this is recommended. (S. Axmaker)
[Blu-ray/DVD Review—June 28, 2021—Criterion, 108 min., not rated, DVD: $29.95, Blu-ray: $39.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, Visions of Eight (1973) benefits from a new 4K digital restoration and features extras including a new audio commentary by podcasters Amanda Dobbins, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan of the website The Ringer; a new documentary featuring director Claude Lelouch, supervising editor Robert K. Lambert, Ousmane Sembène biographer Samba Gadjigo, Munich Olympic Games historian David Clay Large, Mark Wolper (producer David L. Wolper’s son), and Matthew Penn (director Arthur Penn’s son), which also includes behind-the-scenes footage from the film and material from Sembène’s uncompleted short film; the short promo film “On Location with Visions of Eight”; and a booklet with a 1973 article by author George Plimpton, excerpts from David L. Wolper’s 2003 memoir, and a new reflection on the film by novelist Sam Lipsyte. Bottom line: this classic documentary on the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]