E-Mail This Article to a Friend The Red Sox World Series DVD is a smash BY CHRISTOPHER YOUNG

Well, finally — finally — for me and, probably, the 3500 others who gathered at Boston’s Wang Center on Monday night for MLB’s unveiling of the 2004 World Series DVD, the feeling at last sank in. By the end of the gala evening in the ornate theater, it finally seemed true: the Boston Red Sox are indeed the World Series champions.

Never had such a scruffy and unkempt bunch filled the former home of The Nutcracker; instead of Brahmins and ballet aficionados, there were knuckleheads and yahoos. But despite their incessant yapping, hollering, and their failure to remove their Sox hats, the assembled representives of Red Sox Nation thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to watch the championship season unfold on the big screen.

Prior to the screening, manager Terry Francona, outfielder Trot Nixon, and reliever Mike Timlin met with the media. In the middle of it all sat the guest of honor: the seemingly ubiquitous World Series trophy, which actually seemed a bit winded and tarnished after all it’s gone through in the 26 days since its initial Champagne soaking in the Sox locker room in St. Louis.

But you don’t want to hear about cocktail parties and interviews and autograph seekers. You want to hear about the damn DVD, so here goes.

• Narrated by actor and native New Englander Denis Leary, the 90-minute film (not counting the bonus features, which were not broadcast at the event) has a nice opening, with Hub and Fenway scenes, rapid-fire game highlights, and player quotes interspersed. Then spring training begins, ends quickly, and suddenly, by the 15-minute mark, the entire regular season has been covered. I would have preferred to have a bit more game footage (other than the July brawl with A-Rod and the Yanks, there is little but taped remembrances), but the film does a good job of capturing the inherent camaraderie on the team — with plenty of scenes focusing on "hair" issues and relentless ball-busting.

• On to Anaheim. That ALDS also comes and goes in a flash. The spotlight focuses (rightfully) on the game-three ending, with David Ortiz’s series-clinching home run shown from multiple angles.

• The Yankees series receives more in-depth coverage, as the film analyzes each game but mystifyingly avoids or deletes completely the two controversial plays — Mark Bellhorn’s homer to left and A-Rod’s interference on Bronson Arroyo’s tag — miraculously reversed by the umpires in game six. But other key moments in the ALCS get their due, including Dave Roberts’s crucial steal in game four and Curt Schilling’s warrior-like performances in games one and six. Still, most fans who view the triumph over the Pinstripers as vastly more momentous than the World Series sweep will be disappointed by the comparative amount of time spent on the comeback against New York.

• But this is neither a season-highlight film nor an ALCS breakdown; it is the World Series DVD, and that is what takes up the bulk of the film. There weren’t nearly as many turning points in that four-game series as there were in the Bronx, but MLB does a great job of evoking all the nuances and subplots that unfolded in the Fall Classic. In particular, there is a dynamite scene prior to the opener, when former Soxer Dewey Evans reminds Johnny Damon to "enjoy it," and then in a Rocky II Adrian-esque tone, says, "Win it. Win it."

• Though drowned out by the residual cheering of those assembled at the Wang on Monday, the interviews spliced throughout the film are remarkably insightful and oftentimes prescient. Every Sox player (except for the middle relievers and the shy Bill Mueller) who played a role in the post-season is interviewed, and many journalists and opposing players also appear. In addition to Leary’s narration, the soundtrack bounces among the FOX, ESPN radio, and local baseball voices that called the games, and features a terrific musical background.

• The last 20 minutes of the film focus on the celebration, and man, what a party it was. All angles are covered, and it is this overwhelming joy that colors the film’s denouement. Whether it’s the locker-room high jinks, the celebrations back in Boston, or the wistful recollections of fathers and sons in the aftermath, there is no mistaking the elation. That sense of bliss is hammered home over the final credits, when more hugs and merriment unfold as the Dropkick Murphys’ "Tessie" blares.

And that’s what this DVD is meant to trigger for Red Sox fans: not only the sense of ecstasy and relief, but the realization that this improbable and long-awaited dream has come true.

MLB has brought it home in spades with this film, and has made the idea of the local nine as champs a concept that can finally be embraced, appreciated, and most importantly, made real.

"Sporting Eye" will return on Monday, November 29, at BostonPhoenix.com. Christopher Young can be reached at cyoung[a]phx.com