Friday Night Lights 4K SteelBook (2004)

Inside Artwork: Yes
Emboss/Deboss: No
Finish Type: TBA

• Commentary with Director Peter Berg and Writer Buzz Bissinger: The two cousins, Berg and Bissinger. Bissinger focuses primarily on his experiences accompanying the Panthers during the 1988 season as research for his book, and he comments on the degree to which the cast captured the essence of their characters. He also discusses what had to be changed in the translation from page to screen and responds to some of the criticisms leveled against the film; he's especially scathing about claims that the film "didn't deal" with issues of racism. As one would expect from a director, Berg focuses on an array of technical issues, including cinematography, editing and acting issues; one gets the strong sense that much of his "directing" was accomplished at the screenwriting stage, and that his own faith in the material allowed him to trust his cast and crew to bring their best efforts to realizing it.
• Action-Packed Deleted Scenes (SD; 2.35:1, non-enhanced; 21:48): There are ten scenes, of which many are extended versions of scenes in the finished film. The most interesting deletion is a digression that would have seen the Dallas Carter team temporarily disqualified from competition due to grading irregularities. Based on events that occurred after those portrayed in the film, this sequence was no doubt removed as an unnecessary distraction.
• Peter Berg Discusses a Scene in the Movie (SD; 2.35:1, non-enhanced; 1:09): Berg discusses the burger joint scene that was added to the film's opening section after the studio saw a rough cut. Following Berg's comments, the scene plays in excerpt from the main feature.
• Player Cam (SD; 1.33:1; 4:19): Ryan Jacobs, who portrays one of the players, takes his video camera behind the scenes. (Jacobs also appears in the "Gridiron Grads" feature.)
• Tim McGraw: Off the Stage (SD; 1.33:1; 6:11): Interviews with McGraw, Berg, Hedlund, Thornton and producer Brian Grazer on how the country star took on the unsympathetic role of Charles Billingsley.
• The Story of the 1988 Permian Panthers (SD; 1.33:1; 23:32): Replete with interviews with the real individuals portrayed in the film, including James "Boobie" Miles, Don Billingsley, Mike Winchell and Brian Chavez, this documentary provides a perspective on the historical events.
• Gridiron Grads (SD; 1.33:1; 14:11): Recruiting and training the extras to fill out the various football teams.
• Behind the Lights (SD; 1.33:1; 26:51): Extensive interviews with Berg, Grazer, Bissinger, cast and crew members and members of the 1988 Permian team chart the history of the film's production. The theme that emerges most strongly is the weight of responsibility that those making the film felt to create something that the people they were portraying could be proud of.