Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #14605 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-09-25
• Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
• Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
• Format: PAL
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Synopsis
In the 1970s the New York Cosmos were a superstar soccer team that attracted thousands of fans to their games, almost raising the sport to the level of football and baseball in America. ONCE IN A LIFETIME charts the Cosmos' spectacular rise and fall. In the 1970s, a group of high-profile businessmen, led by Warner Bros. head Steve Ross and Atlantic Records gurus Ahmet and Nehui Ertegun, decided to bring the world's most popular international sport, soccer, to the United States in a big way. So they gathered their resources, called in favours, and bought the New York Cosmos, part of a fledgling, somewhat pathetic new league. Within a few years they had collected many of the game's greatest players, creating a nearly unstoppable team that were as successful on the field as they were in the gossip pages and such clubs as Studio 54--until their egos got in the way. Paul Crowder and John Dower tell this fascinating story of greed, power, and fame in an entertaining documentary. Crowder and Dower mix in terrific archival footage of the Cosmos with 1970s-era Manhattan and new interviews with many of the primary characters, including Cosmos stars Giorgio Chinaglia (cast as the villain), Carlos Alberto, Franz Beckenbauer, Shep Messing (who talks about posing naked for a women's magazine), soccer lover Henry Kissinger, broadcasters Marv Albert and Paul Gardner, Rodney Marsh, journalist David Hirshey, and many others. Interestingly, Pelé, the man whose multimillion-dollar signing started it all, declined to participate in the project, although he's well represented in the movie. From the patchy field at Randalls Island to packed houses at Giants stadium, ONCE IN A LIFETIME--narrated by Matt Dillon (CRASH)--details the rise and fall of the mighty Cosmos, set to a great 1970s soundtrack that includes songs from Kool and the Gang, Steely Dan, Junior Walker, Donna Summer, the Commodores, and the Main Ingredient, helping make the film a fabulous document of a crazy time.

Customer Reviews

Welcome to Cosmos Country
This documentary film is both informative and highly entertaining and should be compulsory viewing for any football (soccer) fan in Britain. It tells the story of the rise and fall of the Cosmos. This team was founded in 1971 and was backed by the Warner Communications Group. Money became no object. Need a class player? Then take a jet to either Europe or South America. Pele not sufficient, then go for Carlos Alberto. Still need more talent? Then fly to Germany and sign the Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer. Throw in Coventy's Steve Hunt and Manchester City's Dennis Tuert plus a sprinkling of North Americans and bingo! A Championship winning team...Now were I have I seen that happen in recent years? To cut a long story short the Cosmos (pronounced 'Coes-Moes')ended up playing to nearly 80,000 people every home game in the Giants' Stadium in East Rutherford New Jersey. Sadly, like the NASL (North American Soccer league) this was not to last much into the 1980s. In 1984 the league collapsed with only a handful of franchises (teams) remaining and the New York Cosmos was effectively wound up. The South Sea Bubble had well and truly burst with soccer only existing as an indoor professional sport until the launch of Major League Soccer only a handful of years ago. The English Premiership Chairmen should collectively take note of the bitter lessons learnt twenty years ago in the States

Ironically, at the beginning of the 1978-79 English season the New York Cosmos came to London and played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Weird, given latter day comparisions that have been made. Pele has long fulfilled his contract with them so guess what? To boost interest the Cosmos recrruited a guest star player, none other than Johan Cruyff.

Was New York Cosmos football or showbiz? I suppose they were a mixture of the two. What is certain is that they were 20 years ahead of their time when one considers today's English Premiership. They had big money backing and were intent on scouring the world for the very best players available plus the league negotiated a network TV deal.

I cannot recommend this title highly enough. The soundtrack is also a complete blast!

did this really happen!!!!
how could the world's greatest football player (at the time) join and a bunch of american pub players playing a sport that the majority of the country had never heard of??? well once in a lifetime will shed light on it all, this is the remarkable tale of the new york cosmos told with a tremendous passion by all, just look at the smiles on the faces of the kaiser and carlos alberto as they reminisce (i know they all got paid well)but they all enjoyed it whilst it lasted!from the humble beginnings on a spray painted pitch in front of a hundred fans to the mayhem of 1977 which saw them play in front of 80,000 at giants stadium. the biggest shame about this dvd is the lack of any input by pele,which is a real shame as the whole success of the nasl was mostly down to him, but rumours of pele's insistence of being paid $150,000 probably put pay that!this is the ultimate rags to riches to rags sports story which is well worth a watch for any sports fan. its worth watching just for pele's tackle on rodney marsh!!! only in america.