If you think you’re going to be reading a review about and old Alfred Hitchcock movie, think again. The “Spellbound” I’m going to tell you a little about is something totally different, though it still has some modicum of suspense. This “Spellbound” is an Academy Award winning documentary that focuses on eight youngsters who aspire to achieve. All are in training to win a competition. A S-p-e-l-l-i-n-g competition, to be more precise. Sound boring? Trust me…Football is boring, this movie my friends, is not. For this film, director Jeffrey Blitz chose eight subjects out of two hundred forty nine competitors in Washington D.C.’s National Spelling Bee and took us inside their homes. We meet them and their families, and get a brief look into their training regimen. For some, this regimen is as grueling as any Olympic hopeful’s. Blitz could not have picked a more diverse group. They all come from extremely varied backgrounds, reaching across the spectrum of family income, nationalities and personalities, yet all share one common goal. To be the best… and to win.

All of these children are special. They live in a world where intelligence is shunned by lesser intelligent peers, which is such a shame. So many kids nowadays hold back and don’t live up to their potential because they are afraid they’ll be picked on by their ‘friends.’ Or they feel that if they’re not on the football team that they’re not as good as everyone else. But let me clue you in on something. I’ll lay odds on the future success of a good speller or a Mathlete over someone who can throw a football any day.

I’ve always been somewhat fascinated by spelling. In school, spelling and English were always my favorite subjects (though it’s…ahem… really not evident by my current writing skills), and so I found this documentary to be somewhat of a personal enjoyment. I was in several spelling bees in grade school, and though I never made it past the local level, was satisfied with my success. I did it for fun, not to win. All of the kids in “Spellbound” want to win, but each deals with the reality of winning or losing in different ways, and it is fascinating to watch.

The first half of the film is more personal in nature. It is here that we are introduced to each child and are given insight into their backgrounds. The second half focuses more on the event itself. This is where the tension sets in. We get to cheer them on from the safety of the theatre, or in the case of this DVD, our living room couch. The competition is fierce, brutal and unrelenting. I honestly don’t think any sporting event has ever been this stressful to watch.

The DVD release offers the kinds of extras you generally hope for when you’ve seen a film like this in the theatre. I’m often curious in documentaries to know more about the filmmaker’s intent, and the commentary by Blitz allows him to share this with us. I was also pleased to see an update on all the spellers, as I generally want to know the ‘where are they nows’ of the subjects. There are some deleted scenes included here, as well as a guide to how to host your own spelling bee. The most fun I had though was with the Interactive Hangman Game. It kind of reminded me of why I stayed at the local level.

“Spellbound” was nominated for an Academy Award last year, but was beat out by Michael Moore’s “Bowling for Columbine.” I am a big fan of Moore, in spite of his adept editing trickery that makes his arguments a little one-sided. But as much as I liked “Bowling for Columbine”, having finally seen “Spellbound”, I have no doubt as to which film should have been the winner.

Directed by: Jeffrey Blitz
Extras: Filmmaker’s Commentary, Bonus Footage, Where Are They Now – Updates on all 8 profiled spellers, Interactive Hangman Game – Deluxe Edition, Educational Guide – Includes ‘Host Your Own Spelling Bee’ Kit, Theatrical Trailers
Specifications: Full Frame (1.33:1), 2.0 Dolby Stereo
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 1/20/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website
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We'll give Spellbound a B.