A very good commentary that adds a lot of background of Olympics past and present to the film. The film itself is more concerned with the Tokyo Olympiad of course, and also skips over a number of events. The commentary, along with the booklet with the complete list of winners in all events, adds a lot of information to this excellent film.

Since I am an athlete (distance runner) and a film buff (majoring in film in college where I am running) I'd say this is a pretty important film for me. It's one that I treat with reverence, almost, and I suggest it to all of my friends constantly, who aren't even available to get a copy.

That said, since this is one of my favorite films, I expected a great commentary that would discuss both the film and athletic aspects of Tokyo Olympiad. I was not let down. Cowie is right on the mark, and seems to be just exploding with information regarding the athletes as well as the crew. I learned quite a lot from this commentary, and I can say that I already knew quite a bit from prior research.

Overall, Cowie's commentary is underrated because it is not widely heard. The film runs for over three hours, but Cowie never seems to be caught at a silent point, yet he never seems to be running over his own tracks. The production aspects of the film that he gives are fascinating, and his knowledge of the athletes is most impressive. Highly recommended.