As part of its series of 30 films to commemorate its 30-year anniversary, ESPN tonight is presenting The Band That Wouldn't Die, a documentary by Oscar-winning director and Baltimore native Barry Levinson. The film is about the Baltimore Colts marching band, which didn't skip town when the rest of the team moved to Indianapolis in 1984. The band kept on playing for the dozen years their city was football-less.
"When I came across the story of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band, and how it continued to march despite the loss of its team, I found something uniquely Baltimorian about it," Levinson says on a Web site about the film. Here was a band that played on without a team, marching at civic events, Thanksgiving Day parades, and half-time shows for other NFL teams, keeping football alive in Baltimore. None of them were paid, yet the band held a membership of 150 strong for the 12 years Baltimore didn't have an NFL team."
It should be a fascinating story of interest to people who might not even like football. Almost everything Levinson makes is great (see: Rain Man), and his films about Baltimore are top-notch (Avalon, Liberty Heights).
The Band That Wouldn't Die airs tonight at 8 p.m. on ESPN and ESPNHD.
Photo: Barry Levinson. (Kris Connor/Getty Images Entertainment)
Comments
Saw the story of the Colt Band tonight on ESPN. As a season ticket holder from 1964 to 1983, I found it to be one of the best documentary I have ever seen. What memories reappeared, from the happiest to the depressed. The stories that the people told were fasinating. Thank you Barry for reliving those great years on 33rd Street.
I grew up in Baltimore from 1950 until 1972. The Colts were as much a part of our fall and winter as the weather – undeniably present. We planned our Sundays around the Colts games. Sunday Mass on gameday was short and sweet so we could all get to Memorial Stadium, or in front of the TV or near the radio. Thanks, Mr. Levinson, for rekindling those fabulous warm memories. “….for Baltimore and Maryland, we will march on to vic-tor-y!”
I just finished watching the documentary film “The Band that wouldn’t die”. I’m 63 and live in Tullahoma, Tn. I remember as a kid, the first football game I ever watched was the Baltimore Colts-NY Giants game on tv. I became a Colts fan then and have been ever since. It brought back a lot of memories. What a great story. I almost got tears in my eyes. Thanks to Barry Levinson and everyone involved in this story about the Baltimore Colts Marching Band. I’ve never been to Baltimore, but I have so much respect for the city and its fans.
Thanks for your comments everyone. In case you missed last night’s broadcast, here is a listing of when the movie will re-air:
Oct. 15, 11 p.m. – ESPN Classic
Oct. 19, 7 p.m. – ESPN2
Oct. 21, 8 p.m. – ESPN2
Oct. 25, 9 p.m. – ESPN Classic
Nov. 8, 9 p.m. – ESPN Classic
My husband and I went to the Baltimore preview of this movie at Ravens Stadium. I watched again last night on ESPN. Thank you to Barry Levinson for a documentary that is so well done! It’s more than the story of the band, it’s about football fans and the Spirit of Baltimore, and a place that has become Ravenstown. The story needed to be told, especially the mixed emotions of being forced to go to Cleveland to get a team. We have Tagliabue to thank for that – the second most hated man in Baltimore after Irsay. At the premier at M&T Stadium, many a tear was shed. When the Marching Ravens band played the old Baltimore Colts Fight Song, it was emotional to hear everyone singing along. The band and director got a standing ovation. Well done, everyone!
I would love to be able to purchase a copy of the documentary for my father in law. He had season tickets to the Baltimore Colts for 30 years. He loved the documentary and I know he would love to have a personal copy. Will copies be available for purchase?
Hey Chrys,
I called ESPN, and they said it should be for sale soon but isn’t yet. When it is, you will be able to buy it by using this link:
http://www.espnshop.com/catalog/advancedSearch/?search=k&keyword=dvds
-Mike
What a wonderful history! I thought I knew what happened to our team…but I never realized how important our marching band was in the process. Congrats to everyone concerned…Barry did a great job with this documentary.
BALTIMORE COLTS were way of life in B-more. The friendly skys of UNITAS, Band, Most players lived in B-more in off season, cant wait to see film… But remember Carroll Rosenblum traded the COLTS to BOOB ursey for the rams of L.A.
I was a member of the Colts Marching Band the year that we won the CFL Grey Cup. I now live in Tennessee and would love to know how I can get a copy of the movie. It wasn’t being shown on ESPN down here.