In a comment to yesterday's post, Donny Prater provided a line-up filled with movie character ball players. Certainly, we can all agree that The Natural and Field Of Dreams are definitive baseball movies, i.e. movies which portray the transcendant aspects of the game and its connection to the American psyche to a wider audience.
Here's the question: Does Bull Durham, a fine movie BTW, fall into that category or is it just a chick flick masquerading as a baseball movie?
Discuss.
Cheers.
R. Sherman
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7 comments:
What I am about to say is akin to the crowd reaction when initially catching a foul ball with a glove in the upper deck, only to have it bounce out of the glove and fall into the lower deck...
...I have never seen Bull Durham. *hangs head in shame*
The Natural? Yes.
Field of Dreams? Yes.
Major League (and sequel)? Yes.
For Love of the Game? Yes.
Bull Durham? No.
Some may call Bull Durham a chick flick and some think it is a baseball movie. I believe it is much more.
Bull Durham is a look into the philosophy of baseball and better yet, it defines how the American culture ticks. Who can forget the famous "What I believe in" speech that Kevin Costner gives. This scene alone pretty much sums up what every red-blooded american male believes in but may have never thought about. In other words, he is the snapshot of the American Man.
On the Spritual side of things, this movie is all about bestowing masculinity and mentoring. Nuke Laloosh is taught everything by Crash Davis. Laloosh draws strength from the older, wiser sage that Davis portrays. But it's not just Laloosh. All of the other boys on the team are strengthened by Davis' wisdom.
Well, I've pontificated long enough. Bottom line is, its a real good movie!
Andy, Andy, Andy..............
Get on Netflix now!
And while your at it, go to Amazon.com and buy the greatest baseball movie: "*61"
Donny - I have 61* and I concur, it is one fantastic film.
Bull Durham...indeed, it will be in my Netflix queue...
I am not a Bull Durham fan. But perhaps its worth another look. I guess to answer your question, I found it to be too much Chick Flick and not enough baseball. For Love of the Game was also pretty darn close to that description.
And Andy - I've seen all of the Major League films. Even the one with Scott Bakula. In the theaters, no less. ;)
I forgot about the greatest baseball film of all time! It is the documentary "Baseball" by Ken Burns. I have always wanted to buy it but it runs around $200. I've seen it all and it is by far the greatest baseball production ever.
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