I got the idea to post the poll on this blog when I was sitting around one afternoon watching television - AMC I believe it was. Actually, I was just flipping through the channels, but I stopped when I came to this one, in particular. What caught my attention and made me think of great baseball movies was the onscreen portrayal of Roy Hobbs smacking the crap out of a baseball, as played by Robert Redford in 'The Natural'. This was the movie for which I voted. I know I'm not the only one because it got one other vote. 'Field of Dreams' got the most votes with three and this is where I want to begin the discussion.
'Field of Dreams' is a great movie, hands down, and out of the list on the poll, it may be the best movie overall. However, I do not consider it to be the best baseball movie on that list. When I watch a good baseball movie (or any sports movie, for that matter), I want to watch a movie about a game or a series where something is on the line and it shares the same intensity as the sport itself. I want to feel like a fan at the game I am watching. I think sports are so exciting and they are one of my favorite things in the world, so I want my sports movies to "move" me similarly emotionally. You could argue that 'The Natural' isn't necessarily about one big game or series, but it is about a team who's in the dumps and there is this one player who comes in and turns it around, physically and psychologically. When you watch the movie, you want to be in the stands watching those NY Knights games. PLUS, the rest of the story is so good and fulfilling, that it makes the movie complete (not unlike the great story told in 'Field of Dreams'). So, that is why I voted for it.
For the record, I also think the 'Major League' franchise is a close second because it DOES have the big series excitement AND it's a comedy... In discussing this poll with a few other people who may or may not read this blog, they let me in on a few other "baseball" movies that I forgot at the outset of the poll, so feel free to comment on them as well, or any others. They are: 'Eight Men Out', 'Pride of the Yankees', and '*61'.
The forum is now open... start threading.
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*61 was a good movie.
ReplyDeleteI know its not a movie BUT, Burning in the Bronx, the short series that was on ESPN was good as well.
For Love of the Game with Kevin Costner is a good movie. Better then that chick baseball movie for sure. I am going to have to go with Field of Dreams or the first Major League. I really don't have much to add. People have seen these movies millions of times I am sure, but hopefully we get some discussion going on here. I talk this shit for days. I haven't seen either that movie or short series that Chris is talking about so I can't comment there.
ReplyDeleteFirst off,61* is the best baseball movie of all time, directed by Billy Cystal, should have been on this list, if you haven't seen it...GO WATCH IT, it is about ROger Maris and Mickey Mantle chasing Babe Ruths 61 homerun record, thus the name (I hear the sequel will be with Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa,probably not as good though, haha J/K) I just can't see how a movie about kids who hit a ball over a fence and are afraid of a dog and a movie about "ghost" baseball players could have won this poll, my opinion:) That being said, i like both of those movies alot, just can't see being better than The Natural. Go ahead, someone tell me I am wrong:)
ReplyDeleteYep, J, my uncle Tony also told me I MUST see *61. Haha Stewart: "that chick movie".
ReplyDeleteWeltig, I saw that documentary or mini-series or whatever about the Yankees... not bad.
Anyone else have an opinion here?
My vote was for Baseketball err I mean FOD. The movie is just greatness and I don't even really like Costner. Lets not forget that the man drank his own urine! The story line is great. A man who is about to lose his farm and house starts to hear voices telling him to wipeout a huge portion of his farm and build a baseball field and he does. Then, he continues to hear voices and continues to do crazy things to in the end see dead baseball players playing on his field one of which turns out to be his father. Something would tell the ordinary person that this guy's crop isn't corn. It must've been peyote or something. I laugh as I think about this because I can easily see Jimi becoming delusional and doing something like this when he gets older. HAHA
ReplyDeleteBrad, you just made my point for me... Also, I am surprised Jimi hasn't chimed in here.
ReplyDeleteOk guys, so I guess I will chime in with the "chick" perspective here, even though, as some of you know, I don't like a lot of typical "chick" things. I am pretty torn here. At first, I was like Justin and Skip and wanted more baseball in my favorite baseball movie. I mean, my favorite movie ever is Hoosiers and that is more actual sport action in a film than most "sport" movies. But then, the other part of me, perhaps the chick part, thinks Field of Dreams and Sandlot say more about baseball than the others do. Field of Dreams is about how baseball transcends life (hence the ghosts) and connects people. Sandlot is about the purity of baseball before kids would just rather stay inside and play MLB on their Playstation 3- no offense Justin.
ReplyDeleteThere is that English teacher logic:) Non taken, I would rather go out and play an actual sport over a video game any day of the week.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Lacey, for the 'chick' perspective ;)... I completely agree with your points on FOD and Sandlot, and that makes them good movies, maybe even great movies... but I dig my heels in when it comes to wanting some real sports action in my sports movies, which, in that categorization (SIX syllables, Jimi!!!!) Sandlot is actually more of a baseball movie than FOD.
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