An appreciation. If you loved that movie (the original) as much as I did – then you do NOT want to miss that essay. It’s superb.
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A great essay, and an object lesson in why amateurs like me shouldn’t dig too deep into the movies. Example: His note about Jerry Fielding’s role in using Carmen in the score (which was brilliant). Ken’s version: There was opera in The Bad News Bears, there was opera in Hopscotch (liked that movie a lot too); therefore, it was Walter Matthau’s doing. QED. ;-)
I coached youth baseball for 25 years (t-ball, Little League, Babe Ruth, high school) and soooo…
I loved that movie. I had a real life team that went from last place (3-17) one year to the ultimate game the following year. We, too, lost. We, too, were romping on the field celebrating with our runner-up trophies.
Also, there are more than a few Vic Morrow type coaches out there. My own laid back hippie style was applauded when we won, condemned when we lost. Ah, well. I’ve got great memories and my one published novel (literary baseball novel called CHANCE) out of coaching the boys and, yes, girls, too (practice game, girl pitching, cold weather, wearing hooded sweatshirt, guy hits hot come-backer to the mound, ball disappears, where is it?, OH, in her pocket.)
Steve on the mountain
I had such a serious crush on Tatum when that movie came out. My 12-year-old body and psyche were totally hers.
Totally.
Sigh.
She’s still awesome on Rescue Me.
Her character is a lot like a grown-up version of Amanda, come to think of it.
She was so so funny and good in Paper Moon too. She acted her father off the screen – although he was pretty damn awesome, too. I love that movie!
I’m not sure if this qualifies as a “brush with greatness,” but David Pollock, who played Rudi Stein in the movie, is a member of the staff where I work. I shared the link with him today, and he loved it – although he did comment, “thirty years later, and I’m still the geeky wannabe pitcher!”
Yeah, that qualifies. :-)
Jeff – so cool!!!
Sheila, thanks for the link and the kind words.
Ken, I can’t rule out categorically that Matthau had nothing to do with the suggestion of Carmen for the score — that’s beyond my behind-the-scenes knowledge of the movie. I plan on watching Hopscotch this week for the first time — and I just know it will be good.
Jeff, David Pollock sure qualifies as a “brush with greatness” in my book. It’s neat-o that he saw it and liked it.