Two things immediately registered with me. One, for a Disney movie, some of the scenes are amazingly subtle, which warms the heart in more of a long-term fashion. You can see the father-son dynamics playing out a mile away (especially if one is schooled in Magestic Baseball Movies 101), but when Dennis Quaid’s character looks out into the stands and sees a father pointing out the nuances of the game … well, that’s just good stuff there. And the dream vs. reality conflict is a veritable gold mine that isn’t exploited enough … too often, we’re just doled out the dreams with the instructions: Take two of these and come see our next movie. Ah, if they only knew that dreams just need an instigation, not an outline.
The other factor is inherent in the DVD format. With adaptations from real-life, DVDs offer us a glimpse at the “real deal.” In some cases, producers wouldn’t want this (there are reasons why “The Natural” doesn’t have that many extras like this … namely, the altered ending). But because this story stays close to form, we see this amazing Jim Morris in all his glory. The true joy was learning of the things that DIDN’T fit into the movie, like how he was an All-American punter in college in his mid-20s (!). The only downside was learning some of these important facts from the grandiose screenwriter who stalks the real field looking for inspiration while showing off some teeth that could open beer bottles. Hope Disney offers some insurance. |
