In the early 1980s baseball films were rare with the most notable being the 1976 comedy The Bad News Bears. However Barry Levinson’s 1984 Oscar nominated flick sparked a resurgence leading to over 18 baseball themed films in the next decade. On the surface it appears as a traditional sports biopic, but it reveals deeper, almost artistic layers upon closer examination. It trancends mere athletic drama to become a quenissentially American fable and a crowd-pleasing fairytale. The story follows Roy Hobbs, a gifted baseball player whose career is tragically derailed. Years later reappears and an aging outfielder for the fictional New York Knights. Armed with his mystical bat, “Wonderboy”. As Hobbs propels the underdog team towards victory, he confront his past and battles and formadible challenges, embodying the drama and spirit of America’s beloved game in a narrative of redemption and myth. So grab some peanuts and cracker jack to snack on as Tim Williams and guest c0-hosts, Nicholas Pepin and Ben Carpenter discuss “The Natural” from 1984 on this episode of the 80s Flick Flashback Podcast.
Here are some additional behind-the-scenes trivia we were unable to cover on this episode:
• Although big league baseball players at the turn of the 20th century sported long hair, handlebar mustaches, and pork chop side burns, it had changed by the time of this story. The strict edict of the day from the Commissioner of Baseball required a player to possess a clean shaven countenance. This continued up to the early 1970s and included everyone; even the Black and Latin American prospects were compelled to comply, and yet, Manager Pop Fisher and coach Red Blow both sport thick walrus mustaches.
• Glenn Close's initial appearance at the ballpark was carefully planned to give her the appearance of a guardian angel. They waited until a clear day, when the setting sun would be just at the right spot in the background to shine through her translucent hat, making it appear as a halo around her head.
Sources:
Wikipedia, IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Box Office Mojo,
https://www.popmatters.com/the-natural-1984-2496248743.html
https://70srichard.wordpress.com/2014/05/11/the-natural/
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