下面介紹的這個榜單,是 suite101.com 於 2007 年 5 月 21 日發表的排行榜。標題是:The Top 10 Baseball Movies,副標是:The Natural and Bull Durham Top the List of Great Baseball Films。
Top 10 Baseball Movies
介紹排名之前,有簡單的前言:
史上第一部棒球電影,是由愛迪生(Thomas Edison)於 1898 年所製作的,內容是兩支來自紐澤西的業餘棒球隊,在一場九局的比賽中奮力拼戰的過程。第一部「真正」的棒球電影,是發行於 1915 年的 "Right off the Bat"。從此之後,美國拍出了超過 250 部棒球電影。你不必把那 250 部全看完,這裡是簡明、精要的史上「十部最佳棒球電影」名單:
上一篇有介紹文的,這裡就不重翻。只翻「新入榜」的。
1. The Natural (1984) - 天生好手
This movie tends to divide people's opinions. It's a sentimental view of a flawed slugger and the even more flawed economic and gambling systems that often conspire to corrupt the game. "The Natural" is based on a novel by Bernard Malamud and features a strong cast led by Robert Redford, Kim Basinger, Robert Duvall, Michael Madsen and the late Darrin McGavin. Many baseball romantics love it and see it as a great fable. The more jaded fans say that the movie is pollyanic and simplistic. Everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if that opinion is wrong.
There they are: the Ten Best Baseball Movies of all time.
參見:天生好手系列文
2. Bull Durham (1988) - 百萬金臂
"Bull Durham" is the most authentic portrayal of the game, both on and off the field. Baseball is revered, but it is also kept in perspective. One of the messages seems to be that baseball is a great game, and we love it, but it is still just a game. Costner is at his best as veteran catcher and amateur philosopher Crash Davis. Tim Robbins delivers his funniest performance ever, and Susan Sarandon portrays Annie Savoy with a knowledge of baseball and a smoldering sensuality that make her irresistible. The movie was written and directed by former minor league baseball player Ron Shelton, who does all of the little things right (like the time Costner floods the field with the sprinklers to get a "rainout" for his slumping team.)
3. Long Gone (1987)
當這部迷你電影在二十多年前拍攝的時候,Virginia Madsen、William Petersen 和 Dermot Mulroney 都還沒沒無聞。如今,Madsen 是前奧斯卡入圍者,Petersen 剛離開近年來最轟動的電視影集,而 Mulroney 則成為一位優秀的喜劇、性格演員。"Long Gone" 幾乎是所拍過最忠實的一幀小聯盟速寫照了。本片的主軸,是那些懷抱大聯盟夢想的新人球員,而也同時得見 Petersen 所飾 Stud Cantrell 的內心世界,他原本有大好的大聯盟前途,直到他的膝蓋在二次大戰時被爆炸的彈片所傷。看就對了。這是史上最佳棒球電影的第三名。
4. The Pride of the Yankees (1942) - 洋基之光
Much is made about Gary Cooper (as Lou Gehrig) not really being lefthanded, but in this movie it hardly matters. Yes, it's a hopelessly sentimental movie, but it was made in a different age and is easily the best and most respected of the baseball melodramas. And at the end, when Cooper gives Gehrig's famous "luckiest man on the face of the earth" speech, you'll weep like a little girl who just stubbed her toe.
參見:The Pride of the Yankees - 洋基之光、Always - From "The Pride of the Yankees"
5. Field of Dreams (1989) - 夢幻成真
Only the hopelessly cynical aren't sucked in by this movie, which captures the mystical hold that baseball can have over people. Kevin Costner, Ray Liotta and the rest of the cast are great in this adaptation of W.P. Kinsella's novel "Shoeless Joe." It seems that everyone latches on to something different as their favorite part or as the message of the film. Like baseball itself, it's a simple movie that also proves to be wonderfully complex.
6. Eight Men Out (1988) - 陰謀密戰
A thoroughly modern look back at a simpler time, this movie does not romanticize baseball's history and captures the time of the 1919 Black Sox scandal in an authentic way. John Sayles wrote and directed the movie, based on a the award-winning book by Eliot Asinof, and does a great job of bringing the complexity of the story to the screen. A great cast (including John Cusack, David Strathairn and John Mahoney) helps as well.
7. The Bad News Bears (1976) - 少棒闖天下
The best pure baseball comedy, this movie reminded everyone what Little League was really like. Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal were perfect in their roles, and all of the foul-mouthed kids fit together beautifully. Especially the Great Tanner Boyle. Don't hold it against this movie that it gave birth to such disasters as "The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training" and "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan," which somehow starred Tony Curtis.
8. 61* (2001)
因為這部片是 HBO 所拍,而沒在電影院上映,所以從沒得到該有的重視。電影的焦點,放在 1961 年「M & M 男孩」的全壘打競逐之旅,Roger Maris 和 Mickey Mantle 以隊友的身份,正進逼貝比.魯斯神聖的全壘打紀錄。導演 Billy Crystal 為本片的棒球場景,注入了真實感和興奮感,這是許多棒球電影裡所看不到的。他還以巧妙的手法,來處理 Mickey Mantle 的外遇和酗酒問題。這是一部極佳的棒球電影。
9. A League of Their Own (1992) - 紅粉聯盟
The movie is more about women fighting for their rights than the game on the field, but the film is funny, heartfelt, and all of the women are very good ballplayers, epecially Geena Davis. Tom Hanks' turn as Manager Jimmy Dugan is one of the funniest performances of all time and it gave us the now famous line "There's no crying in baseball!" That little outburst became a pricelss addition to the American vernacular and the Top Ten Baseball Movies.
參見:A League of Their Own - 「紅粉聯盟」被刪除的曖昧
10. Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) - 戰鼓輕敲
This film is the baseball version of "Brian's Song." It focuses on the friendship between a star major league pitcher and his journeyman catcher, who is dying from cancer. It started a period of great modern baseball movies and is still regarded by many as one of the best. The movie stars a very young Michael Moriarty as the star pitcher and an even younger Robert DeNiro as the dying catcher. It's a truly touching film. That's why it makes the Top Ten Baseball Movie list.
上面這份排名,和我昨天所列的,有百分之八十的相似度。被擠出排名的,是小製作的《沙地傳奇》(Sandlot)和搞笑的《大聯盟》( Major League),取而代之的是兩部 HBO 的電視電影:Long Gone 和《棒壇雙雄》( 61*)。
"Long Gone" 這部片,我等了有一段時間了,但一直以來只有 VHS,而沒有 DVD 的發行,所以至今仍未看過。《棒壇雙雄》 算是搶搭 1998 年全壘打破紀錄風潮的應景片,前幾年在 HBO 上常可看到,近幾年比較少見了。
Bseball Movie 網站的二十五大名單
有一個網站,網名就叫 Baseball Movie.com,該網站站長,他也公布了他心目中的前 25 大名單(Best Baseball Movies),我保留其原始網站的連結,加上片名的中譯如下:
- Natural, The (1984) - 天生好手
- For the Love of the Game (1999) - 往日柔情
- Field of Dreams (1989) - 夢幻成真
- Rookie, The (2002) - 心靈投手
- 61* (2001) - 棒壇雙雄
- Eight Men Out (1988) - 陰謀密戰
- Sandlot, The (1993) - 沙地傳奇
- Bull Durham (1988) - 百萬金臂
- Major League (1989) - 大聯盟
- Fever Pitch (2005) - 愛情全壘打
- Pride of the Yankees (1942) - 洋基之光
- Bing Long's Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)
- Babe, The (1992) - 全壘打王
- Hardball (2001) - 追夢高手
- Mr. 3000 (2004) - 安打先生
- Pastime (1991)
- Mickey (2004)
- Summer Catch (2001)- 夏日捕手
- League of their Own, A (1992) - 紅粉聯盟
- Hustle (2004)
- Bad News Bears, The (2005) - 新少棒闖天下
- Little Big League(1994) - 小小大聯盟
- Talent for the Game (1991) - 慧眼雄心
- Rookie of the Year (1993) - 金臂小子
- Fan, The (1996) - 烈火終結令
我覺得這個站長,是「浪漫派」的棒球電影愛好者。情感強烈的、容易讓人感動的,排名比較前面。例如,把《往日柔情》(For the Love of the Game)排到第二,《心靈投手》(The Rookie)排在第四,都是令人感到意外的。
我不是說這兩部電影不好,而是以持平的觀點而論,這兩部片子絕對沒有好到,或是說影響力有大到他所排的名次。
另外,我覺得該站長的品味,似乎過於「現代」了一點,以他列入排名的 25 部電影來說,1988 年以前的電影,也才三部,而從 1988 到他所排最近期電影——2005 年的「愛情全壘打」,十八年期間就塞了 23 部,似也過於浮爛。(初寫時算錯,2009/2/2 重新編輯)
The Best Baseball Movies of All Time
還有一個 Epinions.com 網站,於 2004 年 7 月有一篇 "The Best Baseball Movies of All Time" 的文章,把他們認為史上最好的棒球電影列了出來。在這份名單之前,還特別先列出了兩個特別項目的最佳影片,一是「最佳棒球記錄片」(Best Baseball Documentary)—— 1994 年的 Ken Burns 製拍的 "Baseball" ;另一項是「最佳棒球歌舞片」(Best Baseball Musical)—— 1958 年的《失魂記》(Damn Yankees,請見:失魂記:該死的洋基 -- Damn Yankees!)。
其餘的榜單如下(之前介紹過的簡介我就拿掉了,只翻譯新進榜的部分):
1. The Natural (1984) -- 天生好手
Starring Robert Redford, Glenn Close, and Robert Duvall
參見:天生好手系列文
2. Field of Dreams (1989) -- 夢幻成真
Starring James Earl Jones, Kevin Costner, and Ray Liotta
3. Bingo Long and the Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976)
受不了球隊老闆如奴隸般的對待,黑人聯盟明星投手 Bingo Long 帶著一群球員,在 1930 年代的中西部小鎮巡迴比賽。他拉了許多黑人聯盟最好的球員與他一起,他們要向棒球世界展現他們的能耐。這部電影選角選得很好,而且表現了黑人聯盟歷史背後艱苦的一面,以及他們所必須面對的種族歧視等等的問題。這是根據事實所編成的故事,而演出的演員都是當年的一時之選。它吸引人之處不僅在於劇情,每當 Jones 和 Williams 針鋒相對時,看了會讓人捧腹大笑。這是一部描寫那些無緣在大聯盟一顯身手球員的經典,也讓我們知道,棒球界少了這些人,是多大的損失。
4. Pride of the Yankees (1942) -- 洋基之光
Starring Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright
參見:The Pride of the Yankees - 洋基之光、Always - From "The Pride of the Yankees"
5. A League of Their Own (1992) -- 紅粉聯盟
Starring Geena Davis, Tom Hanks, and Madonna
參見:A League of Their Own - 「紅粉聯盟」被刪除的曖昧
6. Eight Men Out (1988) -- 陰謀密戰
Starring John Cusack, Charlie Sheen, and D.B. Sweeney
7. Bull Durham (1988) -- 百萬金臂
Starring Kevin Costner, Tim Robbins, and Susan Sarandon
8. Angels In The Outfield (1951) -- 魔幻大聯盟
我們都已看過本片的迪士尼版,但在 1951 年,這個故事已被完美地演出過了。珍娜李演出一名記者,她宣稱匹茲堡海盜隊決不可能在他們惡毒的總教練領軍下贏球。這位教練脾氣不好,而且時時都會發作。有一天,有位天使對他說,如果他能收斂一點,天使會出來幫他贏球。於是他開始振作,球隊戰績也跟著進步,但沒人知道真正原因。除了一個小孤女外,沒人看得到有天使正在球場上幫助球隊。最精彩的是:連觀眾也看不到那些天使。除了想像之外,觀眾們只能被迫相信。這個故事好得值得重拍,而且對棒球傳達了重要的訊息。
9. Bang The Drum Slowly (1973) -- 戰鼓輕敲
Starring Michael Moriarty and Robert DeNiro
10. Major League (1989) -- 大聯盟
Starring Charlie Sheen, Wesley Snipes, Tom Berenger, and Rene Russo
參見:Most of All You - Love Theme from "Major League"
11. The Babe (1992) -- 全壘打王
世上只有過一個貝比.魯斯,而本片告訴我們,為何他會被視為史上最偉大的棒球員。Goodman 飾演主角,一位在他職業迷霧中,努力找尋自我的球員。他的天份,蓋過了他性格上缺點,成就了他的一生。唯一的問題在於,他總是傷害那些親近他的人,這顯示出這位球員黑暗的一面。不是一部只對傳奇球星歌功頌德的電影,本片還盡可能地忠實呈現出貝比.魯斯職棒生涯中好與壞的兩面。這是一個 Goodman 為此而生的角色,而我們也跟著電影,一起迷失在那魯斯的時代之中。
12. For Love of The Game (1999) -- 往日柔情
凱文.科斯納演出一名正面臨人生重大抉擇的老投手。如果他繼續投下去,他將失去他深愛的女人,但可能在他踏入 40 歲時,得到他所能得到的。電影在他為底特律老虎隊主投球季最後一場球時,以回顧的方式演出。特別的是,他解決掉每一位面對的打者時,他與觀眾們慢慢地了解到,在這豔陽高照的天候下,他有機會成為棒球歷史的一部分。這是一部很棒的電影,告訴我們棒球員們奉獻出時間和精力,於他們所熱愛的球賽,而當球賽與他們私人生活發生衝突時,他們所必須做的取捨。這是科斯納所拍的第三部棒球電影,而他證明了他的這些角色,為何不會被人遺忘。
13. The Rookie (2002) -- 心靈投手
這是 Jim Morris 如何上到大聯盟的真實故事,丹尼斯.奎德飾演的主角,在年輕時因肩傷而失去了進軍大聯盟的機會。十二年後,他是高中球隊的教練,他和球員講好,如果球隊能拿下地區冠軍,那他就去大聯盟球隊接受測試。球隊在他的領軍之下脫胎換骨,而 Jim 也接受了大聯盟球隊測試。他證明他有足夠的能耐,而這個令人窩心的故事中,我們看到他終於得到千載難逢的機會,在大聯盟球賽中出場投球。這是根據真實故事所改編的一部好電影,而奎德精湛的演出,帶動了本片的成功。
14. Angels In The Outfield (1994) -- 魔幻大聯盟
一支爛透了的加州天使隊,因為小球迷祈禱他們能夠奪冠,而得到了神聖力量的扶持。Christopher Lloyd 扮演那位實現小孩願望的帶頭天使,而整支球隊忽然得到賜福,在球場上表現得無懈可擊。Danny Glover 演出精彩,他飾演曾有過風光歲月,而再也無法忍受輸球的總教練。只有 Roger 和他的好友 J.P. 才能看到這些天使,而身為觀眾的我們,也看得見那些天使是怎樣幫助天使隊贏球。這是一個願望成真的好故事,有著典型的迪士尼風格,是部極佳的家庭電影。我非常喜歡,因為本片堅守球賽的真實面,但又表現出心靈的最終能量。
15. The Bad News Bears (1976) -- 少棒闖天下
Starring Walter Matthau, Tatum O'Neal
16. The Sandlot (1993) -- 沙地傳奇
Starring James Earl Jones
17. Hardball (2001) -- 追夢高手
基努李維飾演康諾.歐尼爾,一個好賭成性,手氣又正背到極點的賭客。為了償還欠債,他接下少棒隊教練的工作。他馬上就知道,這支球隊需要改進之處太多了,而且他必須教導球員如何正確地打球。戴安.蓮恩飾演小孩子們的老師,她希望他們的人生順利,而棒球是可以讓他們逃避艱苦生活的一個的管道。這是一個克服逆境的好故事,電影強調,人生最重要的事,就只是露個面而已。
上面的榜單,只選了 17 部,可能是寧缺勿濫吧。最後,我還有看到一份非常長的名單,名單先是分成兩大部分,一是「黃金時期」,排的是 1930 至 1969 年之間的電影;再來是「近代時期」,是從 1970 年起至今。裡面的片子列得很多,有興趣的朋友請自行參考(連結:Best Baseball Movies),我就不再列出了。
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