PIC of the Week – The Natural
Article series by Ray Schillaci
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment hits a home run with their 4K/Blu of The Natural. There are some great baseball movies out there of every kind and many of them can even appeal to those who are not a fan of the sport. For the dramatic, there’s Pride of the Yankees, Bang the Drum Slowly, The Jackie Robinson Story and 42. Then there’s the light fantasy such as the ever popular Field of Dreams and the classic Angels in the Outfield (’51). There’s even lively baseball musicals – Damn Yankees and Take Me Out To The Ball Game. But, the one that I find myself watching over and over again is The Natural starring Robert Redford in one of his best roles.
Having the chance to see the 4K presentation is like returning to the theater, re-experiencing its gorgeous cinematography courtesy of Caleb Deschanel, rousing score by Randy Newman, and delightful Damon Runyon-esque characters played perfectly by the likes of Robert Prosky, Wilford Brimley, Richard Farnsworth and Robert Duvall, to name a few. To top it all off, the very talented Barry Levinson (Diner, Rain Man) is at the director reins giving a beautiful legendary luster to the whole affair. What makes this release so special is having the ability to see both the theatrical cut and the director’s cut in 4K.
For those unfamiliar with Levinson’s lyrical tome about America’s favorite past time in the early 1900s, the story is a near mythical affair involving a mystery of a middle-aged man stepping onto the baseball field with miraculous results. Roy Hobbs showed tremendous promise in his youth. A young man born with a miraculous gift: a natural baseball player that could be the best that ever was.
Roy’s father, who taught him the game of baseball, and sadly passed away too soon before his time, died in his son’s arms under a giant oak tree. The following night, that tree is struck by lightning and Roy takes a piece of the tree and creates his own baseball bat called, “wonder boy.” Roy eventually leaves his hometown sweetheart for his promising journey into his career with the intentions of sending for his girl as soon as he becomes successful. But, Roy’s life takes some dark turns with bad decisions and he disappears into obscurity.
Fifteen years later, Roy returns, a near broken man, to the profession joining one of the worst baseball teams in the professional leagues. They don’t want him, but Roy’s insistence pays off. Although, appearing to be too old to be a rookie, Roy proves himself on the field, knocking balls out of the field and pitching at fever speed. He’s also developed a near exasperating ambition to take his team to win the pennant, much to the owner’s dismay. Once again, their are tempting dark forces that surround Roy and the question is, will his history repeat itself?
There is a wonderful nostalgic feel to the whole film thanks to Levinson and company, and the director’s cut gives us a shade of darkness about Roy that the theatrical cut avoided. Anybody familiar with the 1952 novel written by Bernard Malamud will see that Levinson’s cut is closer in spirit. But, Malamud’s novel was even starker with an ending that was more of an invaluable lesson on life’s decisions and what could be the heartbreak of the game, and a man that thought he could have it all. Levinson’s writers, Roger Towne and Phil Dusenberry, opt for a more up beat ending but not without creating some monumental suspense that had me cheering as much as with Rocky Balboa’s first big fight.
Visually, this 4K presentation is stunning. It’s everything any of us fans could ask for. Colors are warm with every dust particle heightened in train stations and on the field. Every aged character line on the old ball players and Redford is accentuated, and then there is the capturing of the stunning beauty of the young Kim Basinger. Sure, there are soft focused scenes, but that was what the film was known for, and it just ends up being a thing of beauty and why cinematographer Caleb Deschanel was nominated for an Oscar for his work along with a nod to the art direction and rousing/romantic music by Randy Newman.
Speaking of Newman, his score is nearly the star of the movie. For me, his score rings synonymous with the best scores of all time: Lawrence of Arabia, Star Wars, Chariots of Fire, The Mission, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly and Rocky, to name a few. With that said, the Dolby Atmos soundtrack recreates the beautiful quiet moments, accentuates the rousing horns that introduce a legend about to be made and recreates the roar of a crowded baseball field along with the intense quiet moments of anticipation. Every crack of the bat is felt, bulbs from old cameras flashing away are heard to maximum effect. Believe it or not, after my raving, The Natural is a subtle movie with moments of excitement and this soundtrack far exceeds my expectations.
The big bonus to this Blu/4K presentation is the director’s cut. For fans, it’s a real find. Levinson gives more layers to Roy Hobbs’ character and it makes the film all the more mysterious, humanizing and suspenseful. Other than this and a brief intro by Barry Levinson, the supplementals are the same from the 2010 Blu release. But, that should not make you hesitate to upgrade your DVD or Blu copy. Bonuses are as follows:
• When Lightening Strikes: Creating The Natural
• Extra Innings
• Clubhouse Conversations
• A Natural Gunned Down: The Stalking of Eddie Waitkus
• Knights in Shining Armor: The Mythology of “The Natural”
• The Heart of The Natural
• Previews: Additional Sony titles
Lowest Price: $14.96 – Amazon and Walmart
Visit Ray’s blog at themonsterinmyhead.com
