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{{Short description|1993 film by David Mickey Evans}} | |||
{{Infobox_Film | | |||
{{Infobox film | |||
name =The Sandlot| | |||
| name = The Sandlot | |||
image =Sandlot_poster.jpg | | |||
|
| image = Sandlot poster.jpg | ||
| alt = Four children hold a baseball bat with the paw of a dog resting on the top of it. The film's tagline on top reads "They're more than a team. They're the best buddies in the entire history of the world". Below the film's title, another tagline reads "A Piece of Paradise a half block wide and a whole summer long". | |||
writer =]<br />] | | |||
| caption = Theatrical release poster | |||
starring =]<br />] | | |||
director =] |
| director = ] | ||
| producer = {{Unbulleted list|Dale De La Torre|William S. Gilmore}} | |||
producer =] <br /> ] | | |||
| writer = {{Unbulleted list|David Mickey Evans|Robert Gunter}} | |||
cinematography =] | | |||
narrator =David |
| narrator = David Mickey Evans | ||
| starring = {{Plainlist| | |||
editing =] | | |||
* ] | |||
distributor =] | | |||
* ] | |||
released =April 7, 1993 | | |||
* ] | |||
runtime =101 minutes | | |||
* ] | |||
language = ] | | |||
* | |||
country = United States| | |||
* ] | |||
* Grant Gelt | |||
followed_by = '']''| | |||
* Shane Obedzinski | |||
budget = | | |||
* Victor DiMattia | |||
gross = $33,832,313<ref name="BoxOffice">{{cite web|title=The Sandlot|publisher=]|url=http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=sandlot.htm|accessdate=January 4, 2010}}</ref> | | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | }} | ||
| music = ] | |||
'''''The Sandlot''''' is a 1993 American ] ] about a group of young ] players during the summer of 1962. The film was directed by ] and was released with the title ''The Sandlot Kids'' in ] and the ]. | |||
| cinematography = ] | |||
| editing = Michael A. Stevenson | |||
| studio = ] | |||
| distributor = ] | |||
| released = {{film date|1993|4|7}} | |||
| runtime = 102 minutes | |||
| language = English | |||
| country = United States | |||
| budget = $7 million{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}} | |||
| gross = $34.3 million<ref name="BoxOfficeMojo">{{cite web |title=The Sandlot |website=] |publisher=] |url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0108037/ |access-date=January 30, 2021 |archive-date=January 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127200718/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0108037/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
}} | |||
'''''The Sandlot''''' (released in some countries as '''''The Sandlot Kids''''')<ref>{{cite web |last=Phillips |first=Nicole |date=September 4, 2017 |title=15 films with completely different titles in other countries |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/15-films-completely-different-titles-other-countries-movies-translation-a7929166.html |access-date=February 9, 2023 |website=] |archive-date=February 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209192521/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/15-films-completely-different-titles-other-countries-movies-translation-a7929166.html |url-status=live }}</ref> is a 1993 American ] ] ] co-written, directed, and narrated by ]. It tells the story of a group of young baseball players during the summer of 1962. It stars ], ], ], ], ], and ]. The movie is set in the ] in ] and the filming locations were in ], ], and ]. It grossed $34 million worldwide and has since become a ].<ref name=USAToday>{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/09/19/the-sandlot-20th-anniversary-david-mickey-evans/2835203/ |title='The Sandlot' at 20: Diamonds are forever |work=USA Today |date=September 19, 2013 |first=Bryan |last=Alexander |access-date=July 12, 2015 |archive-date=May 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522184954/http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/movies/2013/09/19/the-sandlot-20th-anniversary-david-mickey-evans/2835203/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.crookedscoreboard.com/2015/03/sandlot-movie-review-cult-classic.html |title=The Cult of The Sandlot |website=Crooked Scoreboard |date=March 25, 2015 |first=Tim |last=Caron |access-date=July 12, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705001937/http://www.crookedscoreboard.com/2015/03/sandlot-movie-review-cult-classic.html |archive-date=July 5, 2015}}</ref> | |||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
In the late spring of 1962, fifth-grader Scott Smalls moves to the ], right outside of ] with his widowed mother, and recent stepfather, Bill. As school ends and summer begins, Small's mother encourages him to make friends, and he tries to join a group of boys who play baseball daily at the neighborhood ]—brothers Timmy and Tommy Timmons, Michael "Squints" Palledorous, Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan, Bertram Grover Weeks, pitcher Kenny DeNunez, catcher Hamilton "Ham" Porter, and their leader and best player Benny Rodriguez. Everyone but Benny laughs at Smalls' lack of ability, and an attempt to play catch with his stepdad Bill injures Smalls and leaves him with a ]. But, Benny still invites him onto the team and helps him improve his skills and earn the boys' respect. | |||
The film is told through the perspective of Scotty Smalls (]), who is reminiscing about the summer of 1962. Smalls moves with his mother and stepfather Bill to a new neighborhood outside ] and struggles to make new friends. One afternoon, he decides to follow a group of neighborhood boys, and he watches them play an improvised game of baseball at a small field, which they call the “].” Smalls is reluctant to join their game because he fears he will be ridiculed based on his inexperience. Nevertheless, he chooses to play with them, but fails to catch a simple ] and properly throw the ball back to his infielders. All the other players, except for Benny Rodriguez, begin to laugh at Smalls for committing defensive miscues, prompting him to leave the sandlot in embarrassment. Benny, who is the best player in the neighborhood, shields Smalls from the insults of his peers and invites him to rejoin their game. He proceeds to give Smalls advice and helps him earn the respect of the other players. In time, Smalls is accepted and becomes an integral part of the team.<ref> - Obtained March 29, 2010 </ref> | |||
When DeNunez taunts Ham with his trademark pitch, "The Heater", Ham hits a ] into an adjacent backyard, and the team is dismayed. However, they stop Smalls from retrieving the ball and tell him of "the Beast", a legendarily fearsome ] living behind the fence. According to Squints, in 1942, Mr. Mertle, the owner of the property, bought a young dog, and it grew increasingly big and vicious, until Squints' grandfather, who was chief of police at the time, presented Mr. Mertle with a court order to keep the Beast chained up. In the years since, many baseballs have gone over the fence, but every one has been claimed by the Beast. | |||
As Smalls continues to play with the team, he begins to learn many of the customs of the sandlot, while experiencing many misadventures with his new friends. He learns that players avoid hitting ] over the sandlot’s fences, as the property beyond them is guarded by a ferocious dog, called “the beast.” One day, Benny hits a ball so hard, that he ruptures its leather, causing the ball's entrails to come out. The group cannot afford to buy another baseball, and is forced to retire for the afternoon. However, Smalls runs to Bill’s trophy room, and steals his stepfather's autographed ball, in hopes of preserving the game. The team is impressed with Smalls’ gesture, and allows him to have the first ] with the ball. He proceeds to hit the ball out of the sandlot, but is shortly enveloped by fear once he realizes that he has lost Bill’s ball. The situation is further worsened when Smalls realizes that the ball was autographed by ], and is almost irreplaceable. | |||
One particularly hot day, the team opts to go swimming at the neighborhood pool, in lieu of baseball. While there, Squints fakes drowning to receive ] from lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn, with whom he is infatuated; he kisses her, and she kicks the boys out, but as they leave Wendy waves at Squints with a warm smile. The team plays a ] night game by the light of fireworks, and Smalls observes that, to Benny, "baseball was life." They later play against a snooty rival ] team, and win. They later celebrate at a fair, where a combination of ] obtained by Bertram and riding the ] causes a huge sickly mess. | |||
Smalls and his friends begin engineering elaborate plans to recover the ball from the beast. After five failed rescue attempts, Smalls prepares to accept his fate. Around the same time, Benny has an enlightening dream, where he is visited by Babe Ruth, who encourages him to run into the sandlot, and use his speed to recover the ball and escape. Ruth leaves Benny with the words, “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” Benny rallies his friends the following morning at the sandlot, and prepares to recover Smalls’ baseball. Using his ], he steals the ball from the Beast, and successfully manages to elude the dog as it chases him through town. At the end of the race, the Beast is injured after a fence collapses on it. Smalls feels responsible for the ordeal, and helps the Beast (whose real name is revealed to be "Hercules") escape the rubble. Benny and Smalls then decide to tell the dog’s owner, Mr. Mertle (]), about the ordeal. They eventually learn that Mr. Mertle was a professional baseball player with the ] in {{By|1927}} and was a friend of Babe Ruth. Mr. Mertle, whose career ended after a hit by a stray pitch blinded him, agrees to give Smalls a ball signed by ] – several of the best Yankee hitters in the late 1920s. In exchange, the boys are to visit Mr. Mertle once a week to talk about baseball. Smalls proceeds to give his stepfather the ball that Mertle gave him.<ref> - Obtained March 29, 2010 </ref> | |||
One day, Benny hits the cover off the team's only ball, much to the team's amazement. With Bill away on business for a week, Smalls opts to keep the game going, by borrowing his prized baseball autographed by ]. Unaware of its value, he hits his first home run, sending it into the Beast's yard. When the team learns of the autograph, they quickly buy another baseball, and forge Babe Ruth's signature on it, to be a temporary replacement, while they come up with a plan to rescue the autographed ball. Smalls suggests going to Mr. Mertle for assistance, but Squints insists Mr. Mertle will not help them. The team attempts to recover the lost ball with various makeshift devices, but each attempt is thwarted by the Beast. As Smalls prepares to accept his fate, Benny dreams of the spirit of Babe Ruth, who advises him to rescue the ball himself. "Heroes get remembered," says the Babe, "but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you'll never go wrong." | |||
While Bill is pleased with the Murderer's Row ball, he is still upset about the Babe Ruth ball, but he only grounds Smalls for one week, during which they share some bonding time, and things finally start coming together for everyone. Smalls goes on to explain what became of all his friends, and the future careers they pursued. The film then jumps 20 years into the future, where Smalls is a radio ] for the ], and Benny “The Jet” Rodriguez is one of the team’s star players. While he is in the twilight of his career, Benny manages to ] in the movie’s final moments, before flashing a thumbs-up to Smalls in the ]. | |||
Equipped with a new pair of ], Benny retrieves the ball by "]" the Beast and leaping back over the fence, but the dog breaks its chain and chases him through town. Benny races back to Mr. Mertle's yard, but the Beast crashes through the fence, and it falls down on top of the dog. Smalls and Benny free the dog, who gratefully licks Smalls' face and leads them to its stash of baseballs. The two meet Mr. Mertle, who turns out to have been a baseball player and friendly rival of Babe Ruth, having lost his sight after being ]. He kindly trades them the chewed-up ball for one autographed by all the ], and asks them to visit every week to talk baseball. | |||
Bill loves the Murderer's Row ball, but still grounds Smalls for a week for taking and ruining his autographed ball. Their relationship improves and Smalls begins to call him “Dad”. The boys continue to play on the sandlot the rest of that summer, and several subsequent summers with the Beast – whose real name is Hercules – as their mascot. As the years pass, they eventually go their separate ways: Yeah-Yeah enlists in the army, and later develops ]; Bertram disappears into the ]; Timmy and Tommy become wealthy upon inventing ]; Squints marries Wendy, has nine kids with her and the two run the local drug store; Ham becomes a professional wrestler: "The Great Hambino"; DeNunez plays ], but later owns a business, and coaches his sons' Little League team: The Heaters; and Benny earns the nickname "the Jet" after word spreads around about his encounter with the Beast. | |||
As an adult, Smalls becomes a ] and remains friends with Benny, now a player for the ]. Performing the play-by-play for a Dodgers game, Smalls cheers Benny on as he steals home to win the game, and they give each other the same ] sign they have shared since childhood. In Smalls' broadcast booth, he owns and keeps on display: the chewed-up Babe Ruth autographed ball, the Murderer's Row ball, the forged Babe Ruth ball, some of Bill's pictures of Babe Ruth, and a large picture of the Sandlot kids from 1962. | |||
==Cast== | ==Cast== | ||
* ] as Scott "Scotty" Smalls, new kid in town, who later becomes a left-center outfielder for the Sandlot team. | |||
;The Sandlot baseball team | |||
* ] as Scott |
** ] as adult Scott Smalls (narrator, voice-only) | ||
** ] as adult Scott Smalls (live action, uncredited)<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://metsmerizedonline.com/2018/07/mmo-exclusive-director-writer-and-narrator-of-the-sandlot-david-mickey-evans.html/ |title=MMO Exclusive: Director, Writer and Narrator of "The Sandlot", David Mickey Evans |last=Brownstein |first=Mathew |website=Metsmerized Online |date=July 6, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180707020942/https://metsmerizedonline.com/2018/07/mmo-exclusive-director-writer-and-narrator-of-the-sandlot-david-mickey-evans.html/ |archive-date=2018-07-07}}</ref> | |||
* ] as Benjamin Franklin "Benny the Jet" Rodriguez | |||
* ] as Benjamin Franklin "Benny" Rodriguez, leader of the group, as well as the most dedicated and skilled member of the team. | |||
* ] as Hamilton "Ham" Porter | |||
** Pablo Vitar as adult Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez | |||
* ] as Michael "Squints" Palledorous | |||
* ] as Hamilton "Ham" Porter, overweight, short-tempered catcher. | |||
* ] as Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan | |||
* ] as Michael "Squints" Palledorous, glasses-wearing, snarky shortstop. | |||
* ] as Kenny DeNunez | |||
* Marty York as Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan, smart-mouthed third baseman. | |||
* ] as Bertram Grover Weeks | |||
* ] as Kenny "The Heater" DeNunez, easygoing pitcher. | |||
* ] as Tommy "Repeat" Timmons | |||
* Grant Gelt as Bertram Grover Weeks, rebellious second baseman. | |||
* ] as Timmy Timmons | |||
* Shane Obedzinski as Tommy "Repeat" Timmons, right-center outfield, and Timmy's younger brother. | |||
* Victor DiMattia as Timmy Timmons, hapless first baseman, and Tommy's older brother. | |||
* ] as Bill, Smalls' stepdad | |||
* ] as Smalls' mom | |||
* ] as Mr. Mertle, former player who now resides near the Sandlot, and owner of "The Beast". | |||
* ] as ] "The Great Bambino" | |||
* ] (credited as Marlee Shelton) as Wendy Peffercorn, lifeguard at the local pool, and target of Squints' crush. | |||
* ] as Little League team leader Phillips | |||
== Reception == | |||
;Other characters | |||
=== Critical response === | |||
* ] as Bill, Scott's Stepfather | |||
''The Sandlot'' received generally positive reviews upon release. On ], the film holds an approval rating of 65% based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's critical consensus read: "It may be shamelessly derivative and overly nostalgic, but ''The Sandlot'' is nevertheless a genuinely sweet and funny coming-of-age adventure".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sandlot |title=The Sandlot (1993) |website=] |publisher=] |access-date=September 15, 2024 |archive-date=July 20, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210720182739/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sandlot |url-status=live }}</ref> ] assigned the film had a weighted average score of 55 based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Sandlot Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-sandlot |website=] |access-date=March 1, 2021 |archive-date=September 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210906151412/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-sandlot |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by ] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |title= SANDLOT, THE (1993) B+ |work= ] |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ |archive-date= 2018-12-20}}</ref> | |||
* ] as Scott's Mom | |||
* ] as Mr. Mertle | |||
* ] as Wendy Peffercorn | |||
* ] as Young Mr. Mertle | |||
* ] as Babe Ruth | |||
* ] as Phillips | |||
Critic ] gave the film three stars, comparing the film to a summertime version of '']'', based on the tone and narration of both films: "There was a moment in the film when Rodriguez hit a line drive directly at the pitcher's mound, and I ducked and held up my mitt, and then I realized I didn't have a mitt, and it was then I also realized how completely this movie had seduced me with its memories of what really matters when you are 12".<ref>{{cite web |first=Roger |last=Ebert |author-link=Roger Ebert |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sandlot-1993 |title=The Sandlot (1993) |access-date=August 15, 2010 |work=] |publisher=Ebert Digital LLC |date=April 7, 1993 |archive-date=July 8, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140708223516/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-sandlot-1993 |url-status=live }}</ref> Bob Cannon of '']'' gave the film a B+, praising its simplicity and strong fundamentals.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Bob |last=Cannon |title=The Sandlot (1993) |url=https://ew.com/article/1993/04/23/sandlot/ |magazine=] |date=April 23, 1993 |access-date=October 29, 2010}}</ref> | |||
==Reception== | |||
The film has a 59% rating on ], based on 22 reviews by critics. Critic ] gave the film 3 stars, writing: | |||
Leonard Klady of '']'' gave the film a mostly negative review. He praised the cinematography and score, but felt the baseball team did not come together, and that the film, while sincere, was a "remarkably shallow wade, rife with incident and slim on substance".<ref>{{cite news |first=Leonard |last=Klady |url=https://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/the-sandlot-2-1200432087/ |title=The Sandlot |work=] |publisher=] |date=April 4, 1993 |access-date=October 29, 2010 |archive-date=April 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410072314/http://variety.com/1993/film/reviews/the-sandlot-2-1200432087/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
<blockquote> | |||
There was a moment in the film when Rodriguez hit a line drive directly at the pitcher's mound, and I ducked and held up my mitt, and then I realized I didn't have a mitt, and it was then I also realized how completely this movie had seduced me with its memories of what really matters when you are 12.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19930407/REVIEWS/304070302/1023|title=The Sandlot (1993)|accessdate=August 15, 2010|publisher=rogerebert.suntimes.com}}</ref></blockquote> | |||
=== Box office === | |||
The film grossed $4 million in its opening weekend and a further $32 million through ticket sales. Figures for worldwide, VHS and DVD sales are estimated to be at $76 million. Since its release on both VHS and DVD, the film has become a ]. | |||
The film grossed $4,000,000 in its opening week-end and a further $32,000,000 through ticket sales. Figures for world-wide VHS and DVD sales are estimated to be at $76,000,000. Since its release on both VHS and DVD, the film has become a ].<ref name="USAToday"/> | |||
=== Defamation suit === | |||
==Sequels== | |||
In 1998, Michael Polydoros sued 20th Century Fox and the producers of the film for defamation. Polydoros, a childhood classmate of David Mickey Evans, the writer and director of ''The Sandlot'', claimed that the character Michael "Squints" Palledorous was derogatory and caused him shame and humiliation. The trial court found in favor of the film-makers, and that finding was affirmed by the ].<ref>{{cite court|url=https://caselaw.findlaw.com/ca-court-of-appeal/1121596.html |litigants=Polydoros v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.|vol=57 |reporter=P.2d |pinpoint=798 |court=Cal. Ct. App. |date=1997}}</ref> After initially agreeing to review the case in 1998,<ref>{{cite web |last=Obverbeck |first=Wayne |title=Polydoros v. 20th Century Fox Film |url=http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/woverbeck/9.htm |website=Wayne Obverbeck's Communications Law Website |publisher=] |access-date=April 13, 2015 |archive-date=June 7, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160607025633/http://commfaculty.fullerton.edu/woverbeck/9.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> the ] reversed its decision, dismissing the review and reinstating the Court of Appeal's opinion in favor of 20th Century Fox.<ref name="sfgate19981016">{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Films-Can-Use-Real-Names-Likenesses-State-High-2984436.php |title=Films Can Use Real Names, Likenesses, State High Court Rules |first=Harriet |last=Chiang |work=] |date=October 16, 1998 |access-date=March 22, 2011 |archive-date=July 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120708120737/http://articles.sfgate.com/1998-10-16/news/17733195_1_appellate-court-high-court-court-ruling |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite court |url=http://www.ecases.us/case/cal/1135171/polydoros-v-twentieth-century-fox-film |litigants=Polydoros v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. |vol=965 |reporter=P.2d |pinpoint=724 |court=Cal. Ct. App. |date=1998}}</ref> | |||
* '']'' (2005) - A ] sequel in which a new Sandlot gang, complete with girls, is featured. The only returning cast member is ] in his role of Mr. Mertle. | |||
* '']'' (2007) - Another direct-to-video sequel starring ] as Tommy "Santa" Santorelli who gets knocked back to 1976 from 2007 and relives his childhood. Chauncey Leopardi reprises his role as Squints. | |||
== |
===Home media=== | ||
In 1993, ''The Sandlot'' first came to home video in a ], along with the ] in widescreen, but later came in a ] in 1994. On January 29, 2002, the DVD was released under Fox's ''Family Feature'' banner, in widescreen (Side B) and full screen (Side A); the 2013 repackaged DVD is widescreen only. The film was released on Blu-ray for the first time in March 2013 to celebrate its 20th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Sandlot-Blu-ray/66497/ |title=The Sandlot Blu-ray 20th Anniversary Edition |work=Blu-ray.com |access-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407120002/http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/The-Sandlot-Blu-ray/66497/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film then had a re-release on Blu-ray and Digital HD on March 27, 2018, as part of the film's 25th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=22830 |title=The Sandlot 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition |work=Blu-ray.com |access-date=April 7, 2018 |date=February 7, 2018 |author=Webmaster |archive-date=April 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407120041/http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=22830 |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
The ball field where the characters played in the film is now deserted, filled with weeds and piling up trash. The ball field is located at approximately 1388 West Glenrose Drive in ]'s ] neighborhood. The idea of enshrining the field in the manner of ]'s '']'', or it becoming a neighborhood hangout, has been talked about, but the field is privately owned. The Utah Film Commission has considered rebuilding the field and holding a 20-year reunion.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/49969572-77/sandlot-field-baseball-film.html.csp|accessdate=August 15, 2010|publisher=sltrib.com|title=What happened to Utah’s beloved ‘Sandlot’?}}</ref> | |||
== Sequels and prequel == | |||
==Soundtrack== | |||
* '']'' (2005) – a ] sequel in which a new Sandlot gang is featured. The only returning cast member is ] as Mr. Mertle. Evans also returned to direct the sequel and voiced Smalls' younger brother, Johnnie. | |||
The film's original score was composed by David Newman, and was unreleased until 2006, when a limited edition was released as part of the Varése Sarabande CD Club. | |||
* '']'' (2007) – another direct-to-video sequel starring ] as Tommy "Santa" Santorelli who gets knocked back to 1976 from 2004 and relives his childhood. ] reprises his role as Squints. | |||
* A prequel film was announced in July 2018.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2018/07/the-sandlot-prequel-fox-david-mickey-evans-1202436515/ |title='The Sandlot' Prequel In The Works At Fox With Original Writer-Helmer David Mickey Evans Scripting |first=Amanda |last=N'Duka |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=July 31, 2018 |access-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-date=April 11, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190411222118/https://deadline.com/2018/07/the-sandlot-prequel-fox-david-mickey-evans-1202436515/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
* In 2019, a TV series with the original cast was in the works for ],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/03/the-sandlot-tv-show-original-cast-director-1202048319/ |title='The Sandlot' Director Teases TV Show Revival With Original Cast Returning |first=Steve |last=Greene |work=Indie Wire |date=March 2, 2019 |access-date=March 2, 2019 |archive-date=March 4, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190304003511/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/03/the-sandlot-tv-show-original-cast-director-1202048319/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/the-sandlot-series-in-development-at-disney-1202594353/ |title='The Sandlot' Series In Early Development At Disney+ |first=Anthony |last=D'Alessandro |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=April 11, 2019 |access-date=April 20, 2019 |archive-date=August 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807065415/https://deadline.com/2019/04/the-sandlot-series-in-development-at-disney-1202594353/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as a result of ]'s acquisition of 20th Century Fox.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/disney-fox-deal-complete-1203167374/|title=Disney Completes 21st Century Fox Acquisition|last=Littleton|first=Cynthia|date=March 19, 2019|work=Variety|access-date=March 16, 2021|archive-date=March 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320005341/https://variety.com/2019/biz/news/disney-fox-deal-complete-1203167374/|url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2023, the series was cancelled due to the lengthy ].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/lists/fire-country-season-2-spinoff-spoilers/our-flag-means-death-season-3/|title=Inside Line: Scoop on Fire Country, For All Mankind, Magnum, Morning Show, Chucky, Sullivan's Crossing, Euphoria, a Disney Cancellation and More|website=TV Line|last=Mitovitch|first=Matt Webb|date=November 7, 2023|access-date=November 7, 2023}}</ref> | |||
== Soundtrack == | |||
Songs in order of appearance: | |||
The film's original score was composed by ], and was not released until 2006, when a limited edition was released as part of the ] CD Club. This release paired it with selections from Newman's score for '']''.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/David-Newman-The-War-Of-The-RosesThe-Sandlot-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/release/8546726 |title=David Newman – The War Of The Roses/The Sandlot (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2006, CD) |website=Discogs.com |access-date=2019-06-15 |archive-date=2019-10-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191029095842/https://www.discogs.com/David-Newman-The-War-Of-The-RosesThe-Sandlot-Original-Motion-Picture-Soundtrack/release/8546726 |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequently, in 2018 a remastered and expanded limited edition re-issue of the original motion picture score was published by La-La Land Records in observance of the film's 25th anniversary.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://lalalandrecords.com/sandlot-the-25th-anniversary-limited-edition/ |title=SANDLOT, THE – 25th ANNIVERSARY: LIMITED EDITION |work=La-La Land Records |access-date=2019-06-15 |archive-date=2019-08-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190809190827/https://lalalandrecords.com/sandlot-the-25th-anniversary-limited-edition/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | |||
# "Finger Poppin' Time" - ] and the Midnighters | |||
# "Smokie Part II" - Bill Black's Combo | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
# "]" - ] | |||
== |
==See also== | ||
* ] | |||
{{reflist}} | |||
== |
== References == | ||
{{ |
{{Reflist}} | ||
* {{imdb title|0108037|The Sandlot}} | |||
==Further reading== | |||
* {{amg movie|42812|The Sandlot}} | |||
* {{cite news |url=https://www.mlb.com/cut4/the-sandlot-cast-reunited-at-dodger-stadium/c-281630886 |title='The Sandlot' cast reunited at Dodger Stadium for the film's 25th anniversary |first=Michael |last=Clair |website=] |date=June 17, 2018 |access-date=June 17, 2018}} | |||
* {{rotten-tomatoes|sandlot|The Sandlot}} | |||
* {{mojo title|sandlot|The Sandlot}} | |||
== External links == | |||
{{wikiquote}} | |||
* {{IMDb title|0108037}} | |||
* {{mojo title|sandlot}} | |||
{{David M. Evans}} | {{David M. Evans}} | ||
{{Los Angeles Dodgers}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 11:37, 22 December 2024
1993 film by David Mickey EvansThe Sandlot | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | David Mickey Evans |
Written by |
|
Produced by |
|
Starring |
|
Narrated by | David Mickey Evans |
Cinematography | Anthony B. Richmond |
Edited by | Michael A. Stevenson |
Music by | David Newman |
Production company | Island World |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Budget | $7 million |
Box office | $34.3 million |
The Sandlot (released in some countries as The Sandlot Kids) is a 1993 American coming-of-age sports comedy film co-written, directed, and narrated by David Mickey Evans. It tells the story of a group of young baseball players during the summer of 1962. It stars Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Karen Allen, Denis Leary, Marty York, and James Earl Jones. The movie is set in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, CA and the filming locations were in Midvale, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, Utah. It grossed $34 million worldwide and has since become a cult film.
Plot
In the late spring of 1962, fifth-grader Scott Smalls moves to the San Fernando Valley, right outside of Los Angeles with his widowed mother, and recent stepfather, Bill. As school ends and summer begins, Small's mother encourages him to make friends, and he tries to join a group of boys who play baseball daily at the neighborhood sandlot—brothers Timmy and Tommy Timmons, Michael "Squints" Palledorous, Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan, Bertram Grover Weeks, pitcher Kenny DeNunez, catcher Hamilton "Ham" Porter, and their leader and best player Benny Rodriguez. Everyone but Benny laughs at Smalls' lack of ability, and an attempt to play catch with his stepdad Bill injures Smalls and leaves him with a black eye. But, Benny still invites him onto the team and helps him improve his skills and earn the boys' respect.
When DeNunez taunts Ham with his trademark pitch, "The Heater", Ham hits a home run into an adjacent backyard, and the team is dismayed. However, they stop Smalls from retrieving the ball and tell him of "the Beast", a legendarily fearsome English Mastiff living behind the fence. According to Squints, in 1942, Mr. Mertle, the owner of the property, bought a young dog, and it grew increasingly big and vicious, until Squints' grandfather, who was chief of police at the time, presented Mr. Mertle with a court order to keep the Beast chained up. In the years since, many baseballs have gone over the fence, but every one has been claimed by the Beast.
One particularly hot day, the team opts to go swimming at the neighborhood pool, in lieu of baseball. While there, Squints fakes drowning to receive mouth-to-mouth resuscitation from lifeguard Wendy Peffercorn, with whom he is infatuated; he kisses her, and she kicks the boys out, but as they leave Wendy waves at Squints with a warm smile. The team plays a Fourth of July night game by the light of fireworks, and Smalls observes that, to Benny, "baseball was life." They later play against a snooty rival Little League team, and win. They later celebrate at a fair, where a combination of chewing tobacco obtained by Bertram and riding the Trabant causes a huge sickly mess.
One day, Benny hits the cover off the team's only ball, much to the team's amazement. With Bill away on business for a week, Smalls opts to keep the game going, by borrowing his prized baseball autographed by Babe Ruth. Unaware of its value, he hits his first home run, sending it into the Beast's yard. When the team learns of the autograph, they quickly buy another baseball, and forge Babe Ruth's signature on it, to be a temporary replacement, while they come up with a plan to rescue the autographed ball. Smalls suggests going to Mr. Mertle for assistance, but Squints insists Mr. Mertle will not help them. The team attempts to recover the lost ball with various makeshift devices, but each attempt is thwarted by the Beast. As Smalls prepares to accept his fate, Benny dreams of the spirit of Babe Ruth, who advises him to rescue the ball himself. "Heroes get remembered," says the Babe, "but legends never die. Follow your heart, kid, and you'll never go wrong."
Equipped with a new pair of PF Flyers, Benny retrieves the ball by "pickling" the Beast and leaping back over the fence, but the dog breaks its chain and chases him through town. Benny races back to Mr. Mertle's yard, but the Beast crashes through the fence, and it falls down on top of the dog. Smalls and Benny free the dog, who gratefully licks Smalls' face and leads them to its stash of baseballs. The two meet Mr. Mertle, who turns out to have been a baseball player and friendly rival of Babe Ruth, having lost his sight after being struck by a pitch. He kindly trades them the chewed-up ball for one autographed by all the Murderer’s Row, and asks them to visit every week to talk baseball.
Bill loves the Murderer's Row ball, but still grounds Smalls for a week for taking and ruining his autographed ball. Their relationship improves and Smalls begins to call him “Dad”. The boys continue to play on the sandlot the rest of that summer, and several subsequent summers with the Beast – whose real name is Hercules – as their mascot. As the years pass, they eventually go their separate ways: Yeah-Yeah enlists in the army, and later develops bungee jumping; Bertram disappears into the counterculture movement; Timmy and Tommy become wealthy upon inventing mini-malls; Squints marries Wendy, has nine kids with her and the two run the local drug store; Ham becomes a professional wrestler: "The Great Hambino"; DeNunez plays triple-A baseball, but later owns a business, and coaches his sons' Little League team: The Heaters; and Benny earns the nickname "the Jet" after word spreads around about his encounter with the Beast.
As an adult, Smalls becomes a sports commentator and remains friends with Benny, now a player for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Performing the play-by-play for a Dodgers game, Smalls cheers Benny on as he steals home to win the game, and they give each other the same thumbs-up sign they have shared since childhood. In Smalls' broadcast booth, he owns and keeps on display: the chewed-up Babe Ruth autographed ball, the Murderer's Row ball, the forged Babe Ruth ball, some of Bill's pictures of Babe Ruth, and a large picture of the Sandlot kids from 1962.
Cast
- Tom Guiry as Scott "Scotty" Smalls, new kid in town, who later becomes a left-center outfielder for the Sandlot team.
- David Mickey Evans as adult Scott Smalls (narrator, voice-only)
- Arliss Howard as adult Scott Smalls (live action, uncredited)
- Mike Vitar as Benjamin Franklin "Benny" Rodriguez, leader of the group, as well as the most dedicated and skilled member of the team.
- Pablo Vitar as adult Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez
- Patrick Renna as Hamilton "Ham" Porter, overweight, short-tempered catcher.
- Chauncey Leopardi as Michael "Squints" Palledorous, glasses-wearing, snarky shortstop.
- Marty York as Alan "Yeah-Yeah" McClennan, smart-mouthed third baseman.
- Brandon Quintin Adams as Kenny "The Heater" DeNunez, easygoing pitcher.
- Grant Gelt as Bertram Grover Weeks, rebellious second baseman.
- Shane Obedzinski as Tommy "Repeat" Timmons, right-center outfield, and Timmy's younger brother.
- Victor DiMattia as Timmy Timmons, hapless first baseman, and Tommy's older brother.
- Denis Leary as Bill, Smalls' stepdad
- Karen Allen as Smalls' mom
- James Earl Jones as Mr. Mertle, former player who now resides near the Sandlot, and owner of "The Beast".
- Art LaFleur as Babe Ruth "The Great Bambino"
- Marley Shelton (credited as Marlee Shelton) as Wendy Peffercorn, lifeguard at the local pool, and target of Squints' crush.
- Wil Horneff as Little League team leader Phillips
Reception
Critical response
The Sandlot received generally positive reviews upon release. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 65% based on 63 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10. The site's critical consensus read: "It may be shamelessly derivative and overly nostalgic, but The Sandlot is nevertheless a genuinely sweet and funny coming-of-age adventure". Metacritic assigned the film had a weighted average score of 55 based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.
Critic Roger Ebert gave the film three stars, comparing the film to a summertime version of A Christmas Story, based on the tone and narration of both films: "There was a moment in the film when Rodriguez hit a line drive directly at the pitcher's mound, and I ducked and held up my mitt, and then I realized I didn't have a mitt, and it was then I also realized how completely this movie had seduced me with its memories of what really matters when you are 12". Bob Cannon of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B+, praising its simplicity and strong fundamentals.
Leonard Klady of Variety gave the film a mostly negative review. He praised the cinematography and score, but felt the baseball team did not come together, and that the film, while sincere, was a "remarkably shallow wade, rife with incident and slim on substance".
Box office
The film grossed $4,000,000 in its opening week-end and a further $32,000,000 through ticket sales. Figures for world-wide VHS and DVD sales are estimated to be at $76,000,000. Since its release on both VHS and DVD, the film has become a cult favorite.
Defamation suit
In 1998, Michael Polydoros sued 20th Century Fox and the producers of the film for defamation. Polydoros, a childhood classmate of David Mickey Evans, the writer and director of The Sandlot, claimed that the character Michael "Squints" Palledorous was derogatory and caused him shame and humiliation. The trial court found in favor of the film-makers, and that finding was affirmed by the California Court of Appeal. After initially agreeing to review the case in 1998, the Supreme Court of California reversed its decision, dismissing the review and reinstating the Court of Appeal's opinion in favor of 20th Century Fox.
Home media
In 1993, The Sandlot first came to home video in a slipcase, along with the LaserDisc in widescreen, but later came in a clam shell case in 1994. On January 29, 2002, the DVD was released under Fox's Family Feature banner, in widescreen (Side B) and full screen (Side A); the 2013 repackaged DVD is widescreen only. The film was released on Blu-ray for the first time in March 2013 to celebrate its 20th anniversary. The film then had a re-release on Blu-ray and Digital HD on March 27, 2018, as part of the film's 25th anniversary.
Sequels and prequel
- The Sandlot 2 (2005) – a direct-to-video sequel in which a new Sandlot gang is featured. The only returning cast member is James Earl Jones as Mr. Mertle. Evans also returned to direct the sequel and voiced Smalls' younger brother, Johnnie.
- The Sandlot: Heading Home (2007) – another direct-to-video sequel starring Luke Perry as Tommy "Santa" Santorelli who gets knocked back to 1976 from 2004 and relives his childhood. Chauncey Leopardi reprises his role as Squints.
- A prequel film was announced in July 2018.
- In 2019, a TV series with the original cast was in the works for Disney+, as a result of Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. In November 2023, the series was cancelled due to the lengthy SAG-AFTRA strike.
Soundtrack
The film's original score was composed by David Newman, and was not released until 2006, when a limited edition was released as part of the Varèse Sarabande CD Club. This release paired it with selections from Newman's score for The War of the Roses. Subsequently, in 2018 a remastered and expanded limited edition re-issue of the original motion picture score was published by La-La Land Records in observance of the film's 25th anniversary.
See also
References
- "The Sandlot". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on January 27, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2021.
- Phillips, Nicole (September 4, 2017). "15 films with completely different titles in other countries". The Independent. Archived from the original on February 9, 2023. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
- ^ Alexander, Bryan (September 19, 2013). "'The Sandlot' at 20: Diamonds are forever". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 22, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- Caron, Tim (March 25, 2015). "The Cult of The Sandlot". Crooked Scoreboard. Archived from the original on July 5, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2015.
- Brownstein, Mathew (July 6, 2018). "MMO Exclusive: Director, Writer and Narrator of "The Sandlot", David Mickey Evans". Metsmerized Online. Archived from the original on 2018-07-07.
- "The Sandlot (1993)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on July 20, 2021. Retrieved September 15, 2024.
- "The Sandlot Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on September 6, 2021. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
- "SANDLOT, THE (1993) B+". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on 2018-12-20.
- Ebert, Roger (April 7, 1993). "The Sandlot (1993)". Chicago Sun-Times. Ebert Digital LLC. Archived from the original on July 8, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
- Cannon, Bob (April 23, 1993). "The Sandlot (1993)". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- Klady, Leonard (April 4, 1993). "The Sandlot". Variety. Penske Business Media. Archived from the original on April 10, 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
- Polydoros v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., 57 P.2d, 798 (Cal. Ct. App. 1997).
- Obverbeck, Wayne. "Polydoros v. 20th Century Fox Film". Wayne Obverbeck's Communications Law Website. California State University, Fullerton. Archived from the original on June 7, 2016. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- Chiang, Harriet (October 16, 1998). "Films Can Use Real Names, Likenesses, State High Court Rules". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved March 22, 2011.
- Polydoros v. Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp., 965 P.2d, 724 (Cal. Ct. App. 1998).
- "The Sandlot Blu-ray 20th Anniversary Edition". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- Webmaster (February 7, 2018). "The Sandlot 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Edition". Blu-ray.com. Archived from the original on April 7, 2018. Retrieved April 7, 2018.
- N'Duka, Amanda (July 31, 2018). "'The Sandlot' Prequel In The Works At Fox With Original Writer-Helmer David Mickey Evans Scripting". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- Greene, Steve (March 2, 2019). "'The Sandlot' Director Teases TV Show Revival With Original Cast Returning". Indie Wire. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 2, 2019.
- D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 11, 2019). "'The Sandlot' Series In Early Development At Disney+". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 7, 2019. Retrieved April 20, 2019.
- Littleton, Cynthia (March 19, 2019). "Disney Completes 21st Century Fox Acquisition". Variety. Archived from the original on March 20, 2019. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
- Mitovitch, Matt Webb (November 7, 2023). "Inside Line: Scoop on Fire Country, For All Mankind, Magnum, Morning Show, Chucky, Sullivan's Crossing, Euphoria, a Disney Cancellation and More". TV Line. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
- "David Newman – The War Of The Roses/The Sandlot (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (2006, CD)". Discogs.com. Archived from the original on 2019-10-29. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
- "SANDLOT, THE – 25th ANNIVERSARY: LIMITED EDITION". La-La Land Records. Archived from the original on 2019-08-09. Retrieved 2019-06-15.
Further reading
- Clair, Michael (June 17, 2018). "'The Sandlot' cast reunited at Dodger Stadium for the film's 25th anniversary". MLB.com. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
External links
Films directed by David Mickey Evans | |
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- 1993 films
- 1993 children's films
- 1993 comedy films
- 1993 directorial debut films
- 1990s American films
- 1990s buddy comedy films
- 1990s coming-of-age comedy films
- 1990s English-language films
- 1990s sports comedy films
- 20th Century Fox films
- 20th Century Studios franchises
- American baseball films
- American children's comedy films
- American coming-of-age films
- Cultural depictions of Babe Ruth
- Films about dogs
- Films directed by David Mickey Evans
- Films scored by David Newman (composer)
- Films set in 1962
- Films set in the San Fernando Valley
- Films shot in Salt Lake City
- Films with screenplays by David Mickey Evans
- English-language buddy comedy films
- English-language sports comedy films