MovieChat Forums > The Bad News Bears (1976) Discussion > Another gem from the 70's

Another gem from the 70's

posted 11 years ago by ntvnyr30
5 replies | jump to latest

I watched a little of the putrid remake "Bad News Bears" and when the kid pulled up in the wheelchair, I was done.

This film is so superior in so many respects--firstly, the kids were all believable actors in contrast to the remake. There is no way Billy Bob is funnier or a better actor than Walter Matthau. There are poignant scenes in the film, especially when Matthau throws beer at Tatum O'Neal and tells her that he's a bum. When they are walking away, both have tears in their eyes.

Also the inspired choice of "Carmen" for the score made this more memorable.

The 70's were the best decade for films, and this is yet another gem (which I saw when it debuted in 1976).

[–] Doc110894 11 years ago

70's-tastic.

[–] billymac72 11 years ago

I totally agree. I took my then 8-year old daughter to see the remake and was not impressed. I was kind of depressed by it, actually. It had none of the realism or spirit that the original had. Just take Greg Kinnear, for instance, who is an excellent actor but completely wrong to fill Vic Morrow's shoes. There was an intensity to the Morrow character that largely came from Morrow himself, a hard-edged kid from the Bronx who dropped out of school and joined the Navy. He's a bastard, but he's real; an intimidating, proud and fiercely competitive jock. Kinnear, by contrast, came off as a prickly, somewhat absurd authority figure who begged to be made of, which was, in fact, how the script treated him.

Btw, I find it criminal that this film, along with "Breaking Away", are so under-appreciated today, evidenced by the fact that both their DVD released are completely devoid of any extras.

[–] ntvnyr30 11 years ago

As I said in another post, the reason why Morrow and Van Patten were unlikeable was due to a combination of factors: good actors, good writing and a good director. So right about Kinnear--what little I saw of him in that film told me he was miscast.

Never saw "Breaking Away" but I knew it was an inspirational film from the 70's, but I know what you mean. Is it any coincidence that most of these remakes are coming from films made in the 70's?

[–] sage2112 10 years ago

Yep - the '70s ruled!!

[–] filmmekker 8 years ago

70's films had a realism about them today's CGI films lack.