Rent The Natural (1984)
3.5 of 5 from 107 ratings
2h 12min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- "The Natural" follows the epic journey of Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford). A baseball player on his way to stardom in the big leagues, Hobbs finds his dreams shattered when a mysterious woman and a silver bullet end his career prematurely. Sixteen years later, Hobbs finds himself coming back to baseball, joining the roster of the lowly New York Knights. Can Hobbs overcome physical pain - and nefarious forces - to lead the Knights to the pennant?
- Actors:
- Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger, Wilford Brimley, Barbara Hershey, Robert Prosky, Richard Farnsworth, Joe Don Baker, John Finnegan, Alan Fudge, Paul Sullivan Jr., Rachel Hall, Robert Rich III, Michael Madsen, Jon Van Ness, Mickey Treanor, George Wilkosz, Anthony J. Ferrara, Philip Mankowski
- Directors:
- Barry Levinson
- Producers:
- Mark Johnson
- Narrated By:
- Charles Sergis
- Writers:
- Bernard Malamud, Roger Towne
- Others:
- Caleb Deschanel, Randy Newman, Mel Bourne, Angelo Graham, James J Murakami, Speed Hopkins, Bruce Weintraub
- Studio:
- Columbia Tristar
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Sports & Sport Films
- Collections:
- A History of Sports Films (Summer Edition), Cinema Paradiso's 2022 Centenary Club, People of the Pictures, Remembering - A Special Spring Tribute: Part One, Remembering Michael Madsen, Remembering Robert Redford, Remembering Robert Towne, A History of Baseball Films, A Brief History of Film...
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Unknown
- Run Time:
- 138 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French Parisian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Portuguese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing, French, Portuguese, Spanish
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- Unknown
- Run Time:
- 281 minutes
- Languages:
- English Dolby Atmos, English Dolby TrueHD 7.1, English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Spanish LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing, French, Spanish
- DVD Regions:
- Region 0 (All)
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.85:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- (0) All
- Bonus:
- Barry Levinson Intro to the Director's Cut (HD Resolution)
- Theatrical Trailer (HD Resolution)
- Disc 1:
- This disc includes the following:
- Theatrical Version
- Director's Cut Version
- Special Features - Disc 2:
- This disc includes the following (BLU-RAY Disc):
- Theatrical Version
- Special Features
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Reviews (1) of The Natural
Soft Power - The Natural review by Steve
Folkloric baseball picture which conveys a sentimental, sanitised mythology about the US between the wars. This is a beautiful production which received well deserved Oscar nominations for set design and photography. There's some allegorical subtext too; this is for the arthouse crowd rather than a feelgood sport film.
The dialogue flags up Homer's Odyssey, but an internet search suggests a closer parallel with the legend of King Arthur. This is a realm of enchantment. Robert Redford- at 48-is too old for the teenage country prodigy of the prologue, or even the 35 year old of his comeback. He's fine on the field of play, but his portrayal is lifeless.
The main problem for UK audiences is the subject of baseball, which is unfamiliar to most and may have little resonance. Sure, this is a medium for an idea about mythic Americana- and there is obviously a deep love for the history of the sport. But now the US is so much less of a fellow traveller...
And this seems more like unfamiliar self-absorption. Yet Barry Levinson tells the story so well. There is an intoxicating feel for the period and an evocative score by Randy Newman. Everything takes far too long but it should interest those who can relate to the sport and the national myth-making.
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