Kevin Smith on The Bad News Bears

[@WillLlamas]

Many have loved this movie for decades. Only now does it dawn on us how much it meant and how truly great it was.

[@atlasking6110]

Tatum O'Neill just tears your heart out in the dugout scene where Buttermaker rejects being a father figure to her. Absolutely masterful film-making.

[@drewrosecrans9728]

I saw this movie back in the day I was 9 year's old good times hand's down saw it the whole summer $1.50 good times I miss it!! The 70s ruled!

[@mindykloster3540]

This movie is real! That was my childhood. Tatum and I are the same age. I played softball. I lived in Phoenix Arizona and this movie looks just like where I lived. This and Fast Times at Ridgemont High sums up my childhood and adolescence! I feel so blessed to grow up in the 70’s!

[@yesterdaze114]

I’m jealous of you. I’m 25 & I wish I was born 40 years earlier

[@yesterdaze114]

And I also grew up I Phoenix funnily enough

[@motorcity7137]

My first year in baseball we finished last. Then ran the tournament to the championship. We lost with bases loaded and our best hitter up yet struck out. Our “coaches” were a players older brother and his stoner friend. When we were all shocked and bummed , the coaches said “Fck that we had a great season !” We ended up running around like we won. The other players and parents looked at us like we were nuts. My best year ever playing sports. Nothing ever came close

[@-Quisp-]

57 here and yes, that scene in the dugout is still as powerful today as it was when I first saw it

[@KarlPfister]

I love this film. Something I didn’t notice when I first saw it is that when Amanda is walking away from the dugout, Buttermaker is swigging his beer, but he’s got tears in his eyes too. That scene hit me even harder when I realized that

[@RyneMurray23]

That scene in the dugout is so powerful and it makes me cry every time. You see her so heartbroken walking away and you see a broken man who knows he's broken.. it feels like he ran her off because he maybe doesn't't feel good enough for her mom.

[@slammajamma5435]

A movie that I will watch anytime, anywhere at any age.

[@ApeLikeCreature]

Same!

[@scottwhitehead4467]

I love that Kevin Smith loves this movie. I was 10 when it came out in 1976, and I really liked it a lot. Probably saw it several times in the theater. Watching it now as an adult, I love the movie so much more and for very different reasons. For my money, The Bad News Bears has the single greatest ending line ever in a movie: "And you can take this 2nd place trophy and shove it straight up your ass!" And Tanner hurls the trophy at the patronizing Yankee team. It's a rough and messy movie, to be sure, but it's heart is absolutely in the right place.

[@internetumpire4122]

This movie came out when I was 12 and was in little league. It was filmed at Mason park in the valley. Just down the street from the little league fields on Devonshire where we played. So it really hit home with me as a child and still to this day. There are so many defining moments in this film. In addition to the dugout scene... When Buttermaker went to city hall and was told by Whitewood to shut the team down. Buttermaker sat in his car and decided that he would keep going for the kids. Another defining scene was when Lupus was being bullied at the snack bar and Tanner stuck up for him and the bullies put him in a trash can. Tanner then realized what Lupus had to go through every day. When Vic Morrow slapped his son during the championship game and Engelbert was in shock because he understood that he did not deserve that.

[@jasonloyd3250]

This is my favorite film of all time. I have a framed Kelly Leak Bad News Bears jersey in my screening room and I coach youth baseball for a living. I’ve seen it at least 30 times. I’d say this picture had a major impact on my life.

[@LosAngelesLonghorn]

Kevin's analysis is exactly spot on. The classical music cue that accompanies the Buttermaker/Amanda dugout scene really enhances the emotion. Bravo!!

[@davidlarsen-tj4tn]

Kids my age back then all had crushes on Amanda and as we got older it switched to Joey Turners mom. What a sweet seat in those jeans!!!!

[@johnson7166]

Bingo. I got a seat for her if she needs one

[@christophervaldez8746]

I could never understand why Roy Turner was so angry with that waiting home for him!😅

[@nintendianajones64]

Nailed it

[@MRVISTA-wz7vj]

Wish I could go back🎉

[@OhanaFilms]

No movie captures the feeling of being a kid in the 70s better.

[@NemeanLion-]

Yeah, I’m trying to think of one, but no one can really equal this. I remember Meatballs was pretty good, as well as some others but I don’t think they had the same raw, realistic aspect this did.

[@OhanaFilms]

@@NemeanLion- I remember thinking the kids and home life (before the crazy stuff) in Poltergeist felt real to me as a kid. That's 1982 though. Meatballs was a favorite of mine too.

[@nicholastube17]

I want to watch it that way. Timmy Lupus makes one hell of a martini. I lived that era of little league. Plenty of Vic Morrows I played for.

[@chiefscheider]

My coaches were more like Buttermaker. Guys who just showed up and didn't really care until they realized we were pretty good 😄

[@canopeaz]

One of the best scenes of all time was Buttermaker getting angry at the kids in the dugout, then he realizes that they are just kids. That will choke you up.

[@baccaruda1970]

Yes. The scene at the end where Stein swings when he told him not to. It's the dawning realization that these are idealistic children and they don't understand his cynical world. The game itself is a metaphor for life. They're playing for fun, he's playing for vengeance. At that moment he sees himself robbing them of their innocence and it's a painful thing to watch. The silence, the sounds of kids playing in the background. It's the epiphany of a wonderful movie.

[@jerseyforhawks]

Excellent film. Thank goodness I was 12 that year and adored playing outside and Little League. Magic and boatloads of FUN!!!

[@chiefscheider]

I was 11 and played softball the summer before starting grade 6. I remember getting my lip split open sliding head first into third. The catcher absolutely drilled the ball after tagging someone out at home. Good times 😄

[@mirasolbalaga5616]

I agree on everything that Smith said about this movie. One of my favorite movies of all time. That dugout scene is the most memorable part and I still gets me emotional ❤

[@bennylevine387]

As a kid who played little league in this era on an emotionally-charged team in a little league that was unhinged with bad behavior from adults and children, this movie hits home like no other for me. I can't watch it without falling to pieces and I'm not even like that with movies generally.

[@buddafingahz9057]

Saw it when I was 8 and am still watching it til this day. So many great moments in this film. That one on one with Matthau and O'Neal was powerful. One of my favourite movies.

[@herbsuperb6034]

I haven't loved everything Kevin's done, but he's clearly a fellow who loves film, and knows what makes others love it. He does it his way and he loves it. Hard not to agree with his thoughts on this quintessentially American film. Lightning in a bottle. Couldn't have been made as well in any other place at any other time. Incredible cast of youngsters. The comedy was done well. The drama was often done better. I can't say enough nice things about Bad News Bears. I just revisited it after not seeing it for perhaps 20 years. Found that I GROSSLY underappreciated it seeing it as a kid. Glad I checked it out again. That dugout scene now ranks highly on my favorite scenes of all time list. Best 'stiff upper lip' scene there ever was. At least the best that I've seen.

[@randyjames693]

Saw this movie in the theater as 7 year old. Great time be a kid! The next year Smokey and The Bandit + Star Wars came out. Love Kevin's take on this film.

[@atlasking6110]

The power of The Dugout Scene is this: on first glance, Buttermaker comes off like a real a-hole and borderline child abuser. But, on reflection, he's engaging in the toughest of tough love. Amanda *is* a great kid and she *shouldn't* be hanging around with an alcoholic bum, and he's the *last* person she should be looking to as a father figure. And Buttermaker knows that, and he stands up and does the right thing no matter how hard it is and how heartless it makes him look, even though it absolutely breaks his, Amanda's (and our) hearts. At least there's a kind of redemption at the end where we see that Buttermaker will continue to be in Amanda's life, if only through baseball. Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal just killed it in this scene. Perfectly acted by both.

[@jameseason8206]

One of the Top 5 best sports movies!

[@fintanoclery2698]

favourite movie as a kid.

[@nickyviolaguitar]

In my opinon The Greatest movie ever made, For me it will alway's be my Favorite.

[@jeffreymacintyre2711]

I was 11 when it came out and Tatum was the first girl I had a crush on.

[@McBuddah1]

This is still one of the greatest movies of my childhood. I watch it every chance I can. It never gets old. This commentator forgot one thing, the cohesiveness of the underdogs.

[@floperry1132]

Makes me want to watch it again

[@SaholG]

Jaws in '75. Bear News Bears in '76. Star Wars in '77. To be a Kid again. And phenomenal points about the Amanda/Buttermaker scene. POIGNANT UPPER CASE CAPS LOCKED.

[@Josh_from_Jersey]

Amen. A total and complete masterpiece.

[@esseen100]

Why do I try to watch these clips when I'm cutting onions? 🧅😢

[@tfmajka13]

That dugout scene with Tatum and Walter Matthau gets me every time I see it. There's very few I've seen that are better than it.

[@seththomas9105]

Dammit! I just realized it's been about 40 years since I've seen this movie... On my list for fall/winter watching.

[@Aqua.man045]

just got done watching it. amazing

[@jerrymolnar8051]

Absolutely agree with Kevin Smith. The dugout scene is one of my favorite movie scenes ever. The emotional impact, the acting, the directing, the cinematography. Perfect in every way.

[@honus20]

One of my faves as a kid. Totally reminded me of my Little League days. Actually bought a Bad News Bears jersey online. LOL.

[@jerseyforhawks]

I saw Paper Moon first, to see Tatum in this took some adjustment, but, she really crushs it. This movie is so influenctial that the term 'Bad News Bears' exacts a precise and strong meaning of loveable losing.

[@nintendianajones64]

Not a fan of Kevin Smith but credit to recognizing this masterpiece that nobody talks about anymore. Micheal Richie was a superb filmmaker. The Candidate, Bad News Bears, Fletch and Wild Cats are all classics.

[@kt1pl2]

I love this movie SO much.

[@davidlarsen-tj4tn]

Saw it during my first eligible little league season at 8 years old. That movie is in my dna. Still love it to this day

[@pokerchip1231]

if you notice in that rejection scene by walter mathau of tatum's charater of amanda, walter is also seen crying. This is no just a baseball movie, its about rejection and redemption

[@nickstadler1906]

I was told there's no crying in baseball.

[@freddiecongote6927]

@@nickstadler1906 , There is no crying in baseball but there is sweaty eyes.

[@luvaboy772]

"J's, N's, Spcs and now a girl!" 😂😂😅😅

[@SGBassplayer]

“Grab a bat, punk!”

[@locustjohn3865]

Don't forget about the booger eating moron.

[@keithkogane1634]

You'll never hear line like that one in the movies again. Or my other favorite line in the movie, don't give me any of your honkey bull spit, Buttermaker

[@billymartin1866]

One of my residents at work played Mike engelberg in bad news bears breaking training and bad news bears goes to Japan

[@favorites51066]

Bad News Bears the original. One of the best movies ever made. Some of the best acting ever Walter Matthau one of the best actors that ever lived. And I agree with everything he said. I was in Little League in Mar Vista California at this time and to say that this mimic what was going on at the time in our little league is an understatement.. it was 1,000% exactly right on the money.

[@Slappadatface]

He’s right. That movie was very special.

[@ianjohnston7617]

Right on the money...Tanner, whose racist profanity laden dialogue is either censored or eliminated entirely, even has a story arc and kinda becomes a nice guy. So much going on that's dark but hilarious. Great cast

[@E.L.M.O-x4x]

I loved Tatum O'Neal my favorite paper moon.

[@blanefabin3492]

Greatest sports movie ever made. Lots of lessons to be learned .

[@NemeanLion-]

There were a lot of great sports movies. Let’s just say this is a great one as well.

[@roixlee]

Well said, Kevin.

[@cynthiawrightrealtor4777]

I agree with Kevin

[@tristissimvshominvm8999]

Kevin Smith is such an amazing guy.

[@Football__Junkie]

I was born in 1984 but we had Bad News Bears on VHS and we watched that movie so much. It was so funny even when I was kid. I hated the dugout scene. Not because it was poorly acted or shot or anything. Just wanted to avoid the hurt. Always fast forward through that part so I didn’t have to experience it.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

THE MOST IMPORTANT MOVIE A PARENT MUST WATCH BEFORE THEIR KID PLAYS SPORTS

[@NemeanLion-]

I loved Engleberg. He was such an unapologetic force of nature lol.

[@firehammer7585]

"You'll flood the Valley."

[@St.PeteRealEstateVideos-ii6ep]

This is how it was!!!!

[@24tommyst]

best movie ever!

[@thegiftedone]

Kevin Smith is very sweet…..he has a great eye for talent…….

[@brianquigley23]

I agree with every sentence

[@LeroyFitch-b6y]

Great stuff ❤

[@ssshhclos405]

You got that right brother

[@andrewdavid9412]

The Bad News Bears in a film perfect film based in the reality of flawed human beings

[@tomh1593]

The remake with Billy Bob Thornton was garbage. It should never have been made.

[@littleghostfilms3012]

The greatest American film about childhood and sports. Too bad Tatum's chances at a great acting career got derailed by her dad's dysfunctional life.

[@darthmeyers074]

This one of my family's favorite movies. Didn't see it in theaters.(I was only two when it came out.)But we caught on TV and immediately we loved it. Way better than the reboot with Billy Bob Thornton. We also watched the short lived sitcom that the movie spawned. Didn't care that much for the sequels though. But I don't think anybody really did.

[@Matchhead79]

Great commentary

[@howardbiel5290]

Yep couldn't agree more

[@LoriAdkison]

My favorite Kelly .

[@shadowvessel]

Where is this interview from? Is Shout! Factory releasing an anniversary Blu-ray? 😍

[@chiefscheider]

It's a bonus feature on the Paramount blu-ray that came out earlier this year. The full interview is just over 10 minutes.

[@shadowvessel]

@@chiefscheider Oh wow, I had no idea. Still been rocking the original DVD. Definitely ordering that this weekend. Thanks 😊

[@chiefscheider]

YW! ✌️

[@aresee8208]

He makes a great point about the camera going around Tatum O'Neal to see her crying. My problem with the movie always has been that Matthau is so bad at times like this that I can never forgive him.

[@michaeljordan6008]

Welcome to the 1970s. This was little league baseball at that time. This is the way the parents behaved. Profanity, booze and screaming at the kids was all part of it. I went through it and never gave it a second thought. It was normal.

[@aresee8208]

@@michaeljordan6008 Maybe for you. I was a Little League player in the late 60s/early 70s. Never saw any of that. I was then a manager in the early 80s. Never saw any of that. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Doesn't matter either way. This is a non-baseball scene. And just from a movie perspective, at this point I don't like Matthau's character (the way he treats a child), and won't ever no matter what he does the rest of the picture.

[@timothystreet1]

Thank you

[@chiefscheider]

YW! 🤟

[@ronpivo7385]

I have it on good authority that Kevin is trying to make an updated version of Bad News Bears in the same vein as Cobra Kai. Basically catching up with some of the characters later on in life. It's obvious after watching this clip why he wants to do it.

[@chiefscheider]

That might work. What's the "good authority" ?

[@ronpivo7385]

@@chiefscheider Can’t say

[@danielboom72]

​@@chiefscheiderit was an interview Kevin Smith did with MovieWeb. Back in June. Check it out. Article is easy to find and an easy read.

[@wlouisharris]

Probably he and Linklater are the only guys that could pull this off. Great movie.

[@NemeanLion-]

@@chiefscheider He can tell you but then he’d have to kill you.

[@ms.felonystrutter2472]

REAL LIFE. I have a TANNER jersey

[@dirtyskeet]

Me too! Shame i had to get it off ebay from china, but you gotta do what you gotta do

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

I played with the bad news bears😜

[@ianjohnston7617]

And think of the subplot with Vic Morrow and his family...that's a movie in itself....and it's disturbing and a comedy

[@pharbath]

he ain't wrong.

[@clutchpedalreturnsprg7710]

Hear! Hear!

[@luillierstephane1463]

HOLY MOTHER OF CHRIST ! This f*cking mute actually can SPEAK ! 😳😳😳😳

[@chiefscheider]

HOLLY?!

[@luillierstephane1463]

@@chiefscheider Oh yes, my bad, my damned "Samsung self-correcting virtual ...blah blah blah blah...keyboard" just f*cked up one more time". I'll fix it right now. Thanks

[@supergrogg]

100 percent

[@chrisstory563]

despite the foul language, it a great movie. yeah it was PG movie but kids those days I have no doubt spew such foul mouths words when the adult are not present. often times, it when they're angry or agitated. same goes for the 80's and 90's. sadly, in the 2000 more children were starting spewing much more derogatory stuff no thanks in part of south park. heck even when Bart Simpson say his infamous eat my shorts. it more of a clean way of saying Kiss My Ass. yes, I believe eat my short is another way of saying kiss my ass. Bad News Bears was a good movie. the 2 sequals were hit and miss. the seond film was ok and decent road trip movie. the second film was a mess. the TV was decent but got the dreaded retooling for season 2 that cause the cancelation. the remake has it moments and some charm but the original is better.

[@thomas1630]

I made the mistake to show this to my young son and daughter, I forgot how much swearing there was.

[@riverdean7]

jeez i think yo kids are going to survive lol swearing really?

[@davidmitchell6873]

Oh no, now your kids are scarred forever and destined for a life of crime. I hope your happy.

[@herbsuperb6034]

Yeah. I saw it in maybe Junior High. Didn't much like it. Just saw it recently. LOVED IT! It's really not a kids movie, in the strictest sense.

[@2HHB]

yikes, feel so bad a 54 year old man still has to wear that outfit

[@littleghostfilms3012]

Has to? I'm pretty sure he wears whatever he wants. I've seen worse fashion choices.

[@2HHB]

@@littleghostfilms3012 that fact that a 54 year old man chooses to wear that is pathetic

[@movieman1556]

Grow up. What he wears is none of your concern. Lets see what you wear.

[@movieman1556]

Jealous? He looks fine.

[@chadrides914]

I love this movie. It was before wokeness inclusivity and diversity bs took over.

[@davidmitchell6873]

Back when your life still had promise, now you are just an overweight slob with an overweight wife sitting around bitching on KZbin about a movie that came out over 40 years ago. Lol how sad.

[@joeski734]

But the bears were all of those things. You would have been best buddies with the coach of the Yankees.

[@chadrides914]

@@joeski734 maybe if it makes you feel Good to tell yourself that 👍

[@eric_bee]

But the bears had a diverse team, no?

[@johnrooney1033]

@@davidmitchell6873 And yet you took the time to troll and mock him for doing the same thing you're doing.

[@Youtubeissokewl]

Kevin never played baseball probably

[@sce2aux464]

Who gives a shit?

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

Every movie defined this clowns childhood. $1500 he's never seen it.

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

@Alexander Grant lol whatever dude. Kevin Smith is lying sack of shat and you're defending him. Maybe you need to rethink your life.

[@chiefscheider]

Talked to him this morning at the Starbucks on Olympic & Westwood. You owe me 1500 bucks 😁

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

@@chiefscheider lol sure. More lies from liars.

[@chiefscheider]

Lighten up, Francis. It was a joke 🙄

[@ThatGuy-cb3yv]

@@chiefscheider you're no Sgt Hulka.

[@matthewtodd6612]

No need to cry dude, it's a freaking movie.... it's make believe!!!!

[@alexswedenborg1856]

felt real.

[@flito3105]

yeah but the movie is extremely realistic. Many people have been in a very similar situation to Amanda at that moment

[@RyneMurray23]

There is nothing wrong with liking a movie. What is wrong with you.

[@chuckleezodiac24]

what do you know about hard feelings? have you ever killed a man? or had one die in your arms?

[@freddiecongote6927]

@matthewtodd6612, You dont understand that movie was our generation and it was real to us as the Bad News Bears showed that tyey were just like us and if Kevin wants to cry its up to him .