The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training: See below for more information about the movie!
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THE BAD NEWS BEARS IN BREAKING TRAINING (1977)
REVIEW COMPLIMENTS OF ADAM TYNER:
In any event, The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is the rushed sequel to the original The Bad News Bears, hitting theaters a scant fifteen months later. For anyone bored enough to feign interest, less than eleven months passed between The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training and the third and final film, The Bad News Bears Go To Japan. Anyway, The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training picks up as the California champions (wait, didn't they come in second?) are preparing to make their way to Texas for a game at the Astrodome. The Bears consist of every cliché in the book, including The Nerdy Guy, The Cute Little Kid, The Fat Guy Who Has To Go To The Bathroom Every Eight Minutes, The Pair O' Brothers, The Obligatory Black Kid, and The Outwardly Tough But Secretly Tender Older Twerp. A taskmaster of a coach steps up to fill the vacant position, much to the chagrin of the highly undisciplined team. As if there were any doubt as to Coach Manning's lot in life, the word 'coach' is emblazoned on a $2 maroon top from Family Dollar, with the letters haphazardly ironed on by the same sorts of brilliant minds who boast homemade shirts with witty sayings as they eagerly await the opportunity to "come on down" on The Price Is Right. He's quickly dumped, and the team dupes their parents into letting them make the trip unsupervised. Hijinks predictably ensue along the way, such as the revelation that they're traveling in a stolen van and an embarrassing defeat in a pick-up game. A heart-warming reunion with a team member's father later, the Bears are off to the big game and fully prepared for a lead-in to another sequel. The Bad News Bears is, of course, a series about baseball. Care to venture a guess as to how far along in this movie the first pitch is? Come on, that's not a rhetorical question. Those who replied "half an hour" get a virtual pat on the head. Baseball's practically the B-story in The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training, with nearly every other moment devoted to sophomoric "humor" and a few trite attempts at sentimentality. I have the distinct feeling that I'm around thirteen years outside the film's target audience, though even at that tender age, I'd like to think that I'd have better taste than to subject myself to the likes of this. I'm far past the age where I'm excited by the prospect of kids hopping around maniacally while tossing around issues of "Playboy". None of the kids put in a passable performance, though The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is buoyed somewhat by the presence of such familiar faces as Lane Smith and William Devane. The writing shows an utter lack of imagination, and by the second time the Fat Guy begs for a pitstop and the other kids swat their arms around to ward off the stench of some off-screen flatulence, I found myself eyeing the kitchen sink longingly. The prospect of pre-washing pots and dishes seemed infinitely more appealing than continuing to waste 99 potentially valuable minutes of my life on this dreck. I did force myself to make it all the way through, though with total disinterest. The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training failed to inspire a single smile or, boredom aside, an emotion of any sort.
In any event, The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is the rushed sequel to the original The Bad News Bears, hitting theaters a scant fifteen months later. For anyone bored enough to feign interest, less than eleven months passed between The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training and the third and final film, The Bad News Bears Go To Japan. Anyway, The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training picks up as the California champions (wait, didn't they come in second?) are preparing to make their way to Texas for a game at the Astrodome. The Bears consist of every cliché in the book, including The Nerdy Guy, The Cute Little Kid, The Fat Guy Who Has To Go To The Bathroom Every Eight Minutes, The Pair O' Brothers, The Obligatory Black Kid, and The Outwardly Tough But Secretly Tender Older Twerp. A taskmaster of a coach steps up to fill the vacant position, much to the chagrin of the highly undisciplined team. As if there were any doubt as to Coach Manning's lot in life, the word 'coach' is emblazoned on a $2 maroon top from Family Dollar, with the letters haphazardly ironed on by the same sorts of brilliant minds who boast homemade shirts with witty sayings as they eagerly await the opportunity to "come on down" on The Price Is Right. He's quickly dumped, and the team dupes their parents into letting them make the trip unsupervised. Hijinks predictably ensue along the way, such as the revelation that they're traveling in a stolen van and an embarrassing defeat in a pick-up game. A heart-warming reunion with a team member's father later, the Bears are off to the big game and fully prepared for a lead-in to another sequel. The Bad News Bears is, of course, a series about baseball. Care to venture a guess as to how far along in this movie the first pitch is? Come on, that's not a rhetorical question. Those who replied "half an hour" get a virtual pat on the head. Baseball's practically the B-story in The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training, with nearly every other moment devoted to sophomoric "humor" and a few trite attempts at sentimentality. I have the distinct feeling that I'm around thirteen years outside the film's target audience, though even at that tender age, I'd like to think that I'd have better taste than to subject myself to the likes of this. I'm far past the age where I'm excited by the prospect of kids hopping around maniacally while tossing around issues of "Playboy". None of the kids put in a passable performance, though The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training is buoyed somewhat by the presence of such familiar faces as Lane Smith and William Devane. The writing shows an utter lack of imagination, and by the second time the Fat Guy begs for a pitstop and the other kids swat their arms around to ward off the stench of some off-screen flatulence, I found myself eyeing the kitchen sink longingly. The prospect of pre-washing pots and dishes seemed infinitely more appealing than continuing to waste 99 potentially valuable minutes of my life on this dreck. I did force myself to make it all the way through, though with total disinterest. The Bad News Bears In Breaking Training failed to inspire a single smile or, boredom aside, an emotion of any sort.
Directed by
Michael Pressman
Writing credits
Paul Brickman
(written by)
Bill Lancaster
(characters)
Cast
William Devane...Mike Leak
Clifton James...Sy Orlansky
Jackie Earle Haley...Kelly Leak
Jimmy Baio...Carmen Ronzonni
Chris Barnes...Tanner Boyle
Erin Blunt...Ahmad Abdul Rahim
George Gonzales...Miguel Agilar
Jaime Escobedo...Jose Agilar (as Jaime O. Escobedo)
Alfred Lutter III...Ogilvie (as Alfred Lutter)
Brett Marx...Jimmie Feldman
David Pollock...Rudi Stein
Quinn Smith...Timmy Lupus - The Big Looper
David Stambaugh...Toby Whitewood
Jeffrey Louis Starr...Mike Engelberg
Lane Smith...Officer Mackie
Fred Stuthman..Lester Eastland
Dolph Sweet...Mr. Manning
Pat Corley...Morrie Slaytor
Ira Gilbert...Motel Manager
Gene Rader...Grocery Clerk
Ronnie Thomas...Indian Pitcher
Douglas Anderson...Carl Rutherford
Jerry Lawson...Chip Roberts
G.G. Lively..1st Patrolman
Martha Turner...Evonne
Maggie Burns..Ruth
Michelle Fruge...Janet
Leigh Manley...Janet's Girl Friend
Jason Cooper...Leon Waterson
Yvonne McCord...Sheila Lansing
Charles Krohn...Newscaster
Viki Kilstrom...Hitchhiker
John W. Goyen Jr....Locker Room Official
Ted Dawson...Astrodome Announcer
Bob Watson...Houston Astros First Baseman
Joseph V. Ferguson...Houston Astros Catcher
Enos Cabell...Houston Astros Third Baseman
Ken Forsch...Houston Astros Relief Pitcher (as Kenneth R. Forsch)
Roger Metzger...Houston Astros Shortstop
William C. Virdon...Houston Astros Manager
James Richard...Houston Astros Starting Pitcher
César Cedeno...Houston Astros Outfielder (as Cesar Cedeno)
Jake Messinger...Houston Toros Player (uncredited)
Produced by
Fred T. Gallo....associate producer
Leonard Goldberg....producer
Original Music by
Craig Safan
Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp
(director of photography)
Film Editing by
John W. Wheeler
Art Direction by
Stephen Myles Berger
(as Steve Berger)
Set Decoration by
Fred Price
(as Fred R. Price)
Costume Design by
Jack Martell
Makeup Department
John Inzerella....makeup artist
Joan Phillips....hair stylist
Production Management
Fred T. Gallo....unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.....executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Daves....first assistant director
Kim Kurumada....second assistant director
David Nicksay....second assistant director (as Dave Nicksay)
Alain Silver....dga trainee
Art Department
Matt Springman....property master
Sound Department
Howard Beals....sound effects editor
Dominick Gaffey....sound mixer (as Nick Gaffey)
John Wilkinson....sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)
Michael Pressman
Writing credits
Paul Brickman
(written by)
Bill Lancaster
(characters)
Cast
William Devane...Mike Leak
Clifton James...Sy Orlansky
Jackie Earle Haley...Kelly Leak
Jimmy Baio...Carmen Ronzonni
Chris Barnes...Tanner Boyle
Erin Blunt...Ahmad Abdul Rahim
George Gonzales...Miguel Agilar
Jaime Escobedo...Jose Agilar (as Jaime O. Escobedo)
Alfred Lutter III...Ogilvie (as Alfred Lutter)
Brett Marx...Jimmie Feldman
David Pollock...Rudi Stein
Quinn Smith...Timmy Lupus - The Big Looper
David Stambaugh...Toby Whitewood
Jeffrey Louis Starr...Mike Engelberg
Lane Smith...Officer Mackie
Fred Stuthman..Lester Eastland
Dolph Sweet...Mr. Manning
Pat Corley...Morrie Slaytor
Ira Gilbert...Motel Manager
Gene Rader...Grocery Clerk
Ronnie Thomas...Indian Pitcher
Douglas Anderson...Carl Rutherford
Jerry Lawson...Chip Roberts
G.G. Lively..1st Patrolman
Martha Turner...Evonne
Maggie Burns..Ruth
Michelle Fruge...Janet
Leigh Manley...Janet's Girl Friend
Jason Cooper...Leon Waterson
Yvonne McCord...Sheila Lansing
Charles Krohn...Newscaster
Viki Kilstrom...Hitchhiker
John W. Goyen Jr....Locker Room Official
Ted Dawson...Astrodome Announcer
Bob Watson...Houston Astros First Baseman
Joseph V. Ferguson...Houston Astros Catcher
Enos Cabell...Houston Astros Third Baseman
Ken Forsch...Houston Astros Relief Pitcher (as Kenneth R. Forsch)
Roger Metzger...Houston Astros Shortstop
William C. Virdon...Houston Astros Manager
James Richard...Houston Astros Starting Pitcher
César Cedeno...Houston Astros Outfielder (as Cesar Cedeno)
Jake Messinger...Houston Toros Player (uncredited)
Produced by
Fred T. Gallo....associate producer
Leonard Goldberg....producer
Original Music by
Craig Safan
Cinematography by
Fred J. Koenekamp
(director of photography)
Film Editing by
John W. Wheeler
Art Direction by
Stephen Myles Berger
(as Steve Berger)
Set Decoration by
Fred Price
(as Fred R. Price)
Costume Design by
Jack Martell
Makeup Department
John Inzerella....makeup artist
Joan Phillips....hair stylist
Production Management
Fred T. Gallo....unit production manager
Lindsley Parsons Jr.....executive production manager: Paramount (uncredited)
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael Daves....first assistant director
Kim Kurumada....second assistant director
David Nicksay....second assistant director (as Dave Nicksay)
Alain Silver....dga trainee
Art Department
Matt Springman....property master
Sound Department
Howard Beals....sound effects editor
Dominick Gaffey....sound mixer (as Nick Gaffey)
John Wilkinson....sound re-recording mixer (as John K. Wilkinson)