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The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit
From the award-winning screenwriter and director of cult classic Bull Durham, the extremely entertaining behind-the-scenes story of the making of the film, and an insightful primer on the art and business of moviemaking.
Bull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball--especially a story set in the minors. The jury was still out on Kevin Costner's leading-man potential, while Susan Sarandon was already a has-been. There were doubts. But something miraculous happened, and The Church of Baseball attempts to capture why.
From organizing a baseball camp for the actors and rewriting key scenes while on set, to dealing with a short production schedule and overcoming the challenge of filming the sport, Shelton brings to life the making of this beloved American movie. Shelton explains the rarely revealed ins and outs of moviemaking, from a film's inception and financing, screenwriting, casting, the nuts and bolts of directing, the postproduction process, and even through its release. But this is also a book about baseball and its singular romance in the world of sports. Shelton spent six years in the minor leagues before making this film, and his experiences resonate throughout this book.
Full of wry humor and insight, The Church of Baseball tells the remarkable story behind an iconic film.
Bull Durham, the breakthrough 1988 film about a minor league baseball team, is widely revered as the best sports movie of all time. But back in 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director and no one was willing to finance a movie about baseball--especially a story set in the minors. The jury was still out on Kevin Costner's leading-man potential, while Susan Sarandon was already a has-been. There were doubts. But something miraculous happened, and The Church of Baseball attempts to capture why.
From organizing a baseball camp for the actors and rewriting key scenes while on set, to dealing with a short production schedule and overcoming the challenge of filming the sport, Shelton brings to life the making of this beloved American movie. Shelton explains the rarely revealed ins and outs of moviemaking, from a film's inception and financing, screenwriting, casting, the nuts and bolts of directing, the postproduction process, and even through its release. But this is also a book about baseball and its singular romance in the world of sports. Shelton spent six years in the minor leagues before making this film, and his experiences resonate throughout this book.
Full of wry humor and insight, The Church of Baseball tells the remarkable story behind an iconic film.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published July 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews
November 28, 2022
Interesting story about the creation of Bull Durham.
I listened to the audiobook which is read by the author, Ron Shelton. He shares great stories about his time as a minor league baseball player as well as his fascination with films. Along the way he holds various jobs such as substitute teacher and house painter.
The book provides insights into the inspiration for the various scenes as well as information about scenes that don't make it into the movie.
Great book for baseball and film fans.
I listened to the audiobook which is read by the author, Ron Shelton. He shares great stories about his time as a minor league baseball player as well as his fascination with films. Along the way he holds various jobs such as substitute teacher and house painter.
The book provides insights into the inspiration for the various scenes as well as information about scenes that don't make it into the movie.
Great book for baseball and film fans.
April 12, 2025
This book is OUTRAGEOUSLY good. Ron Shelton’s life in the minor leagues and then making movies is just boundlessly fascinating. I started reading it because it’s about a first time director making a movie and yes, it’s useful for what I wanted to learn but JESUS is he a good writer. Way, way better than most novelists or literary wankers. In shock at how much I love it and him.
August 10, 2022
As a young man, Ron Shelton had a brief career in the minor leagues, and built upon that experience in the creation of the iconic Bull Durham. This is a deep dive into the creation of that movie in all its aspects, and brings together two of my favorite subjects -- baseball and movies. Loved it.
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May 16, 2023If you're a baseball fan, then you probably like the movie Bull Durham, and if you like Bull Durham, then Ron Shelton’s The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham might just be a book for you. Shelton wrote the screenplay for and directed Bull Durham. It was his baby all the way. Earlier in his life, Shelton played professional baseball, and he understands the atmosphere of minor league parks and teams. Because of this familiarity, Bull Durham feels authentic. The humor and themes of Bull Durham come from both Shelton’s experiences and his imagination. After an interesting introduction in which Shelton establishes his credibility for writing a baseball movie, The Church of Baseball begins with the script’s creation, followed by sections involving pre-production, production, and post-production. Shelton’s explanations of his decisions and inspirations are peppered with stories roughly balanced between his plentiful personal baseball lore and the foibles of Hollywood studios. I appreciate how The Church of Baseball enhances a reader’s relationship with Bull Durham rather than trying to be sensationalistic about the film. Do some people end up looking badly from Shelton’s point of view? Sure, but not the people who Bull Durham fans care about. A fresh watching of Bull Durham might be a good idea before starting this book, but the vivid scenes, characters, and dialogue are iconic enough that even if it’s been a while, those who have seen it multiple times will remember all they need to enjoy The Church of Baseball.
July 22, 2022
I really like Bull Durham and after reading a couple of good reviews decide to take the plunge and read Shelton's book on making the movie. And I am kind of sorry I did.
Roughly 1/3 of the book is about writing the screenplay, with handy notes about what the scenes were meant to convey. But I have seen the movie multiple times and I know what they scenes were meant to convey.
There are some interesting tidbits on the movie making process in general and the making of Bull Durham in specific. But not enough to making this engaging (and Shelton's prose doesn't exactly grab you either).
Roughly 1/3 of the book is about writing the screenplay, with handy notes about what the scenes were meant to convey. But I have seen the movie multiple times and I know what they scenes were meant to convey.
There are some interesting tidbits on the movie making process in general and the making of Bull Durham in specific. But not enough to making this engaging (and Shelton's prose doesn't exactly grab you either).
September 14, 2022
If you love the movie you will love this book. Full of details from inception to screen by the screenwriter and creator. So much fun seeing the story develop and getting all the behind the scenes tidbits about the film making process that make movies so fascinating. Highly recommend!
August 20, 2022
Finished The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit by Ron Shelton, a book about the classic film starring Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins written by the movie’s director and screenwriter. As much as I enjoyed the details of a film I loved, this is a terrific book on the movie making process. The journey of Bull Durham is an improbable adventure, a former minor league baseball player writes a screen play that interested Kevin Costner just as his acting career was taking off. Somehow they convince “the suits” at Orion to let a first time director make what turns out to be a hit. Terrific book!
July 31, 2022
I love Bull Durham and I love this book.
October 20, 2022
A book about making a movie. But it’s a darn good movie and a darn good book.
February 8, 2024
Checked out this book from the library mostly to force myself to finally watch the movie. Watched the movie on Monday, then read this book Tuesday and Wednesday. And I liked both! The movie is very good, definitely watch it if you’re like me and somehow is both a big baseball fan and hadn’t seen it. This book is also a great behind the scenes of the making of and I really like that kind of stuff. It’s also quite funny. It had some lines that made me laugh out loud, including this one:
The reviews were terrific-except for the guy in Durnam-but two particular responses stuck with me then and now. First, a message on my phone from Bill Kirkpatrick, a tough pitcher and teammate from the minors I hadn't talked to in years. The message was simple: "Shelly. Willy K. Great fuckin' flick. Bye." I had the guys on the bus.
Good stuff, definitely recommend.
The reviews were terrific-except for the guy in Durnam-but two particular responses stuck with me then and now. First, a message on my phone from Bill Kirkpatrick, a tough pitcher and teammate from the minors I hadn't talked to in years. The message was simple: "Shelly. Willy K. Great fuckin' flick. Bye." I had the guys on the bus.
Good stuff, definitely recommend.
October 10, 2023
What a fantastic read. Shelton is down-to-earth, candid, self-critical, self-aware, insightful, and joyful as he compiles and shares the stories of his writing and directing this classic film. I watched the movie just before reading, and will now return to it again armed with all sorts of insights and things to look for in it. I hope he's writing one about White Men Can't Jump as I write this!
July 24, 2022
My two passions are baseball (duh) and movies (really?). So when I learn about a book that combines the two, it jumps to the top of my “to read” list.
Let’s back up just a step.
A couple of times a year, I do a search to see what baseball releases are coming down the pike, so I’ve been looking forward to THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL since last winter. And who better to present this cinematic sports memoir than the writer and director of Bull Durham, Ron Shelton? (Another aside: Several years ago, I covered a session of Yankees fantasy camp for my newspaper. When I found out that the manager of my team was Ron Shelton, I couldn’t have been more pleased. But that surprise turned to disappointment --- with all due respect --- when it turned out to be a minor leaguer in the Baltimore Orioles system in the late ’60s/early ’70s with the same moniker.)
There are those who don’t want to know “how the sausage is made,” preferring their own conceptions about the movie/TV show/song/etc. without the technicalities. Not me. I love hearing about the creative process, and Shelton --- who also had a minor-league career around the same time as my Yankees fantasy skipper --- does not disappoint. The fact that he did play gives him extra cred when it comes to his choices, in both the story and the cast members.
The bulk of THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL deals with writing the script and the decisions involved in creating the characters, most notably Annie Savoy, the ostensible narrator; Crash Davis, the grizzled catcher who made it to “The Show” only briefly, despite being a prodigious power hitter; and Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, the rookie pitcher with a million-dollar arm and 10-cent head. The rest of the book looks at the nuts and bolts of actually getting Bull Durham made: pre-production, production and post-production, each with its own set of challenges, drama and angst, especially with the schedule ticking away and the studio executives trying to micromanage.
For example, knowing that the leading roles were played so expertly by Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, it’s hard to believe they were not the studio’s preferred actors. It’s a constant battle between the director’s vision and the bottom line. (At least there was no conflict between the writer and director over artistic control since Shelton multitasked.)
“Decisions” is a watchword throughout the book. They are a part of every stage: the writing, the casting, the shooting, the editing, the finances. Another appropriate word has to be “compromise” when it comes to Shelton picking and choosing his battles with the check-writers and pencil-pushers.
More than a behind-the-scenes look at one of the best baseball movies of all time (faint praise since a large number of critics consider the genre “box office poison”), the book is a filmmaking primer in which Shelton never presupposes the reader comes with the knowledge of what a “grip” or a “second unit” does.
Usually, as I read a book on a topic in which I’m particularly interested (or well-versed), I will make notes on the pages, rather than in a notepad, questioning why the author included this, excluded that, or chose a distinct word or phrase to make a point. The more pages I dog-ear, the more compelling I found the book. By that standard, THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL has to be one of the best to combine my two favorite pastimes.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
Let’s back up just a step.
A couple of times a year, I do a search to see what baseball releases are coming down the pike, so I’ve been looking forward to THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL since last winter. And who better to present this cinematic sports memoir than the writer and director of Bull Durham, Ron Shelton? (Another aside: Several years ago, I covered a session of Yankees fantasy camp for my newspaper. When I found out that the manager of my team was Ron Shelton, I couldn’t have been more pleased. But that surprise turned to disappointment --- with all due respect --- when it turned out to be a minor leaguer in the Baltimore Orioles system in the late ’60s/early ’70s with the same moniker.)
There are those who don’t want to know “how the sausage is made,” preferring their own conceptions about the movie/TV show/song/etc. without the technicalities. Not me. I love hearing about the creative process, and Shelton --- who also had a minor-league career around the same time as my Yankees fantasy skipper --- does not disappoint. The fact that he did play gives him extra cred when it comes to his choices, in both the story and the cast members.
The bulk of THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL deals with writing the script and the decisions involved in creating the characters, most notably Annie Savoy, the ostensible narrator; Crash Davis, the grizzled catcher who made it to “The Show” only briefly, despite being a prodigious power hitter; and Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, the rookie pitcher with a million-dollar arm and 10-cent head. The rest of the book looks at the nuts and bolts of actually getting Bull Durham made: pre-production, production and post-production, each with its own set of challenges, drama and angst, especially with the schedule ticking away and the studio executives trying to micromanage.
For example, knowing that the leading roles were played so expertly by Susan Sarandon, Kevin Costner and Tim Robbins, it’s hard to believe they were not the studio’s preferred actors. It’s a constant battle between the director’s vision and the bottom line. (At least there was no conflict between the writer and director over artistic control since Shelton multitasked.)
“Decisions” is a watchword throughout the book. They are a part of every stage: the writing, the casting, the shooting, the editing, the finances. Another appropriate word has to be “compromise” when it comes to Shelton picking and choosing his battles with the check-writers and pencil-pushers.
More than a behind-the-scenes look at one of the best baseball movies of all time (faint praise since a large number of critics consider the genre “box office poison”), the book is a filmmaking primer in which Shelton never presupposes the reader comes with the knowledge of what a “grip” or a “second unit” does.
Usually, as I read a book on a topic in which I’m particularly interested (or well-versed), I will make notes on the pages, rather than in a notepad, questioning why the author included this, excluded that, or chose a distinct word or phrase to make a point. The more pages I dog-ear, the more compelling I found the book. By that standard, THE CHURCH OF BASEBALL has to be one of the best to combine my two favorite pastimes.
Reviewed by Ron Kaplan
December 19, 2023
A very informative book on the making of the baseball film classic, "Bull Durham." The author Ron Shelton was also the director and writer of this film so he has all the stories on this movie including scenes written that were left out when the movie was cut. You learn how eager Kevin Costner wanted to be in this movie and ditto for Susan Sarandon, who wasn't even on the original list of actresses to play Annie Savoy. You learn how the studio didn't really want Tim Robbins for the part, but instead had their heads hoping that a certain 80's brat pack actor would get the role. A lot of good information on the making of important scenes and how some of the scenes were almost cut or taking place in a different setting. You also learn why so many fans are wearing Pink Floyd t-shirts in one scene. Really good stuff and anyone who is a fan of the movie will have to read this book. Well done.
February 3, 2023
Some interesting facts about the movie, but the book was a lot of rambling on the struggle to make the movie.
June 6, 2023
Sometimes you find the right book but at the wrong time. Such was the case for me and this one, which I found at the local library last year and checked out because it looked interesting. But I couldn't get around to adding it to my reading list or getting started on it, and as sometimes happens when a book is a library rental, my interest in reading it evaporated due to other books claiming my attention or just being distracted by life in general and unable to muster the energy to start something. So I returned it unread and was sure that, all things considered, I was okay with never reading it, despite my earlier enthusiasm for it. Now, almost a year after I first came across it, I decided to check it out again and, starting last night, give it a try.
Damn thing is, this book is awesome.
"The Church of Baseball" is writer-director Ron Shelton's memoir of how his 1988 classic film "Bull Durham" came together. A sports comedy with a love triangle at its core, the film was the product of Shelton's own experiences as a minor-league prospect out of Southern California in the Sixties and Seventies, when he toiled for a few seasons in the Baltimore Orioles minor-league system before calling it a day in 1972 and trying his hand at a wide variety of odd jobs while working in Hollywood as an aspiring screenwriter. Raised in a religious background with no access to "the world" of secular entertainment apart from the occasional slides permitted by his father or grandparents, Shelton was eventually exposed to all matter of film and literature during the Sixties, and slowly realized that his real calling lay in entertainment. So when, after a couple of movies based on his scripts did okay if not great, he had some clout to get a project of his own off the ground, he returned to his past in the minor leagues to pen a story about a spoiled but talented pitcher on his way up, a minor-league veteran on his way down, and the woman they both fall for.
Shelton goes into detail about the writing process, as well as casting decisions, the interference of studio executives, and a myriad of issues that are part and parcel with making movies in Hollywood. This is an entertaining behind-the-scenes look that shows how a movie is never really complete there on the page of a screenplay, but a collaborative process that benefits (or is hindered) by input from many sources. It's a love letter to the movie-making process, with all the headaches and second-guessing that go with it, because at the end of the day, not always but just enough times to make it worth it, you come away with a great piece of work that resonates.
"Bull Durham" is a classic sports movie, and the story of its production is more dramatic than the easy flow of comedy and heart onscreen would lead you to believe. "The Church of Baseball" is destined to be a classic story of how to make movies, and I'm glad that I finally got around to reading it.
Damn thing is, this book is awesome.
"The Church of Baseball" is writer-director Ron Shelton's memoir of how his 1988 classic film "Bull Durham" came together. A sports comedy with a love triangle at its core, the film was the product of Shelton's own experiences as a minor-league prospect out of Southern California in the Sixties and Seventies, when he toiled for a few seasons in the Baltimore Orioles minor-league system before calling it a day in 1972 and trying his hand at a wide variety of odd jobs while working in Hollywood as an aspiring screenwriter. Raised in a religious background with no access to "the world" of secular entertainment apart from the occasional slides permitted by his father or grandparents, Shelton was eventually exposed to all matter of film and literature during the Sixties, and slowly realized that his real calling lay in entertainment. So when, after a couple of movies based on his scripts did okay if not great, he had some clout to get a project of his own off the ground, he returned to his past in the minor leagues to pen a story about a spoiled but talented pitcher on his way up, a minor-league veteran on his way down, and the woman they both fall for.
Shelton goes into detail about the writing process, as well as casting decisions, the interference of studio executives, and a myriad of issues that are part and parcel with making movies in Hollywood. This is an entertaining behind-the-scenes look that shows how a movie is never really complete there on the page of a screenplay, but a collaborative process that benefits (or is hindered) by input from many sources. It's a love letter to the movie-making process, with all the headaches and second-guessing that go with it, because at the end of the day, not always but just enough times to make it worth it, you come away with a great piece of work that resonates.
"Bull Durham" is a classic sports movie, and the story of its production is more dramatic than the easy flow of comedy and heart onscreen would lead you to believe. "The Church of Baseball" is destined to be a classic story of how to make movies, and I'm glad that I finally got around to reading it.
February 6, 2023
Bull Durham is probably my favorite baseball movie, and one of my favorite films overall. It’s a love letter to the game that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Ron Shelton’s retrospective of how he made it confirms that he has the same emotional and romantic attachment to the game and all that goes along with it as I do, plus he has the benefit of having played in the minor leagues for several years. All this is to say : this book is the inside baseball of a great baseball film, and considering I am just as interested in filmmaking as I am baseball (probably more, though it breaks my heart to say it), I ate it up. Shelton both breaks down the structure of his screenplay, and how he wrote it (although I am not entirely sure I agree that it doesn’t have a third act, but that’s not the point), as well as shifts into chronicling the production. My father read this before me - I borrowed his copy - and he kept saying, he had no idea so much went into making a movie. While I had a much better idea of that, I still enjoy reading about how it’s done, and this is no exception. Big props to Susan Sarandon’s assertiveness in making sure she got cast, and the inventive producing at the end of production to cover costs for repainting the ballpark.
The reason I’m not rating a full 5 stars (and it’s probably a 4.5 really) is that, simply, I don’t think I would like Ron Shelton as a person all that much. He made a wonderful movie, and I think on paper we would probably agree about a lot. But the way he carries anger around, and the touch of malice - just a touch - present in his writing, sure don’t sit right. I’m not talking about him calling out the studio execs; this is about his attitude that minor league ballplayers hope for injuries, because that opens the door. Maybe that’s true of him, and maybe it’s true of every ballplayer in their private, unspoken thoughts. But that doesn’t make it an acceptable position.
I truly enjoyed this book, as I really love the film. I just don’t think I’d like the man behind them both.
The reason I’m not rating a full 5 stars (and it’s probably a 4.5 really) is that, simply, I don’t think I would like Ron Shelton as a person all that much. He made a wonderful movie, and I think on paper we would probably agree about a lot. But the way he carries anger around, and the touch of malice - just a touch - present in his writing, sure don’t sit right. I’m not talking about him calling out the studio execs; this is about his attitude that minor league ballplayers hope for injuries, because that opens the door. Maybe that’s true of him, and maybe it’s true of every ballplayer in their private, unspoken thoughts. But that doesn’t make it an acceptable position.
I truly enjoyed this book, as I really love the film. I just don’t think I’d like the man behind them both.
July 28, 2022
Shelton, Ron. The Church of Baseball: The Making of Bull Durham: Home Runs, Bad Calls, Crazy Fights, Big Swings, and a Hit. Knopf, 2022.
In 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director, and Kevin Costner was not yet an actor whose presence would automatically greenlight a Hollywood movie. Nor was a script about minor league baseball an idea to make studio moguls dig for their wallets. But Costner looked good swinging a bat, and Shelton, who had played in the minor leagues, had the bones of the script that would eventually become Bull Durham. The film launched Shelton’s career and became a lasting cultural icon. His memoir about the gestation of the project is the best book I have read on the process of filmmaking since William Goldman’s Adventures in the Screen Trade (1983). It details a filmmaking process and an industry structure that already seem as nostalgic as a Whitman poem about baseball. 5 stars.
In 1987, Ron Shelton was a first-time director, and Kevin Costner was not yet an actor whose presence would automatically greenlight a Hollywood movie. Nor was a script about minor league baseball an idea to make studio moguls dig for their wallets. But Costner looked good swinging a bat, and Shelton, who had played in the minor leagues, had the bones of the script that would eventually become Bull Durham. The film launched Shelton’s career and became a lasting cultural icon. His memoir about the gestation of the project is the best book I have read on the process of filmmaking since William Goldman’s Adventures in the Screen Trade (1983). It details a filmmaking process and an industry structure that already seem as nostalgic as a Whitman poem about baseball. 5 stars.
July 19, 2022
Writer, director Ron Shelton talks about the writing and making of his film, Bull Durham, which has been called (among other things) "the greatest sports movie of all time." While it was a convergence of acting, directing skill and many other talents, it was also not an easy battle and was uphill most of the way. This is the first book to tell the detailed story of its creation, making and post-production. A must-read for any film buff. - BH.
July 29, 2022
Written by the writer and director of the film Bull Durham, Ron Shelton has written an incredible book. His movie stands as one of my top three favorite films of all time, and is regarded as possibly the finest sports movie ever created. He goes through the essential elements of the motion picture, namely development, preproduction, production, and post production. Many of the original lines of the screenplay are within the book, which makes for easy reading and reminiscence. Any fan of that movie or any fan of moviemaking will roundly enjoy this book.
August 9, 2022
3.5 stars marked up to 4 by Goodreads. It's about the author's life and about movie-making with a few great detours into baseball. If one doesn't know much about movie-making you'll learn a lot. If you like baseball, you'll learn a lot about movie-making . . . in other words, it's not a baseball book -- it's a book about making a movie that involves baseball -- which, in the author's view, is a sport that has lots to say about life.
September 21, 2022
This was excellent and a lot of fun. I learned quite a bit about how movies are made, and it was amusing to get some insight into one of my all-time favorites. I hadn’t realized that the author, Ron Shelton, is a former minor leaguer. That background lent an air of credibility to the film’s atmosphere that wouldn’t have been attainable by any writer/director without that experience. Of course, without Shelton, the movie would never have been made. It was interesting to learn about how casting came about and how close they were to Anthony Michael Hall as Nuke Laloush. Shelton has good things to say about all of the actors in the movie and it was also good to get that insight into what went into their characterizations. The only negative was some descriptions of difficulties and challenges faced in making the movie that came across as whiny to the point that I had to step away from it for a day. This might not have been the case had Shelton not narrated the book, but he still seemed bitter about some of the conflicts. That’s my only quibble, though; all in all, very enjoyable.
July 30, 2022
Listened to this and it was very interesting! Bull Durham is such a funny, light movie yet do much thought and intent was put into it from the screenplay to production to the screening. So many insights about the actual movie and the making of a movie and screenings that I never knew about were very interesting. Author did a great job narrating.
September 24, 2022
I loved the movie, and I loved this book, which is not only a “making of” story, but also a writing workshop and a memoir. The author’s passion for this movie and almost everyone connected with it is evident on every page. I now want to watch the movie again, with new appreciation for all that went into creating it.
Oh, and the meeting on the mound truly is one of the best parts of the movie. So glad it made the cut.
Oh, and the meeting on the mound truly is one of the best parts of the movie. So glad it made the cut.
March 5, 2024
I love the movie, and was afraid that a book about how the sausage was made would ruin it. It was the exact opposite. Shelton lays out the making of much in the way the actual film plays out, succinctly and with heart.
If you like movie-making stories, or Bull Durham, or both, read this.
If you like movie-making stories, or Bull Durham, or both, read this.
June 22, 2024
Mostly a book about how a movie goes from an idea in a screenwriter’s head to your local theater. It’s also about the best baseball movie ever made and includes anecdotes from Shelton’s years as a minor league player. I have a much better appreciation for the process of moviemaking and now need to go watch the movie again.
July 16, 2022
In most cases when I give something 5 stars it means (a) loved it, and (b) heartily recommend it. In this case though I don't necessarily recommend it for everyone, but for (1) people who loved the movie, (2) people who write, especially people who write screenplays, and (3) people who are interested in observing the creative process at work, in whatever endeavor. Or even for people who just like good writing on whatever subject.
It's very well written, informative, funny, and a great look into an idea from inception through execution. Not at all too inside-baseball, I don't think. And also, I really did love the movie. It's one of few movies I'd be willing to watch over and over again, and the best sports movie ever. Even if I don't know the infield fly rule.
It's very well written, informative, funny, and a great look into an idea from inception through execution. Not at all too inside-baseball, I don't think. And also, I really did love the movie. It's one of few movies I'd be willing to watch over and over again, and the best sports movie ever. Even if I don't know the infield fly rule.
September 27, 2022
Loved this book. Good peek behind the curtain for the making of Bull Durham.
January 5, 2023
If you like the movie enough to think about reading this book then the book is probably for you.
January 12, 2023
Fun read about a terrific movie. I love to bust out with a good 'lollygaggers' when the moment warrants.
August 21, 2023
Simply the greatest book on the filmmaking process from conception to theater that you’ll ever read. Not a fan of BULL DURHAM or sports movies? Doesn’t matter—this is a behind-the-scenes Hollywood master class from a true professional.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 301 reviews