The roots of sports films go back to the early days of cinema when sport was a favourite topic for US filmmakers who were looking for stories that were both dramatic and popular.
Preview
History
Sports films have always been one of the most used stories for films since the formation of Hollywood film industry. The earliest sports films is The Knockout and it was a boxing film starring Charlie Chaplin as the main character. The next era of sports films covered a wide range of sports including the known sports like football and baseball. Similarly, sports films have concentrated on the portrayal of not only conventional sports such as basketball and football but also martial arts in The Karate Kid and horse racing in Seabiscuit.
Common Themes in the Sports Films
The sports films focus on one particular sport and it is used to tell a story about the team or an individual’s struggle. True story, redemption and underdog are some of the most popular themes used in the sports films. The underdog story in sports films shows the struggles of a team that is unlikely to win the game. The story revolves around their rise to the top. Some of the examples are The Karate Kid, A League of Their Own, Seabiscuit, and Miracle.
Sports films with the redemption storyline tell a story about an athlete or team that once was at the top of their game, but after an unfortunate event, they now must find their way out of the dark. We have seen this theme used in The Wrestler. Likewise, the sports films Rocky and Million Dollar Baby have also used the redemption them in the story.
A true sports story film is one of the variations of the biopics that focus on the real-life events. The examples of sports films with true story include Raging Bull, Ali, The Blind Side, and Rush.
Subgenres of Sports Films
There are various subgenres of sports films, including:
- Sports action
- Inspirational sports films
- Sports comedy
- Underdog story
- Sports historical aspects
- Sports fantasy
- Sports documentaries
Notable Filmmakers
A sports film has the power to move viewers to the point of tears. It does this by mixing stories of teamwork, overcoming challenges, and pride, no matter the result – the key elements of a sports film. The directors of these modern sports films show great skill in using pathos and bring out the emotions of a sport on the big screen.
- Bennett Miller: He directed Moneyball and Foxcatcher. These films are considered to be some of the best sports films of all time and are praised for their original approach to the narrative and deep human characters.
- John G. Avildsen: He not only directed but also produced the legendary Rocky and The Karate Kid, which are now considered as the mainstays of the sports film genre. Avildsen had a special gift to present the story of the underdog.
- Ron Howard: He made a name for himself by directing Rush, a thrilling Formula One film about the fight between James Hunt and Niki Lauda. What’s interesting about Howard’s work is that he manages to combine an in-depth portrayal of the characters with intense sports action.
Most Famous Sports Films
A League of Their Own
Both Dottie and Kit are signed up for a female baseball team with a handful of other ladies during World War II. Jimmy, an alcoholic and a former great player, has become the manager of the team. They are trying to win their matches and he is finding it hard to manage them.
Field of Dreams
Ray Kinsella, a sports fan and farmer in Iowa, experienced the voices and vision of a baseball diamond moving him to make a baseball field in his backyard.
Hoosiers
Norman Dale is a coach who had troubles in the past. He wants to redeem himself by training the high school basketball team for Indiana’s small town to win the state championships.
Rush
Hunt and Lauda, two champion racers in Formula One, spend their time competing against each other to find out who is better. Witness their rivalry that forces them to their limits.
Creed
Adonis Johnson, the son of a fighter who had ruled the heavyweight category, aspires to be one of such champions. Turning point comes when he encounters Rocky, a friend of his late father, who decides to train him.
The Blind Side
Michael, an African-American homeless kid, is adopted by a white family who assist him in overcoming his learning disabilities and to become popular in American football.
Moneyball
Billy Beane pairs up with young, Yale-graduate Peter Brand to break away from familiar selection methods and create a new sabermetric model that has never been implemented in the history of baseball.
The Iron Claw
It is about the Von Erich brothers who were breaking the records in the very profitable and competitive world of professional wrestling in the early 1980s. By means of a series of defeat and success, the brothers aim to play on the grandest stage of sports for the sake of their names being written in the history books.
Challengers
The ex-player and coach, Tashi, was able to transform her husband from an ordinary player to the best grand slam champion in the world. She figures that maybe there is nothing better than a challenger event that is nothing but the lowest level of tournaments on the pro tour to stop his recent losing streak. Things only worsen when he finds himself on the opposite side of the net, fighting against Patrick, his ex-best friend who is trying to win over Tashi, his ex-girlfriend.
Sports films offer the thrill and show human emotions on the big screen. The genre started with films like The Knockout, but now it has become so popular that professional sport stars have their own films based on a true stories. Notable filmmakers include Bennett Miller and Ron Howard. There is still so much to explore in this genre. That’s why we are still getting films like The Iron Claw and the Challengers.
