As a lifelong Wisconsinite who grew up with the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers‘ miraculous season as the soundtrack of my youth, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia and pride upon hearing about “Just a Bit Outside: The Story of the 1982 Milwaukee Brewers.” It’s like unearthing an old baseball card from the bottom of a forgotten shoebox – the memories flood back, and you can almost smell the hot dogs and popcorn wafting through the air at County Stadium.
In the year 1982, summertime saw Ronald Reagan residing in the White House. The movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” was dominating box offices, “Dallas” was reigning supreme on television ratings according to Nielsen, and Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock ‘n’ Roll” ruled the pop music charts. Though the U.S. was nearing the end of a recession, it continued to bask in the optimism of the “Morning in America” cultural phenomenon. Simultaneously, the Milwaukee Brewers, a team in Major League Baseball, experienced an astonishing surge, becoming the most dynamic squad of the season, quite unexpectedly.
In a heartfelt tribute to the near-miraculous 1982 season of the Brewers, a new documentary titled “Just a Bit Outside: The Tale of the ’82 Milwaukee Brewers” is now released, under the direction of Sean Hanish. This production, by Cannonball Prods., was a passionate endeavor for Wisconsin-born filmmaker Hanish and Kelly Kahl, a former CBS Entertainment president, who co-produced the film with Paul Jaconi-Biery.
Starting today, the movie “Just a Bit Outside” is being shown in the Milwaukee region at Marcus Theatres. Due to high ticket sales in advance, the number of screenings has been expanded from a dozen theaters to 83 showings across 14 theaters.
As a cinema enthusiast myself, I’m beyond excited to share with fellow cinephiles that we’ve got an extraordinary movie hitting our screens! Clint Wisialowski, senior VP of sales and development at Marcus Theatres – Wisconsin’s leading exhibitor – shared this news with EbMaster. The ticket sales have been nothing short of phenomenal, and the audience response has been simply incredible!
As a young baseball enthusiast residing in the Milwaukee region back in 1982, I found myself deeply immersed in every game, living and dying with each pitch. Sharing this sentiment, I confided to EbMaster that my passion for the sport knew no bounds.
As a devoted cinephile looking back on baseball’s grand finale, I can’t help but reminisce about the electrifying season of ‘that year’. The Brewers had an extraordinary journey, making it all the way to the World Series. However, the St. Louis Cardinals managed to steal the show in Game 7, ultimately claiming victory. Regrettably, since then, the Brewers haven’t had a chance to reappear on baseball’s biggest stage.
The idea for “Just a Bit Outside” was ignited approximately eight years ago, when Kahl got an opportunity to enjoy a game of golf with Gorman Thomas, the eccentric ex-Brewers centerfielder who was known for his handlebar mustache during his playing period.
In his initial encounters with Thomas, Kahl noted that he had a tale for each challenge, often recounting boisterous tales of late-night drinking in cities like Boston, Cleveland, or Kansas City. It was immediately clear while conversing with him that the era and lifestyle were distinct. Today, baseball players can no longer spend their nights out drinking regularly. Gathering a group of ten for a bar visit during road trips is no longer feasible due to everyone pulling out their smartphones to document the event.
Hanish and Kahl, having collaborated before on independent, scripted movies, were convinced from personal experiences that there was an extraordinary baseball story waiting to be told. However, upon further investigation and interactions with Brewers players, they discovered that the narrative held a deeper emotional resonance and was more relevant than they initially perceived.
As it is often said, be wary when encountering those you admire. However, we had the pleasure of meeting them all, and they were simply outstanding,” Kahl reminisced.
As a movie critic, I found myself deeply moved by the reminiscences of these former players. What truly resonated with Hanish and me was the lingering sorrow that many of them continue to bear. Forty years may have passed since that fateful game in St. Louis, but the pain of that final out remains vividly etched in their hearts.
Kahl had expected anecdotes about fun drinking experiences and tales from this run, but instead, they found these men to be joyful as they reminisced about the season. However, when Game 7 arrived, a shift occurred, and the men became somber and emotional. It turned out that beneath their happiness lay a deep regret and lingering disappointment, a feeling that had not faded over the past 40 years. While they’re not constantly sad, many of them still harbor this as the greatest disappointment in their lives when reminded of that moment.
Hanish and Kahl have personally funded their documentary and are currently seeking distribution. Executives from Marcus Theatres contacted the pair upon hearing that “Just a Bit Outside” was being produced. This serves as further evidence of exhibitors becoming more proactive in pursuing independent projects for direct distribution agreements.
Kahl expressed joy over the Marcus deal as it’ll make the film accessible to fans who will likely find it most significant.
Working on the documentary provided Hanish and Kahl with a deeper understanding of how baseball has transformed in recent times. Back then, games tended to be shorter – similar to how the pitching clock and other MLB rule adjustments made last year are now working towards shortening game durations again. The approach to pitching was also noticeably distinct.
Kahl noted that their focus was more on pitching with maximum force to get the batter out, repeatedly if necessary, rather than worrying too much about the specifics.
Hanish and Kahl spent numerous hours delving into 1980s America while compiling the movie, examining old footage. This task also highlighted the differences between how we used to live back then and our current lifestyle. For instance, at what is now called American Family Field (formerly Milwaukee County Stadium), no one was engrossed in their smartphones while watching from the stands.
Kahl described it as somewhat like a time capsule,” he said. “It transports you to another era or location. The journey through that particular phase is an enjoyable rollercoaster – no extra details are necessary.
(Pictured: The Milwaukee Brewers win Game 5 of the 1982 World Series)
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2024-09-13 22:18