“The Natural” Odyssey-like myth created by “Wonder Boy” Redford

A story of “those shrouded in light” and “those shrouded in darkness”

Visually complementing the myth of ``The Natural'' is the production of light and shadow that is emphasized to the extreme. This movie has an easy-to-understand concept of ``those who are shrouded in light'' (those blessed by God) = ``the main characters or those close to them,'' and ``those who are shrouded in darkness'' (those who rebel against God) = ``villains.'' It's structured.

For example, the opening. We, the audience, witness Robert Redford with a gentle smile as he plays catch while basking in the sun pouring down from above. This is a hero shot! Without any explanation, we are intuitively convinced that Roy is a messenger of light.

On the other hand, Harriet (Barbara Hershey), a mysterious beauty who ruins his life, is a messenger of the shadows. Dressed in a black veil, she showers him with bullets in a dark room on the train where no light shines through. The judge, the owner of the New York Knights, also appears as a unique character who has an extreme dislike of light. In his pitch-black office, he seduces Roy into a path of evil. Like Emperor Palpatine leading Anakin Skywalker to the dark side.

“The Natural” preview

Roy's childhood friend Iris appears to save him. When she first visits the baseball field, she quickly stands up to cheer him up, but the sunlight from behind makes it look as if only Iris is being illuminated. You could call it the light of an angel. When Roy reunites with his guardian angel, Iris, for the first time in 16 years, his hitting ability is restored and he successfully escapes from his slump.

And the climax of the movie. Usually, they chased white balls in idyllic day The Game, but the stage for the final game was a night The Game. The world where fields covered in darkness intersect with night game lights that emit intense light is like a purgatory between heaven and Inferno.

Roy, his uniform stained with blood, hits a white ball into the large clock on the back screen. The destroyed night game lights turn into a huge firework, gently enveloping the Knights players in a pale light as they choke in joy. ``The Natural'' is all about the production of ``light'' and ``shadow.''

In the United States, there is an anecdote that baseball was invented by General Abner Doubleday in Cooperstown, New York in 1839. This movie is set in 1939. This is a memorable year, marking exactly 100 years since the birth of baseball. In depicting the American myth of baseball, it was inevitable that the mythical structure of the Odyssey and the use of light and shadow to complement it were adopted.

Text: Rui Takeshima

A pop culture writer who wants to be kicked by Hit Girl. Host of the web magazine " POP MASTER ".

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"The Natural"

4K ULTRA HD now on sale 4,743 yen + tax

Publisher/distributor: Sony Pictures Entertainment

(c) 1984 TRISTAR PICTURES.ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.