Introductions

 

Hello there!
First things first, you may be wondering why I chose such a bizarre title. Let me give you some background to the quote I used.

The Sandlot (1993) is a classic throwback tale of a straight-A kid that moves to a new neighborhood looking for friendship and ultimately finding it in a rag-tag baseball team. It has everything a coming-of-age story needs: comedy, embarrassment, mentor ship, drama and adventure. Scotty Smalls is the clueless, yet lovable main character who struggles with what many consider are typical boy activities.

"You're killin' me Smalls" is spoken for the first time by Ham Porter out of frustration after learning that Scotty had never heard of a s'more. The scene gives us a glimpse into the mind of Scotty as well as a display of his underdeveloped boyhood. We feel sorry for Scotty because our understanding of the cultural reference helps to underline his outcast experience.

Why is this significant?
This tree house exchange has always stood out as both a comical and touching moment where Scotty begins to satisfy his need for social acceptance. For me, it's a nostalgic reminder of my childhood as well as the happy memories attached to summer and suburban pass times. The iconic quote can be found on posters, t-shirts and has become a popular expression to convey sarcasm and frustration toward people's misunderstandings. The fact that you may have recognized it automatically builds a connection between you and the setting you associate with it.

The thing people overlook is the effort and creativity it took to make the film that is loved by so many fans. Movies like The Sandlot act as emotional time machines that are interpreted differently from person to person. As a long time enthusiast, I can say that movies have certainly shaped how my interests and personality have morphed and developed.

Hopefully you learned a few things about me and will go watch The Sandlot if you haven't seen it already.

Stay tuned people.

Works Cited

“Baseball Mom Rules: Musings and General Observations from a Baseball Mom.” http://baseballmomrules.com/2015/04/25/youre-killin-me-smalls/. Wordpress, 25 Apr. 2015. Web. 13 Jan. 2016.

The Sandlot. Dir. David M. Evans. Prod. Dale De La Torre and William S. Gilmore. Perf. Tom Guiry and Patrick Renna. Twentieth Century Fox Film Coorporation, 1993. DVD.