BASEketball
| BASEketball | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | David Zucker |
| Produced by |
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| Written by |
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| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Stephen McHattie |
| Music by | Ira Newborn |
| Cinematography | Steve Mason |
| Edited by | Jeffrey Reiner |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $7 million |
BASEketball is a 1998 American sports comedy film co-written and directed by David Zucker and starring South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Dian Bachar, Robert Vaughn, Ernest Borgnine, Yasmine Bleeth and Jenny McCarthy.
The film follows the history of the sport (created by Zucker years earlier) of the same name, from its invention by the lead characters as a game they could win against more athletic types, to its development as a nationwide league sport and a target of corporate sponsorship.
This is the only work involving Parker and Stone that was neither written, directed, nor produced by them, although Zucker himself has stated that Parker and Stone contributed innumerable suggestions for the film, most of which were used.
Coop (Trey Parker) and Remer (Matt Stone) are 23 and unemployed. They arrive uninvited at a party hosted by a former high school classmate. After finding that their classmates have matured, Coop and Remer find themselves outside drinking beer and shooting hoops. Two former classmates challenge them to a game. The two see that their opponents are very good at basketball, so they say they will only play a new game they picked up while secretly inventing the rules as they go along and winning the new game.
Six months later, Businessman Ted Denslow (Ernest Borgnine) shows up to propose the creation of the National BASEketball League (NBL), with numerous rules in place to prevent the sport from deteriorating as other sports had done: teams cannot switch cities, players cannot be traded, and individuals cannot make money via corporate sponsorship deals.
Five years after creation of the league, the NBL is in full swing with stadiums, teams, fans, and a major championship (the Denslow Cup). They even have a major network television contract (though it is never made clear which network it is) with Al Michaels and Bob Costas as the announcers. During the 1997 championship, Denslow, who is the owner of the Milwaukee Beers (in reference to real-life baseball team, Milwaukee Brewers) for whom Coop and Remer both play, dies. Denslow's will grants Coop ownership of the Beers for one year; if they do not win the next Denslow Cup, ownership reverts to Denslow's widow Yvette (Jenny McCarthy). Meanwhile, Coop and Remer meet (and fight over) Jenna Reed (Yasmine Bleeth), who is head of the Dream Come True Foundation.
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Wikipedia