Hoosiers (1986)

A coach with a checkered past and a local drunk train a small town high school basketball team to become a top contender for the championship.

Director:

David Anspaugh

Writer:

Angelo Pizzo

Stars:

Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gene Hackman	...	Coach Norman Dale
Barbara Hershey	...	Myra Fleener
Dennis Hopper	...	Shooter
Sheb Wooley	...	Cletus
Fern Persons	...	Opal Fleener
Chelcie Ross	...	George
Robert Swan	...	Rollin
Michael O'Guinne	...	Rooster
Wil Dewitt	...	Reverend Doty
John Robert Thompson	...	Sheriff Finley
Michael Sassone	...	Preacher Purl
Gloria Dorson	...	Millie
Mike Dalzell	...	Mayor Carl
Skip Welker	...	Junior (as Calvert L. Welker)
Eric Gilliom	...	J. June

Storyline

Based on the true story of a small-town Indiana team that made the state finals in 1954, this movie chronicles the attempts of a coach with a spotty past, and the town's basketball-loving drunk to lead their high school team to victory.

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Plot Keywords:

team | coach | indiana | high school | basketball | 

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Taglines:

It'll go straight to your heart.

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Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

MGM

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 November 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Best Shot

Filming Locations:

Brownsburg, Indiana, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$28,607,524 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

De Haven Productions, Hemdale Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color (CFI)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jerry Goldsmith's score is well known for it's "Americana" essence, but the music itself was ironically performed the Hungarian State Opera orchestra in Budapest. American orchestral unions were reportedly upset with Goldsmith for choosing a foreign orchestra to use for a lower budget film. This is understandable due to the Hungarian orchestra's occasional performance flubs heard throughout the score. Nonetheless, Goldsmith used this orchestra (as well as the Hungarian State symphony orchestra) on most of his other late 80s scores.

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Goofs

High School basketball season runs from November through March (including playoffs). Yet in several of the outside scenes some trees are sprouting fresh green leaves. This would not be the case in Indiana during that time period.

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Quotes

Coach Norman Dale: If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don't care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners.

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Crazy Credits

Director David Anspaugh is credited as Jack Nemo in the edited (and disowned by Anspaugh) television cut.

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Connections

Referenced in The Wonder Years: Loosiers (1989)

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Soundtracks

"Manchester High School Fight Song"
Written and Composed by Harold Leckrone

User Reviews

The ROCKY of Basketball

Classic movie which effectively transports the audience to 1952 Indiana countryside and the story's circumstances.One of the all time best sports dramas ever and also one of film's all time best pure dramas as well.The lead actors are so believable and the attention to detail so admirable.Love story subplot is created to please romance fans as well as add more to the story.To Basketball fans,it is also a great lesson regarding the POWER OF GAME FUNDAMENTAL KNOW HOW.Athletics is a great weapon in Basketball BUT INTELLIGENT KNOW HOW can take a player with little athletic ability to a very high level.When a young player with great athletic ability takes the patience to learn the KNOW HOWS,he becomes superhuman like.This is the lesson HOOSIERS has effectively demonstrated.A must see for all Basketball fans and most sports movie fans......