Hoosiers (1986)

Director:

David Anspaugh

Writer:

Angelo Pizzo (written by)

Release Date:

14 November 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sport

Tagline:

It'll go straight to your heart.

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Team | Coach | Indiana | High School | Championship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

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	...	Reverenf 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
Robert Boyle	...	Referee (Oolitic)
Jerry D. Petro	...	Referee (Oolitic)
Sam Smiley	...	Referee (Cedar Knob)
Tom McConnell	...	Coach (Cedar Knob)
Dennis Farkas	...	Gorilla player (Cedar Knob)
Tim Fogarty	...	Referee (Verdi)
Spyridon Stratigos	...	Referee (Logootee) (as Don Stratigos)
Ken Strunk	...	Referee (Dugger)
Jerry D. Larrison	...	Referee (Terhune)
Thomas W. Marshall	...	Referee (Terhune)
Gary Long	...	Coach (Jasper)
C.W. Mundy	...	Coach (Jasper)
Jeff Moster	...	Player (Jasper)
Ralph H. Shively	...	Doc Buggins
Rich Komenich	...	Reporter
Scott Miley	...	Reporter
Robert Sutton	...	Reporter
Ray Crowe	...	Coach (State)
Ray Craft	...	Official (finals)
Tom Carnegie	...	Finals P.A. Announcer
Hilliard Gates	...	Radio Announcer (finals)
Laura Robling	...	Hickory Cheerleader
Nancy Harris	...	Hickory Cheerleader
Libbey Schenck	...	Hickory Cheerleader
Brad Boyle	...	Whit
Steve Hollar	...	Rade
Brad Long	...	Buddy
David Neidorf	...	Everett
Kent Poole	...	Merle
Wade Schenck	...	Ollie
Scott Summers	...	Strap
Maris Valainis	...	Jimmy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John E. Blazier	...	Spectator in Jasper Gym (uncredited)
Anthony Bruce	...	Basketball Fan (uncredited)
Bill Gulde	...	Spotlight Blocker (uncredited)
Hugh Richard Heinsohn	...	Angry Citizen (uncredited)
Kenny Jobe	...	National Anthem Quartet (uncredited)
Kent Kercheval	...	National Anthem Quartet (uncredited)
Darrin Lafferty	...	National Anthem Quartet (uncredited)
Dennis Lafferty	...	National Anthem Quartet (uncredited)
Duke Thomas Low	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Bobby Plump	...	(uncredited)
Aaron Weiler	...	Spectator at State Finals (uncredited)

Directed by
David Anspaugh

Writing credits
Angelo Pizzo		(written by)

Produced by
John Daly	....	executive producer
Carter DeHaven	....	producer (as Carter De Haven)
Derek Gibson	....	executive producer
Graham Henderson	....	associate producer
Angelo Pizzo	....	producer

Original Music by
Jerry Goldsmith

Cinematography by
Fred Murphy		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Carroll Timothy O'Meara		(as C. Timothy O'Meara)

Casting by
Ken Carlson

Production Design by
David Nichols

Art Direction by
David Lubin

Set Decoration by
Janis Lubin
Brendan Smith

Costume Design by
Jane Anderson

Makeup Department
Daniel Marc	....	hair stylist
Carole Scheidler	....	assistant hair stylist
Ronnie Specter	....	makeup artist
Michael Williams	....	assistant hair stylist

Production Management
Graham Henderson	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herb Adelman	....	first assistant director
Larry M. Davis	....	second second assistant director
Forrest L. Futrell	....	first assistant director: second unit
Angelo Pizzo	....	second unit director
Harvey Waldman	....	key second assistant director

Art Department
Richard Baum	....	assistant property master (as Rich Baum)
Clayton Hartley	....	assistant art director: second unit
Brick Mason	....	production illustrator
Raoul Moore	....	head carpenter
James A. Rathbun	....	property master
Mark Wieringa	....	construction coordinator (as Mark W. Wieringa)
Gayle Wurthner	....	scenic artist

Sound Department
David Brownlow	....	production sound mixer
Pieter Hubbard	....	sound editor
David J. Hudson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Mel Metcalfe	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dan O'Connell	....	foley artist
Bill Phillips	....	supervising sound editor
John Phillips	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Porter	....	sound re-recording mixer
Hal Sanders	....	sound editor
Mike Warner	....	sound editor

Stunts
Geoff Brewer	....	stunts
Dean Raphael Ferrandini	....	stunts (as Dean Ferrandini)
Gary Jensen	....	stunts
Ernie F. Orsatti	....	stunt coordinator (as Ernie Orsatti)

Camera and Electrical Department
Tom Countryman	....	crane operator
Don Devine	....	first assistant camera
David Dubois	....	electrician
Gary Farr	....	still photographer
John Farr	....	grip
Robert Gray	....	key grip (as Bob Gray)
Khan Griffith	....	dolly grip
Christopher Hackman	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Scott Howell	....	best boy grip (as Scott A. Howell)
Ian Kincaid	....	gaffer
Kim Kono	....	best boy electric (as Kim K. Kono)
Philip Lee	....	second assistant camera
Moshe Levin	....	assistant Steadicam operator
Jeff Lint	....	electrician
Danny McDermott	....	electrician
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator
Frank Perl	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Patrick Reddish	....	gaffer: second unit
Morgan Renard	....	still photographer
Jon Tilton	....	rigging gaffer
Oliver Wood	....	director of photography: second unit
David Yosha	....	grip
Thom Zimmerman	....	second camera operator
Karl Hall Koch	....	head rigging electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Stephen Meyers	....	extras casting coordinator
Kristin Nelson	....	casting associate
Debby Shively	....	extras casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dorothy Amos	....	wardrobe
Murshel Lewis	....	wardrobe (as Murshel C. Lewis)
Jeanne Mascia	....	wardrobe (as M. Jeanne Mascia)
Raggs	....	wardrobe supervisor
Mary Law Weir	....	key costumer (as Mary Weir)

Editorial Department
Mark Eggenweiler	....	assistant film editor
Vivian Hengsteler	....	negative cutter
Dan Muscarella	....	color timer (as Daniel Muscarella)
Frank J. Urioste	....	additional film editor
Robert Wheeler	....	second assistant film editor

Music Department
Budd Carr	....	music supervisor
Kenneth Hall	....	music editor
Arthur Morton	....	orchestrator
Mike Ross-Trevor	....	music recordist (as Mike Ross)
Jerry Goldsmith	....	musician (uncredited)
Joel Goldsmith	....	music producer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Steve Anton	....	transportation captain (as Steven Anton)
Tom Countryman	....	driver: insert car
George Dale	....	driver: honeywagon
William 'Fleet' Eakland	....	transportation coordinator (as William Eakland)
Bart Heimburger	....	period vehicle coordinator
Michael Hendrickson	....	transportation co-captain
Daniel Rothstein	....	driver: production van

Other crew
Tom Abernathy	....	technical advisor
Frans J. Afman	....	motion picture banking: Credit Lyonnais Bank, Nederland
Marilyn Bailey	....	script supervisor
Christopher S. Capp	....	production assistant
Jerome Harold Cler	....	production assistant
John Collier Bennett	....	production assistant
Maureen Duffy	....	production secretary (as Maureen Ann Duffy)
Matt Gatson	....	production assistant
Glenn Gaylord	....	assistant production accountant
Ellen Gelzleichter	....	first aid
Cathy Mickel Gibson	....	production accountant
Leon Griffith	....	police officer: Indiana State
Alan Grodin	....	legal services: Cooper, Epstein & Hurewitz
Tim Harte	....	police coordinator: Indiana State (as Sgt. Tim Harte)
Robert Jellen	....	insurance: Albert G. Ruben and Company Inc.
Jonathan Locke	....	assistant craft service
Diana Mazza	....	advisor: cheerleading
Tom McConnell	....	technical advisor
Karen Altman Morgenstern	....	production coordinator
Phill Norman	....	title designer
Fiora Pizzo	....	production assistant
Luis Reyes	....	unit publicist
Trudy Salven	....	travel arrangements: TST International
Rick Schmidlin	....	location manager
Daniel Schott	....	craft service (as Daniel K. Schott)
Spyridon Stratigos	....	basketball coordinator (as Spyridon 'Strats' Stratigos)
Pat Webb	....	assistant location manager
John Wheeler	....	police officer: Indiana State
Laurie White	....	assistant: Mr. De Haven

Thanks
Karen Galvin	....	thanks
John Mutz	....	thanks (as Lt. Governor John Mutz)
Robert D. Orr	....	thanks (as Governor Robert Orr)

Production Companies

• De Haven Productions (as Carter De Haven Production)
• Hemdale Film

Distributors

• Orion Pictures Corporation (1986) (USA) (theatrical)
• Home Box Office Home Video (HBO) (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1991) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Live Home Video (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Arrow Film Distributors (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Artisan Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Family Home Entertainment (FHE) (1990s) (USA) (VHS)
• Hoyts Distribution (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• LK-TEL Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (2009) (USA) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia-Hoyts Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1989) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Albert G. Ruben and Company  insurance
• Butler University  thanks
• Carlson - Dowd  casting
• Cooper, Epstein & Hurewitz  legal services
• Credit Lyonnais Bank (Nederland) N.V.  motion picture banking
• Dolby Laboratories  sound
• Film Finance  completion guarantee
• Indiana Barber/Stylist College  additional assistant hairdresser from
• Indiana Film Commission  thanks (as The Indiana Film Commission)
• Keylite Production Services  production services and equipment
• National Barber/Stylist College  additional assistant hairdresser from
• Otto Nemenz International  camera and lenses
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• People of Knightstown  thanks
• People of New Richmond  thanks
• People of Nineveh  thanks
• Polydor  original soundtrack available on
• TST International  travel arrangements
• Todd-AO/Glen Glenn Studios  sound re-recording
• Unique Catering  catering
• Yamaha  digital keyboard provided by

Also Known As:

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (CFI)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:PG | UK:PG | Peru:PT | Portugal:M/6 | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | USA:PG | Singapore:PG | Iceland:L

Filming Locations:

Brownsburg, Indiana, USA

Company:

De Haven Productions

Trivia:

The scene with Jimmy and Coach Dale talking while Jimmy shot baskets was filmed in one take. Maris Valainis said that he "wasn't even listening to him." "I was just concentrating on making them and I made one and they kept going in."

Goofs:

Continuity: Rade is put on the bench for talking during a time out. As play resumes, Ray (#25) can be seen playing in the game.

Quotes:

Coach Norman Dale:Five players on the floor functioning as one single unit: team, team, team - no one more important that the other.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Wonder Years: Loosiers (#2.9)" (1989)

Soundtrack:

Big Band Highlight No. 2

Hoosiers is misunderstood

I have been reading, and summing up comments about this movie. I can't believe how misunderstood this movie is. First and foremost this is not a movie about the Milan team's championship, and Bobby Plump's winning shot. The Milan game is the most famous, and storied game in Indiana and is only used as the quientessential example.

The movie is a collection of typical things that happen in Indiana High School basketball which is known as "Hoosier Hysteria". The locker room scenes are typical, found each year at tournament time. The small town involvement is typical. Players deciding if they want to succumb to the social pressures of the sport, or dreaming of winning is typical. Teacher nudging is typical. The appearance of religious faith is also typical in small town Indiana. It's right in the bible belt.

Smaller, less talented underdog teams are the life-blood of passion about playing, and winning. Winning systems, coaching tactics, fundamentals, and character-building are staples of the Hoosier H.S. game. Read John Wooden's books and you'll see them clearly. (John Wooden-Martinsville, IN; Purdue, and UCLA).

The character played by Dennis Hopper is underscored, not by his drunken state and redemption, but by his basketball knowledge. In Indiana, everyone from every walk of life knows more about the history of the game, and how to win the game than the coach. There are walking, talking Hoosier basketball historians in every small town.

Another Hoosier staple is the sequence of the tournament. Every march since the 1920's the Indiana H.S. tournament starts with a sectional, regional, sweetsixteen, and final four state championship. Hence, all games and scores that were shown in the movie. Although, Hickory H.S. is fictictious, the opposing team names were real Indiana schools in the western part of the state: Jasper, Linton, Logootee, etc.

The movie actually tried, but fell short in my opinion of the excitement at tournament time. The noise level, and absolute excitement of the H.S. tournaments is something you have to experience. Just walking into the gyms gives you chill bumps. Being the local game night hero is paramount, (but it creates it's own special problems.) I firmly feel, having experienced it myself, that the movie makers were trying to capture a unique phenomenon in sports using typical events. They displayed the key aspects of Indiana H.S. basketball in film to communicate the experience to the rest of the world.

I was pleased, and excited to see how many reviewers were inspired by the film. Many who lived these events over the years are similarly motivated.

P.S. Coaches do not kiss teachers except in Hollywood.