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Hoop Dreams (1994)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Release Date:
14 October 1994 (USA)
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Genre:
Plot:
A film following the lives of two African American boys who struggle to become college basketball players on the road to going professional. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
School
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High School
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Inner City
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Basketball
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College
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Awards:
Nominated for Oscar.
Another 16 wins
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2 nominations
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NewsDesk:
(23 articles)
Oscar documentary scandal: The real reason too many good movies got left out
(From EW.com - The Movie Critics. 20 November 2009, 2:07 PM, PST)
The Lessons of Oscar's Doc Shortlist
(From The Wrap. 19 November 2009, 10:02 AM, PST)
(From EW.com - The Movie Critics. 20 November 2009, 2:07 PM, PST)
The Lessons of Oscar's Doc Shortlist
(From The Wrap. 19 November 2009, 10:02 AM, PST)
User Comments:
Documentary film-making at its best
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Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only) | William Gates | ... | Himself |
| Arthur Agee | ... | Himself |
| Emma Gates | ... | Herself (William's mother) |
| Curtis Gates | ... | Himself (William's brother) |
| Sheila Agee | ... | Herself (Arthur's mother) |
| Arthur 'Bo' Agee | ... | Himself (Arthur's father) |
| Earl Smith | ... | Himself (Talent scout) |
| Gene Pingatore | ... | Himself (High school basketball coach) |
| Isiah Thomas | ... | Himself (Professional basketball player) |
| Sister Marlyn Hopewell | ... | Herself (High school guidance counselor) |
| Bill Gleason | ... | Himself (Television reporter) |
| Patricia Weir | ... | Herself (President, Encyclopedia Brittanica) |
| Marjorie Heard | ... | Herself (High school guidance counselor) |
| Luther Bedford | ... | Himself (High school basketball coach) |
| Aretha Mitchell | ... | Herself (High school guidance counselor) |
Additional Details
MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for drug content and some strong language.
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
170 min
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Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
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Certification:
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Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Many of the locations used in the movie are now either gone or substantially different. The neighborhood of the Cabrini Green housing project, where one of the players lived, underwent a "gentrification" shortly after the film wrapped. The baseball field shown, for example, now has been replaced by luxury condos and a shopping complex.
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Quotes:
William Gates:
People always say to me, "when you get to the NBA, don't forget about me." Well, I should've said back, "if I don't make it to the NBA, don't you forget about me."
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Unhappily Ever After: Hoop Dreams (#1.13)" (1995)
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Soundtrack:
Turn Off the Radio
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FAQ
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.more (54 total)
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It runs for three hours but it feels much less, such is the power that this documentary holds. Absorbing, you get sucked in and the film has this grip on you.
If Reality TV is your thing, I'd seriously give this film a go, then you can stop watching Reality TV and start to recognise, understand and prioritise real-world situations that actually matter, like racism, poverty, drug abuse, peer pressure and well, dreams.
You'll fall in love with the characters, and there's even a bad-guy for us to boo. You can sometimes question the manipulative techniques on display, but the film is actually not as guilty as some, the makers have a genuine affection for their subjects and do as much as they can within the rules of documentary to help them out without compromising their objectivity.
Be that as it may, this film should be compulsory viewing for many younger audiences, as it shows you exactly how real life differs from the garbage that passes for representation of youth on TV and in film today.
I really can't say enough about the need for more films like this, the fact that the Academy Awards were changed because of the strength of this film goes some way to showing you exactly how powerful it is.