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| Starring: Arthur Agee, William Gates Directed by: Steve James |
Theatrical Release: 1994
DVD Release: 2005
Released by: The Criterion CollectionDolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Widescreen |
Hoop Dreams considers the place of
sports in society, and it reveals truths about a number of subjects relevant in modern-day
America, including the roles of work, education, economic status, and family in creating
the people that each of us becomes. Filmed over the course of six years, it follows two
Chicago-area basketball prodigies, Arthur Agee and William Gates, from before their first
day of high school into their first year of college. Both Arthur and William are
compelling characters, alike in so many outward ways but different enough to be engaging
co-stars in an unfolding drama whose many twists and turns cannot be telegraphed. Their
portrayal, as fully realized characters, is much of what makes Hoop Dreams an
engrossing movie. We see them grow physically and emotionally over the course of years,
empathize with them, and ultimately root for them, especially as the story line detours
sharply from anything Hollywood could pull off successfully.
| From the Hoops to the Streets  Dogtown was an area that encompassed
the south side of Santa Monica along with all of Venice and Ocean Park, California, and
the Z-Boys were the members of the Zephyr skateboarding team, which grew out of a Dogtown
surf shop. Dogtown and Z-Boys (***1/2) documents the genesis of the skateboarding
subculture, tracing its roots to surfing and the outlaw mentality prevalent in Dogtown in
the late 1970s and early 1980s. The movie's many skateboarding sequences convey well the
athleticism that would eventually pervade the sport, along with the raucous attitude
required to be a Z-Boy. The movie's high-energy, fast-paced style is perfect for its
subject, and the use of rock music to punctuate scenes is very skillfully done -- the
perfect song is used each time. Director Stacy Peralta was a Z-Boy, which makes for a look
that is not exactly objective but one that certainly holds interest. We get an insider's
view of the Zephyr team and the success that a few Z-Boys achieved while they were all
creating a slice of youth culture that endures today. Extras include extended
skateboarding footage, trailers, an alternate ending, and commentary by the director and
editor. A fictional account of the Zephyr team, Lords of Dogtown, is in theaters
now, and the DVD includes a free ticket to it.
...Marc Mickelson
marc@hometheatersound.com |
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That all of this happens in the context of a movie about
basketball indicates how richly entertaining Hoop Dreams is. All of the weighty
subjects the movie dredges come from Arthur's and William's dreams to play in the Illinois
state basketball tournament, then in a big-time college program, and finally in the NBA.
Even with their common dreams, their experiences are vastly different. Both begin their
quest by attending a suburban parochial high school simply because of their basketball
talent, but only William finishes there. After his first year, Arthur attends an
inner-city school and yearns for the sense of belonging his first year put within his
reach. Both lead separate lives on and off the basketball court, with the sort of
uncertainty that hangs over each game hanging over their futures.
Hoop Dreams was released to theaters in 1994, and it
was very well received because of Gene Siskel's and Roger Ebert's championing of it on
their weekly TV show. It became the highest-grossing documentary ever. This makes the fact
that it is only now debuting on DVD all the more perplexing. The Criterion Collection has
produced a very good package, although other Criterion releases have greater extra
materials, sometimes an entire second disc's worth. Extras here include segments from Siskel
& Ebert at the Movies, a commentary from Arthur and William, and a second
commentary from the filmmaking trio of director Steve James, editor Frederick Marx, and
cinematographer Peter Gilbert. The Siskel & Ebert segments are especially
interesting because of controversy surrounding Hoop Dreams and the Academy Awards,
but the included booklet, which has essays on the film and a Washington Post
article that updates us on Arthur's and William's lives now, surpasses the DVD extras.
What would have been especially welcome was unused footage, some 250 hours of which
exists.
Hoop Dreams is one of the very best documentaries
I've seen. Its story is unpredictable, its stars are generously depicted, and its themes
go far beyond basketball. Sports figures today are revealed to us in seconds-long
highlight clips on ESPN, and this makes the depth of Hoop Dreams all the more
precious. |
