Hoop Dreams - Criterion Collection

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One Of The Better Documentaries You'll Ever See

Cautionary Tale for All College Bound Students

Hoop Dreams

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one of the best documentaries I have seen.......

Hoop Dreams - Criterion Collection

Manufacturer: Criterion
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Documentary | Genres | DVD | Video
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Product Features:

Classic DVD

Exclusive interviews, highlights, and behind the scenes coverage

DVD's main menu allow you to jump directly to the action

Presented in full-screen digital video

ASIN: B0007WFYBG
Release Date: 2005-05-10

Product Description

Two ordinary inner-city kids dare to dream the impossible - professional basketball glory - in this epic chronicle of hope and faith. Filmed over a five-year period, Hoop Dreams follows young Arthur Agee and William Gates as they navigate the complex, competitive world of scholastic athletics while striving to overcome the intense pressures of family life and the realities of their Chicago streets. The Criterion Collection is proud to present this landmark documentary chronicling two remarkable families who challenge the American dream.

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This completely absorbing three-hour documentary follows the lives of two inner-city African American teenage basketball prodigies as they move through high school with long-shot dreams of the NBA, superstardom, and an escape from the ghetto. Taking cues from such works as Michael Apted's 35 Up, director Steve James and associates shot more than 250 hours of footage, spanning more than six years, and their completed work actually moves like an edge-of-the-seat drama, so brimming with tension, plot twists, successes, and tragedies that its length--170 minutes--is never an issue. Yet, what makes the film more impressive is how James moves his scope beyond a competitive sports drama (although the movie has plenty of terrific, nail-biting basketball footage) and addresses complex social issues, creating a scathing social commentary about class privilege and racial division. The film opens by introducing William Gates and Arthur Agee, two Chicago hopefuls, as they are being courted and recruited by various high schools to play ball, and continues until the pair are college freshmen. James allows the audience the experience of not only watching their journeys and daily routines (it's a sobering portrait of inner-city life), but also witnessing their maturation. Each takes a separate path along the way, stumbling over several obstacles (William suffers injuries, Arthur fails to meet his coach's high expectations); but James takes particular care to stress the importance and strong commitment of each character's family along the way, giving the film a essential center. The parents and siblings emerge with as much depth and complexity as the two main "characters," and turn Hoop Dreams into an unforgettable film experience. --Dave McCoy

Customer Reviews:

One Of The Better Documentaries You'll Ever See.......2007-09-09

At three hours, this is a long but interesting documentary about two Chicago-area high school basketball stars, William Gates and Arthur Agee, who try to make something from their basketball talents.

Both athletes, of course, dream of becoming pro players some day. There are hundreds of similar tales each season - of great players, mostly black - who don't make it through college or even to college despite their enormous talents and one can get idea of some of the obstacles by watching these two guys.

Almost all of the three hours is devoted to these kids form junior high through high school. The families and friends of these athletes are interesting and the film really documents the different lifestyles between blacks and whites in the USA.

It's a fascinating picture for people of any race. For non-blacks, it shows them a window into a whole different world. This film is obviously not just to highlight basketball players but to show life as it exists with a lot of poor black families: the good and the bad, the achievements and the big mistakes. I enjoyed it just as much the second time as the first. It's one of the better documentaries I've ever seen, so don't let the length of it discourage you.

Cautionary Tale for All College Bound Students.......2007-07-25

Recruiters, coaches and administrators love you only as long as they can use you. And yes, it does take 3 hours to watch the process of how being misled, misunderstood and discarded embitters these talented children into maturity. Students Beware: sometimes the schoolyard bully is an adult who wears a suit and pretends to act in your best interest.

Hoop Dreams.......2007-07-13

This highly personal film, many years in the making, allows the viewer to get to know both young men profiled: their families, friends, and how each reacts to a whole new world of pressure at St. Joe's. We think we see where it's all going early on, but of course, we're wrong- a subtle reminder that life has a way of surprising us, and everyone develops at their own rates of speed. "Hoop Dreams" remains a triumph in documentary film-making.

Safe and timely delivery.......2007-05-17

This product arrived quickly and in very good condition. I was happy with the product. This is a very reliable source to order from and I would feel comfortable in ordering again.

one of the best documentaries I have seen..............2007-02-25

I first saw HOOP DREAMS, in its glory, in the movie theatre, when it was released some thirteen years ago. This film follows the lives of two extraordinarily gifted basketball players, Arthur Agee Jr. and William Gates. Both young men are from the Cabrini Green Housing Projects of Washington DC, one of the roughest, toughest neighborhoods on the East Coast. On a daily basis, Arthur and William must face and deal with major curveballs that life throws their way, all the while keeping their heads up in the pursuit of their hoop dreams. The film starts with them, as fourteen year old boys, and ends with them as they start their college careers.

What makes this film so beautiful, and why it stands out for me, is due to the fact that you don't have to be a baskbetball fan (or even a sports fan) to find William and Arthur's stories compelling. These young men must overcome incredible odds just to keep their focus on basketball strong. While Arthur's father (Arthur Sr.) is in and out of jail, due to drug related incidents, William's mother (who refers to William as her "Little Man") must raise her children, as a single mother, on welfare, all the while aspiring to get a certification in nursing. We really feel that we come to know these marvelous young men over the course of the film. It was a privilige, for me, that the director made this experience so intimate, for us, the viewers. What's more, the dreams of Arthur and William are bright spots in a truly bleak existence that they must face on a daily basis. You will be cheering them on, from the opening credits, up until the very end. Truly one of the most beautiful documentaries I have ever seen......

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