Hoop Dreams - Criterion Collection
from: Criterion
List Price: $29.95
Prices subject to change.
Price: $23.99
You Save: $5.96 (20%)Prices subject to change.
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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.
Amazon.com essential video:
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
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.
Amazon.com essential video:
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
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
Related Items:
Browse for similar items by category:
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Documentary » General
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Sports » Basketball » General
- VHS » DVD » Genres » Sports » Basketball » General AAS
- VHS » DVD » Specialty Stores » Custom Stores » Criterion Collection » All
- VHS » DVD » Specialty Stores » Custom Stores » Titles » ( H )
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: 
- See it again
I saw this doc when it came out in the 90s and, while I thought it was good, I came away with what I now feel are two false impressions that some other reviewers have expressed. First, I thought of the film as a cautionary tale for young kids who have very little chance of realizing their dream to make it to the NBA. I remember the shots of the "basketball house" at Arther Agee's school and thinking how sad it was. I read the post-doc bios and thought, "They don't make it to the NBA, they failed ... Read More
Rating: - A Gift That Keeps On Giving
There are so many wonderful things I have to say about this DVD that this review probably won't make much sense.So, I guess the best compliment I can give to "Hoop Dreams" is that it's so magnificent that I don't know where to begin.
I guess the best place to start is to assume that you've no idea what this movie is, and have stumbled onto it by accident.After all, "Hoop Dreams" hasn't taken its rightful place in film history yet.It was released the same year as "Forrest Gump", ... Read More
Rating: - Terrific Family Movie
I wanted to watch this movie with my sons, ages 10 and 12.This is a terrific documentary, spanning 4-5 years in the life of two boys, whom we meet at the end of 8th grade.Both are talented basketball players, inner city kids with hopes of making it in the NBA.The story follows then through their high school careers and beyond, focusing on the forces that shape them:their home lives, their friends, their academics, their coaches and the combined pressures these put on the boys.We thoroughly ... Read More
Rating: 
- Great!
The movie bullets the book, it is just like the book.
Its a 3 hour long documentary about 2 teen african american having the hoop dreams and going to St Josef, and eventually one gets kicked out of the private school because of financial problems and goes to public school,and the other kid gets injured big time, but that doesn't stop these african american kids from having their hoop dreams, eventually they make it to college on a scholarship off of basketball, but they really didn't make it into ... Read More
Rating: - A True Life Rocky Story and A Steal of a Price for Criterion.
Hoop Dreams is an amazing film.Not only is it the best documentary of all time but one of the greatest movies of all time.
I was amazed at how director Steve James was able to get this on film so perfectly.The story follows two inner city kids, Arthur Agee and William Gates, and their dream of making it to the NBA and out of the ghetto.The doc was filmed over five years we watch these two boys at fourteen grow to be young men and the ups and downs they go through.Viewers also get a look ... Read More
- See it againI saw this doc when it came out in the 90s and, while I thought it was good, I came away with what I now feel are two false impressions that some other reviewers have expressed. First, I thought of the film as a cautionary tale for young kids who have very little chance of realizing their dream to make it to the NBA. I remember the shots of the "basketball house" at Arther Agee's school and thinking how sad it was. I read the post-doc bios and thought, "They don't make it to the NBA, they failed ... Read More
- A Gift That Keeps On GivingThere are so many wonderful things I have to say about this DVD that this review probably won't make much sense.So, I guess the best compliment I can give to "Hoop Dreams" is that it's so magnificent that I don't know where to begin.
I guess the best place to start is to assume that you've no idea what this movie is, and have stumbled onto it by accident.After all, "Hoop Dreams" hasn't taken its rightful place in film history yet.It was released the same year as "Forrest Gump", ... Read More
- Terrific Family MovieI wanted to watch this movie with my sons, ages 10 and 12.This is a terrific documentary, spanning 4-5 years in the life of two boys, whom we meet at the end of 8th grade.Both are talented basketball players, inner city kids with hopes of making it in the NBA.The story follows then through their high school careers and beyond, focusing on the forces that shape them:their home lives, their friends, their academics, their coaches and the combined pressures these put on the boys.We thoroughly ... Read More
- Great!The movie bullets the book, it is just like the book.
Its a 3 hour long documentary about 2 teen african american having the hoop dreams and going to St Josef, and eventually one gets kicked out of the private school because of financial problems and goes to public school,and the other kid gets injured big time, but that doesn't stop these african american kids from having their hoop dreams, eventually they make it to college on a scholarship off of basketball, but they really didn't make it into ... Read More
- A True Life Rocky Story and A Steal of a Price for Criterion.Hoop Dreams is an amazing film.Not only is it the best documentary of all time but one of the greatest movies of all time.
I was amazed at how director Steve James was able to get this on film so perfectly.The story follows two inner city kids, Arthur Agee and William Gates, and their dream of making it to the NBA and out of the ghetto.The doc was filmed over five years we watch these two boys at fourteen grow to be young men and the ups and downs they go through.Viewers also get a look ... Read More
