HOOSIERS

US, 1986, 115 minutes, Colour.
Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper.
Directed by David Anspaugh.

Hoosiers ('Best Shot' in many countries) is an enjoyable humane and sports story. It is set in the Hoosier state, Indiana, in 1951 and offers echoes of that period.

It is also a basketball film and an enjoyable one at that. Gene Hackman portrays a coach in trouble who gets a job at an Indiana high school. Barbara Hershey is attractive as one of the teachers. Dennis Hopper has a good role as the town drunk who has an ability to train people in basketball. He received an Oscar nomination as Best Supporting Actor for this role. The direction is by television director David Anspaugh. While the film is particularly American in its style, its portrait of its characters, the building up of the team, the competitiveness of the basketball matches and the whole atmosphere of nostalgia makes it quite attractive.

1. An enjoyable piece of Americana? Indiana life in the '50s? The life in the country town? Nostalgia? Basketball film?

2. The re-creation of the period, Indiana in the 1950s, the town, the surroundings, the occupations of the people, school life, the basketball team and competitions? An authentic atmosphere? The musical score and the echoes of the period?

3. The title and the focus on Indiana? The traditional name?

4. The portrait of Norman Dale: his experience as a basketball coach, Army experience, the truth about his b4ing sacked, his temper and striking the player? His friend Cletus Summers? The invitation to Hickory? Teaching History, coaching the team? The memory of the old coach and Jimmy Chitwood refusing to play? Dale and his training, his abrasive manner, the training regime and its detail? The role of Ollie in the team? The first game, the defeat? The pressure to build up the team? Dale and his presence in the town, his apartment, focus in the school? His meeting with Myra? Her attitude towards Jimmy and dislike of the competitiveness of the game? The brawl after the match, Dale complaining about the bias of the referee? Dale's Visit to Shooter, the town drunk, his invitation to be his assistant? The scepticism of Everett? The match where Dale provokes the referee into getting him sent out and the opportunity to leave Shooter in charge? The town's attitude towards Dale, his removal as a coach? The revelation of the true story? The irony for Jimmy to play again and asking for Dale? The continued coaching, shooter in charge? Shooter's drinking, Everett being injured in the fight? The last-minute victory? Ollie going into the game? Dale and his relationship with Myra, the lyrical romantic scenes? Their talking about the future? Myra and the game and sport? Shooter and his drying out? The winning of the competition?

5. Dennis Hopper as Shooter, the town drunk, lack of self-esteem, Dale's visit, acknowledging his skills, the invitation? Shooter's turning up? His embarrassment with his son and his son's scepticism? His being in charge, having to cope? His later drinking and inability to cope? His going to the drying out clinic? Listening to the match on the radio? His manner and style - with the staff of the hospital?

6. Myra and her place in the town, at home, the farm, her family? Teaching? The attraction towards Dale? Her hesitation, protectiveness of Jimmy? Her concern about injuries and competitiveness? Her eventually going to the games? The ups and downs of the relationship with Dale? Falling in love?

7. Cletus Summers and his running the school, the risk he was taking in getting Dale, his hopes for the school, facing the Board, votes and decisions?

8. Jimmy and his mourning the old coach, his not supporting Dale, his change of heart? Everett and his relationship with his father, playing, injury and the fight, stitches? Ollie as the mascot, his finally going into the team? The sequences of training? The excitement of the matches - editing and pace?

9. The sketch of the boys at the school, in the team?

10. The portrait of people in the town? Myra's family? The other teachers? The parents? The portrait of the opposing teams, the coaches?

10. An atmosphere of a small American town, the nostalgia for that period of seeming innocence?