Hoosiers

Given the fact that Hoosiers is one of the most rousing sports movies ever made, it was only a matter of time before it received the special-edition treatment on DVD. Now packaged as a two-disc collector's set with a variety of in-depth bonus features, this 1950s small-town drama tells the story of the Hickory Huskers, an underdog basketball team from a tiny Indiana high school, who make it all the way to the state championship tournament. It's a familiar story, but sensitive direction by David Anspaugh and a splendid screenplay by Angelo Pizzo helped make this one of 1986's best films, highlighted by the superb performances of Gene Hackman as the Huskers' coach, and Oscar nominee Dennis Hopper as the alcoholic father of one of the team's key players. As the drama unfolds we come to realize that many of the characters (including Barbara Hershey as a schoolteacher with whom Hackman falls in love) are recovering from disappointing setbacks, and this depth of character is what makes the otherwise conventional basketball story so richly rewarding. Like Rocky, Rudy, and Breaking Away, this is a quintessentially American movie about beating the odds and rising above one's own limitations, and it's impossible to watch without cheering. Presented with an excellent anamorphic widescreen transfer, DVD extras include audio commentary by Anspaugh and Pizzo, the half-hour documentary “Hoosier History: The Truth Behind the Legend,” deleted scenes with introductions by Anspaugh and Pizzo, and--tres cool--the original Milan vs. Muncie 1954 Indiana High School championship game. Recommended. (J. Shannon)[Blu-ray Review—July 3, 2012—Fox, 115 min., PG, $19.99—Making its second appearance on Blu-ray, 1986's Hoosiers sports a good transfer and features a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras are identical to the DVD release, including audio commentary by director David Anspaugh and writer Angelo Pizzo, a “Hoosier History: The Truth Behind the Legend” featurette (30 min.), deleted scenes with intros by Anspaugh and Pizzo (30 min.), and the original Milan vs. Muncie 1954 Indiana High School championship game (42 min.). Bottom line: this second Blu-ray release of Hoosiers adds more extras.]