In 1994, according to two of the country’s most famous film critics, Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert; Siskel and Ebert fame, not to mention a number of partners in other media, the best film of 1994 was… a documentary about upperclassmen from Chicago.
Whether you’re a longtime basketball fan who already knows everything there is to know about Hopeful DreamsA cinematic masterpiece about Arthur Agee, William Gates and their families, or a young kid just learning about a movie for the first time, must understand how incredible it was that the single best movie was any year’s basketball doctor. A quarter of the time back in 94 when there was no such thing 30 for 30 and you were lucky to find a documentary on anything other than PBS. In fact, filmmakers Steve James and Frederick Marks originally set out to make a 30-minute piece that they expected would make it to PBS, and on the back end, well, nothing like that. 30 for 30 if Hopeful Dreams didn’t show the world how powerful a sports-based documentary can be.
It was not a short-lived phenomenon either. Hopeful Dreams it has appeared on many lists of the greatest documentaries of all time and tends to be passed down from generation to generation in basketball families like a treasured heirloom. “I think the biggest influence is people of my generation watching with their kids. I just saw a clip of Carmelo Anthony saying Hopeful Dreams is a movie his son needs to see,” says Gates, who commutes 90 minutes from Chicago’s Cabrini-Green homes to private St. Joseph’s High School in Westchester during the film and eventually overcomes a knee injury and earns a scholarship. Market. “At its core, the film is as relevant today as it was then, because the issues still remain… You still have kids dreaming of creating the League, and there are two elements to the story. There are injuries, there are grades, there is a lack of opportunities. These questions still exist. Just switch faces.”
Says James, who directed Hopeful Dreams As his first major project and subsequently working on many successful films with Chicago-based Kartemquin Films, “I’m shocked and surprised how many people are still talking about it. It’s not every day, but I get approached Hopeful Dreams a lot. It helps that it is there and available. people can still watch this movie.”
Before James and Marx had an idea Hopeful Dreams and began work on it, Peter Gilbert came in shortly thereafter and served as director of photography and producer. Gilbert has also directed many films and remains prolific to this day, but nothing has panned out. Hopeful Dreams did
“It’s an interesting thing. I’ve done 30 or 40 other films, including one about the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the Innocence Project films about people who have been wrongly convicted, different kinds of stuff, as well as narrative stuff,” Gilbert says. “But Hopeful Dreams is what people define me by. (It’s) not a bad movie to be defined by.”
Where Gates, James and Gilbert have all branched off since Hopeful Dreams came out three decades ago (the former as a pastor and motivational speaker who moved to San Antonio, and the latter with all of their subsequent film projects), Edge is essentially “Mr. Sweet dreams.” He has his own Classic HD Basketball Clothing Co. up and running Hopeful Dreams 2. He also teams up with Gates Agee and Gates The Podcast Hoop asked through Dream Text if? Hopeful Dreams After all these years, Agee feels like a daily part of her life, she doesn’t hesitate. “It never ends, it’s always there, no matter where I am,” he is quick to respond. “Living every day is just a really wonderful thing.” Dreams are real, indeed.
SLAM will celebrate and celebrate a film like Hoop Dreams no matter how old we or the film are, but there’s a special resonance that the film is turning 30 this year just as we are. In February, we got the guys together for the first annual SLAM Film Festival to celebrate the 30th anniversary, kicking off a year-long celebration of the film.
Now Alamo Drafthouse is re-releasing the film in theaters this week as part of their 1994 throwback series, Project Backboard is refurbishing the court at Garfield Park on Chicago’s West Side as part of JDS Sports’ Play With Purpose initiative. opening court this weekend, and SLAM will drop the capsule collection this Friday. Join Hoop Dreams stars and filmmakers for an exclusive 30th anniversary panel on November 9 at the prestigious Chicago Humanities Festival. For details and tickets visit chicagohumanities.org.
Photos via Kartemquin Films.
