HOOSIERS - Opening Credits & Theme Song - 1986

[dukane14]

Great movies always, always, have a wonderful sense of time and place. This opening scene with the visuals and the music drops us right where we need to be: Indiana 1950s

[gray19801]

Nothing like the good ole Hoosier landscape!! I remember watching Hoosiers plenty of times as kid and still a classic now that I am in my 30s.

[IliveinMA]

"Music by Jerry Goldsmith"...just adds to how great this film is. Too bad the main titles aren't on the soundtrack.

[jtruns]

Ah, that very first scene, filmed on US 40 just East of the town where I grew up

[PlyrJM25]

My Grandpa played basketball at this time. He played sort of a two guard, and actually lost to Muncie Central in 1948 in Semi-State. The next year he was undefeated, and I think won the Allen County Tournament two years running. He would have went to Indiana, had he not missed my Grandma. He died about 7 years ago; however this movie makes me think of him. This music also gets me pumped for just about anything.

[W2qa1968]

Makes me think of James Dean and Indiana of the early 1950s. Jimmy played basketball in high school in Fairmount, class of 1949.

[paulallan1000]

This movie should have been laden with oscars Gene Hackman is the best

[tritonrocks]

It's movies like this that make me long for my childhood (60's). While we have witnessed many great technological improvements in many areas of our life, at the same time I feel we've paid a very large price in that we've lost something in our culture with the loss of small towns like those depicted in this film.

[katie13574]

i'm from milan and i'm proud of it!!

[CRAIGROTTER]

in time this movie will be immortalized 200 years from now...nothing beats it...there are other great movies...but still, nothing actually beats it it....

[charly1gi]

Gene Hackman was raised in Danville, IL. It's easy to imagine him riding in the car as a kid, with his father driving simiar routes out among the farms of central Illinois.

[h823putt]

Nothing like a period movie to take you back in time, especially if it is somehow linked to your youth. I grew up in Indiana and of course I became a high school basketball nut. My high school played South Bend Central every year, and won the state championship in 1966 when all 605 high schools were in the tournament!

[TheWarrior2Game7]

Around the country, basketball is a game. In Indiana, it's a way of life.

[PVcat1]

From the great state of Kansas. The two states are not dissimiliar. One of my favorite movies of all-time.

[Erowided1661]

How I miss my home state of Indiana!

[ignoranceandwant]

Hackman is driving a 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe.

[LaurenAshley11223344]

well right around there is a railroad that runs through town. that little store i dont think is still there. if i am thinkin of the right location it is right down the street from.....nope never mind. that is down up near indianapolis. well....darn it. okay:)

[LaurenAshley11223344]

oh my gosh. at about 1:26 there is this big grain building or something. It's still here now! a little worn down but its still standing tall:)

[mycountryback2010]

@LaurenAshley11223344

Are you sure you have the correct location? The sign on the side of the feed mill in the movie says 'Terhune'. According to Google Maps the rail line, and feed mill are all gone. Go to Google Maps, enter Terhune IN. You can still see where the rail line ran on an angle at the South edge of town. If you do a street view you can capture the exact spot where the movie camera was. The store building he pulled up to in the movie is still there and still has red porch posts.

[LaurenAshley11223344]

I am now going to milan high school and everyone is soo proud of our 1954 state championship. We have a picture of the team in our gym and we hope that someday we can make it there again with another team. :) the town is still little but when it comes to sports, our high school, with only approximetaly 400 students in it, can accomplish a lot.:)

[LaurenAshley11223344]

I am now going to milan high school and everyone is soo proud of our 1954 state championship. We have a picture of the team in our gym and we hope that someday we can make it there again with another team. :) the town is still little but when it comes to sports, our high school, with only approximetaly 400 students in it, can accomplish a lot.:)

[1967mustanggta]

Oh, how I miss Indiana and I live here.  Some of you know what I mean.

[FungusMossGnosis]

Butler! Go bulldogs.

[dukane14]

Damn..Now I want to watch the whole movie haha

[wolfmansmith2007]

The dog you hear in the background in the movie was my dog, lol!

[wolfmansmith2007]

The school here is the old Nineveh Elementary School. My sister went to school here. We lived just up the street on the old Jim Woods farm owned by Clyde Anderson, which is now a housing development. The hay wagon shown in the movie at one point is the one I've probably stacked 5,000 bales of hay on in the 13 years I lived on that farm, lol. The principle's office in the movie is the actual office of the real principle, Don DeHart.

[rsb3118]

and does anybody know the name of the song that is being played?

[rsb3118]

I love this movie. Makes me think of my Butler Bulldogs.

[79pretzel]

agree with 'mycountry', great soundtrack thanks to Jerry Goldsmith; the opening scene is timeless. makes me want to buy-back my '53 Plymouth and go for a drive :)

[mycountryback2010]

There is something cathartic about this scene. I guess it's the blend of great music and simple midwestern American images. Thanks for posting.

[MrGeorgeE3]

@mycountryback2010 - I'm glad you like it :)

[bassdoggy1]

Yes i agree with you! It really captures the midwest image. Im from southern Illinois it really hits home on those crisp fall days and basketball fever in the air in all the local towns. The soundtrack is awsome as you pointed out. really fits the feel of the midwest and its farmland and basketball!

[pvtjamesryan3]

RIP Dennis Hopper

He was a legend!!

[MrGeorgeE3]

Thankyou Marle, I'm glad this brought back fond memories. My dad's family was from a small town in northern Indiana between Elkhart and South Bend. This is a very touching story and very inspirational. It's one of my Dad's favorites.

[marle2242]

@MrGeorgeE3 Not only were we engaged in Indiana sports but......We lived in the town of Waterville Ohio on the banks of the Maumee River. When the January thaw would start dad had the radio tuned into Ft. Wayne Indiana weather. The ice flow would start in the Auglaze, St. Mary, St. John rivers and run into the Maumee river. Dad had it figured how long it would take to get to us. When to get the sump pumps ready, turn off the furnace , live in the kitchen. Fun and exciting times.

[MrGeorgeE3]

@marle2242 Fond memories aren't they :) I drove through Ft Wayne about 6 or 7 years ago when I attended my uncle's wedding in Elkhart. Dad's ancestors settled in St Joseph County, Indiana in 1831. Prior to that they had settled in Miami County, Ohio in 1801, coming from Rowan County, North Carolina. Miami County, Ohio was a pleasant experience. Got to see the ancestoral farm there in 1991. .

[marle2242]

@MrGeorgeE3 WOW..... that is interesting family history. My parents came from the city (Toledo Ohio). Before that my grand parents came from Brooklyn, New York. Some who lived in Waterville would commute to Toledo for work. Dad choose Waterville because of the quiet serene small town life. We embraced that lifestyle. Many in the family choose south western states like Hot Springs, Arkansas, and New Orleans Louisiana. Our reunions would always be in Waterville Ohio..

[marle2242]

I remember as a kid a and living in Northwest Ohio a game played based on this story. It was a small town in Indiana playing South Bend. The town I grew up in was small town and my cousins, aunts, uncles, mom, dad could hardly believe that the small town basketball players would have a chance. We had a big radio, all of our friends and relatives gathered around it to hear the game. I watch this movie and tears welt, because the trophy came home for all small towns.