7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
High school basketball is king in small-town Indiana, and the 1954 Hickory Huskers are all hope and no talent. But their new coach, abrasive and unlikable Norman Dale, whips the team into shape... while also inciting controversy.
Starring: Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, Dennis Hopper, Sheb Wooley, Fern PersonsSport | 100% |
Drama | 43% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 4.0 (Original)
Spanish: Dolby Digital Mono
French: Dolby Digital Mono
Note: Dolby Digital 4.0 (448 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
When Hoosiers premiered on Blu-ray way back in March, 2007, it sported an already-antiquated MPEG-2 encode, leaving many feeling that the film could definitely look better in high definition. Worse, the only bonus on the disc was a lonely theatrical trailer. We all bought it anyway because, well, it's Hoosiers, one of the best basketball movies of all time. Now, five years later, MGM is back with a "25th Anniversary Edition" of the film, an attempt to score a double-dip off of disappointed fans and generally drum up sales. The re-release does indeed feature a new AVC encode —though it looks to be sourced from the same master—along with all of the material from the 2005 2-disc "Collector's Edition" DVD. I think it's safe to say this is now the definitive home video version of Hoosiers—until the 35th anniversary rolls around, that is, with whatever tech we have in ten year's time—but is it worth another purchase? If the film isn't one you watch regularly, probably not. However, if Hoosiers sits squarely in your top-10 list, or maybe even your top-20, I'd say yes. You're getting modestly improved picture quality and plenty of extras on a single dual-layer disc.
My worry for the new Hoosiers disc was that we'd encounter the same one step forward, twelve steps back approach that 20th Century Fox took with the now-infamous Predator reissue—that is, switching out MPEG-2 for a less compression-prone AVC encode but then smearing the image with an egregious amount of DNR, entirely wiping out the film's grain structure. Thankfully, that's not the case here. Hoosiers' new 1080p/AVC- encoded presentation looks natural, with visible—sometimes heavy—grain and only occasional evidence of edge enhancement. However, don't expect a drastic difference from the 2007 edition. You'd have to do some dedicated pixel-peeping to notice any changes, though it looks like the image is a hair sharper, with less noise—especially compression noise—and colors that are possibly a shade brighter/more vibrant. Most of what I wrote in my original review still stands: "The image is at its best during game time—in the well-lit gymnasiums—with nicely carved contrast, a satisfying sense of clarity, and the Huskers' red and yellow uniforms popping cleanly off the screen. Outside the gym, however, the picture often falters. Black levels can crush the detail in Hackman's pea coat or else look hazy and insubstantial, contrast is sometimes bland, and sharpness varies from scene to scene." Small white and black flecks still show up on the print occasionally too, and it seems to me that if MGM had gone to the trouble of doing a substantial visual overhaul, they probably would've cleaned these up. Still, I'm not disappointed in the picture quality, and I actually have a feeling we were all a little too harsh on the old edition, writing it off simply because of its antiquated encode. AVC is definitely preferable to MPEG-2, and there's slight but noticeable decrease in compression noise, but for the most part, Hoosiers still looks like Hoosiers.
No changes here, at least not that I can tell. The 25th Anniversary Edition of Hoosiers features the same lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
surround track, a functional but often underwhelming mix. This is an almost entirely front-heavy track, and there are instances when you might crane
toward your rear speakers, wondering if perhaps they've come unplugged. There's almost nothing here to suggest a dimensional soundfield. While you'll
occasionally hear cheering in the surround channels and a modicum of environmental ambience —like the reverb during Norman's introduction of the
team at the school assembly—this track misses a lot of opportunities for true 5.1 engagement. When Norman first enters the school and the students
flood down the stairs and out of their classrooms past him, for instance, where are their footsteps or the sound of casual hallway chatter? There's a
decent spread across the front channels, but there are long stretches of the film where it might as well be monophonic.
It may have been nominated for an Oscar, but I'm still no fan of Jerry Goldsmith's score here—seriously, why the big drum machine beats?—and the
music sounds okay but unremarkable, with a squashed dynamic range that's mid-and-treble-heavy. Dialogue is mostly clean and clear, but every once in
awhile it seems boxy and thin, particularly when Norman shouts from the sidelines. And what's up with the cheering from the stands? Instead of
thunderous uproar, it sounds like a crowd as filtered and flattened through the speakers of a portable AM radio. I understand that this 5.1 track has been
repurposed from somewhat dated source material, but I've heard other films from the same era that sound much bigger, immersive, and dynamically
solid.
If there's one outstanding reason for fans to double-dip, it's the inclusion of the all bonus features that were missing from the 2007 release. There's nothing new here, unfortunately, but hey, it's all here.
So, is the Hoosiers 25th Anniversary Edition worth a double dip? That's a call you'll have to make on your own. If you already own the original Blu-ray release, wether or not to buy this new edition is simply going to come down to how much you love the film. The new encode is better, but not drastically better, and the special features are nice having but nothing you haven't seen before. It's a toss-up. On the other hand, if you don't yet have a copy of the movie—and want one—this is definitely the edition to get. Recommended for sports film fanatics, high school basketball nuts, and anyone who roots for the underdog.
25th Anniversary Edition | Awards O-Ring Slipcover
1986
1986
Blu-ray + VUDU Digital Copy + VUDU Offer
1986
MGM 90th Anniversary
1986
1986
2020
1993
2006
2006
2005
1984
2000
2023
Remastered
1976
2014
2004
2015
2006-2011
1994
Warner Archive Collection
1985
2009
10th Anniversary Edition
2004
2021
2011
1992