Hoop Dreams Film Analysis

The film Hoop Dreams uses the notion of transcendence to sell the story of the characters, Arthur and William. The protagonists begin with their backs against the wall to eventually reach their life changing dream of the National Basketball Association (Abdel-Shehid & Kalman-Lamb, 111). Bell hooks interprets this transcendence as something more akin to shielding viewers from the reality and weight of the protagonists’ situation. This shield allows the viewers to simply root for William Gates and Arthur Agee instead of coming face-to-face with the real socio-cultural issues of the setting (117).
In the chapter, Sport and Film, the term transcendence is coined, which is defined as “going beyond or surpassing all worldly constraints” (111).

Hooks' commentary of the film discusses the portrayal of the "gaze," which is a form of representation that involves the "gazing" or watching of black people (112). This "gaze" suggests the inferiority of black individuals and superiority of white individuals. This can also be traced back to the slave system, in which the blacks fulfilled labour duties and the whites stood by and watched (112). Moreover, hooks implies that there is this subliminal racial inequality that is supported by an unequal form of representation (112). In regards to the creation of the film, which was made by white individuals, they are able control the portrayal of two black adolescents from Chicago. hooks explains that this is problematic because there is this predominantly white audience that views the film for entertainment purposes but fails to acknowledge or make an effort to "know real black people" (112). Hooks argues that the film fails to outline the "political and economic reasons" for the absence of paternal involvement, and the focus is rather on basketball, transcendence, and the normalization of fatherless black adolescents (113, 114). Moreover, the film portrays the stereotypical notion between basketball and being black (114). hooks argues that the film implements the idea that desire to be involved with basketball is universal amongst black society, while the directors of the film have completely disregarded any educational motive