Remember the Titans

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Remember the Titans

Theatrical poster
Directed by Boaz Yakin
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer
Chad Oman
Written by Gregory Allen Howard
Starring Denzel Washington
Will Patton
Wood Harris
Ryan Hurst
Hayden Panettiere
Donald Faison
Ethan Suplee
Music by Trevor Rabin
Cinematography Philippe Rousselot
Editing by Michael Tronick
Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures
Release date(s) September 29, 2000
Running time 113 minutes (1 hour, 53 minutes)
Language English
Budget $30,000,000
Gross revenue $136,706,683

Remember the Titans is an American sports drama, directed by Boaz Yakin and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer for Walt Disney Pictures, released in 2000. The film stars Denzel Washington as coach Herman Boone and Ryan Hurst as Gerry Bertier. Remember the Titans centers on the American football team of the newly integrated T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia. Although based on a true story, events in the film are largely exaggerated, especially those pertaining to initial racial tensions within the team, as well as the level of opposition the Titans faced.[1]

Contents

[edit] Plot

In 1971, at the old desegregated T. C. Williams High School, Herman Boone (Denzel Washington), also derogatorily known as Coach "Coon," is hired as head coach for the school's football team. He takes the place promised to former head coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton). Yoast at first refuses Boone's offer as the assistant head coach, but then changes his mind after his white players pledge to boycott if he doesn't coach.

The black and white members of the football team clash in racially-motivated conflicts on a few occasions while at football camp but, after forceful coaxing and team building efforts by Coach Boone, the team achieves as well as success. Boone makes the camp quite rigorous; when the bus is leaving for the camp all members are instructed to wear a shirt and tie; anyone not doing so will watch the season and not compete. At the camp, anybody who displays any misconduct at practice is instructed to run a mile. One time during camp, Coach Boone wakes up the players at 3:00 am to run through the woods to end up at a Civil War battleground where he delivers a stirring speech on why that war was fought ("the same fight we are still having today").

After returning from camp, Boone is told by a member of the school board that if he loses even one game, he gets fired, putting more pressure on himself. The Titans go through the season undefeated while battling racial prejudice, before slowly gaining support from the community.

The main conflict becomes personal in the conflict between Gerry Bertier (Ryan Hurst) and Julius Campbell (Wood Harris), two outstanding players of different races. At first they can't stand one another but eventually become sworn brothers.

Just before the state semi-finals, Yoast is presented as a candidate for the state high school Hall of Fame, and the board tells Yoast that he will be inducted after the Titans lose their game. During the game, it becomes apparent that the board ordered the officials to fix the game against the Titans, and after seeing his daughter upset at the horrible calls, Yoast warns the head official that he will go public unless the game is called fairly. The Titans end up winning, but Yoast is told afterwards that he will not be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

All-American player Gerry is paralyzed from the waist down in an automobile accident while celebrating after the game. Although Gerry is no longer able to play, the team goes on to win the championship. The football team wins the AAA State championship game in Roanoke and is first runner-up in the national championship. Gerry later goes on to win a gold medal in the shot put event at the Paralympic Games. Ten years later, the team reunites at the end of the film to attend Gerry's funeral, after his death in another automobile accident.

[edit] Cast

[edit] Score

Trevor Rabin composed the instrumental score, of which "Titans Spirit" was the only cue (of 12 composed) added to the soundtrack. "Titans Spirit" was a rousing seven-minute exploration of the movie's energetic themes. It is used presently on many sports telecasts, particularly those on NBC, which has the score during its closing credits Olympic Games (Salt Lake 2002, Athens 2004, Torino 2006 and Beijing 2008) as well as with the final closing credits montage for their 12-year run with the NBA in 2002. The song was also played as veteran New York Mets players crossed home plate during the closing ceremonies at Shea Stadium.

It was also used during the 2008 Democratic National Convention to accompany the celebration and fireworks at Invesco Field after President Barack Obama gave his nomination acceptance speech, and also at Chicago's Grant Park immediately following Obama's victory speech upon winning the 2008 presidential election.[2]

[edit] Production

[edit] Locations

The film crew used several locations around metro Atlanta for filming. These included Druid Hills High School, Shamrock Middle School, Paulding County High School,[3] the city square in Covington, GA, Newton County's Sharp Stadium, Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, the Grady High School gym, and the stadiums of Sprayberry High School in Marietta and Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia. The film also used Berry College in Rome, Georgia, the football practice field of Clarkston High School, Stone Mountain parking lot for the bus leaving scene and Victory Stadium in Roanoke, Virginia.

The Perry High School Pride of the Crossroads Band from Perry, Georgia, played the T.C. Williams High School band.

[edit] Reception

Remember the Titans received generally positive reviews from the critics. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie 71% freshness rating from 126 reviews.[4] However, some critics have complained the story being too "predictable" perhaps because it was only "based" on a true story. The movie grossed $115,654,751 in the U.S. box office alone, earning $136,706,683 worldwide.[5]

[edit] Awards and nominations

Angel Awards

  • 2001
    • Nominated- Feature Film

BET Awards

Black Reel Awards

Blockbuster Entertainment Awards

Casting Society of America

  • 2001
    • Nominated- Best Casting for Feature Film, Drama- (Ronna Kress)

Image Awards

  • 2001
    • Won- Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture- (Denzel Washington)
    • Won- Outstanding Motion Picture
    • Nominated- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture- (Wood Harris)
    • Nominated- Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture- (Nicole Ari Parker)
    • Nominated- Outstanding Youth Actor/Actress (Krysten Leigh Jones)

Las Vegas Film Critics Society Awards

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

  • 2001
    • Nominated- Best Performance by a Youth in a Leading or Supporting Role (Hayden Panettiere)

Political Film Society

  • 2001
    • Won- Human Rights
    • Nominated- Exposé

Satellite Awards

  • 2001
    • Nominated- Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama (Denzel Washington)

Teen Choice Awards

  • 2001
    • Nominated- Film - Choice Drama/Action Adventure

Young Artist Awards

  • 2001
    • Won- Best Performance in a Feature Film - Supporting Young Actress (Hayden Panettiere)
    • Nominated- Best Family Feature Film - Drama

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://espn.go.com/page2/s/closer/020808.html/
  2. ^ http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1856561,00.html?iid=tsmodule
  3. ^ Remember the Titans (2000) - Trivia
  4. ^ http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/remember_the_titans/
  5. ^ http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=rememberthetitans.htm

[edit] External links

Search Wikiquote Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Remember the Titans
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Films directed by Boaz Yakin

Fresh (1994) · A Price Above Rubies (1998) · Remember the Titans (2000) · Uptown Girls (2003) · Death in Love (2008)
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