Oregon has been the setting for some great movies over the years, from Free Willy and Short Circuit to Twilight. There have also been some memorable sports movies that were either filmed in Oregon, are set here, or feature a sporting icon from the state.
Personal Best, 1982
This film from Robert Towne deals skilfully with the subject of female track and field athletics. It shows the audience how friendship and romance blossom during the training sessions as athletes attempt to qualify for the 1980 Olympic Games.
Many of the scenes were shot in California. However, some filming was also carried out in Eugene. This includes scenes at Hayward Field and the Track Town Pizza restaurant. Of course, the dreams of the athletes were shattered when the US boycotted the games in Moscow.
Personal Best was reasonably well received by critics and the public upon its release. Among the main points that have been praised are the way the character’s emotions are shown, while the performances of the main actors and actresses have also been praised.
Prefontaine, 1997
This biographical movie gives us a look at the life of legendary long distance runner Steve Prefontaine. Born in Coos Bay, he ran for the Oregon Track Club and smashed numerous national records over a variety of distances.
Prefontaine quickly became a national celebrity and appeared on the cover of publications such as Sports Illustrated and Track and Field News. He trained under Bill Bowerman at the University of Oregon and many analysts believed that he was destined to become the best long-distance runner in the world. Sadly, he died in a car accident at the age of 24, while in training for the 1976 Olympics.
This film is seen from the point of Bill Dellinger, who was the runner’s assistant coach. Jared Leto plays Prefontaine. We get to see the drama of the 1972 Munich Olympics, where he leads the field near the end but ends up losing out on a medal.
The scenes were mainly filmed in Washington, with Peyton Field given a makeover to appear like Hayward Field at the University of Oregon.
Without Limits, 1998
The year after Prefontaine was released, a second film based on the life of this runner was made. This version of the runner’s life story was written and directed by Robert Towne. It looks mainly at the relationship between Prefontaine and his coach Bill Bowerman.
The reviews were mainly positive, although is grossed just $777,000 at the box office due to a relatively understated marketing campaign. Donald Sutherland was nominated for a Golden Globe as best supporting actor, thanks to his portrayal of Bowerman.
The real Hayward Field at the University of Oregon was used for filming, as was Heceta Beach. It provides an interesting look at an iconic athlete from Oregon and is well worth looking out for.
When the Game Stands Tall, 2014
This movie looks at the incredible 151-match winning streak put together by De La Salle High School over 1992 to 2003. If you enjoy sports betting online, such as the latest NFL SuperBowl wagers, then you will appreciate that we are unlikely to ever again see a winning streak like this.
The link to Oregon comes from wide receiver Can Colvin, who joined the University of Oregon after playing for the Spartans. In an interview, Colvin stated that actor Ser’Darius Blain did a great on portraying him.
He also pointed out that it “felt like home” when he left the Spartans to play in Oregon. The movie was a success at the box office, grossing over $30 million domestically.
