The Other Dream Team chronicles a basketball team from Lithuania that first experienced Soviet domination, then freedom, then even international endorsements, as well as multiple Olympic appearances. This intriguing documentary has its sports audience built-in, sure, but extenuating social, political and even musical events are tethered to the story, expanding its appeal to quadrants outside the sports arena.
The audience will recognize the players and commentators according to their personal knowledge of the NBA as well as international basketball leagues. The Lithuanian dream team was sublimated and identified as Soviet for the 1988 Summer Olympics held in South Korea, and triumphantly held their own as Lithuanians in the 1992 Olympics, reflecting the fall of the Berlin Wall and a new spirit for independent nations.
It’s not ironic that the team treasures their bronze award for the ’92 games over the gold medal for the ’88 games. Oh yeah, for the Barcelona games the team was marginally subsidized by the Grateful Dead who provided uniforms that the dream team proudly wore during the competition.
The Other Dream Team takes you places you haven’t been and provides convincing glances at how history 20 years was more in flux than it is now. A recap at the end shows where all the players of the Lithuanian team eventually landed.
The Other Dream Team opens exclusively at the River Oaks Three Theater this weekend. Also note that the RO3 hosts weekend midnight screenings, mostly of cool genre films. This weekend is the 1970 hippie Satanist rampage I Drink Your Blood. Upcoming weekend midnight flicks include The Hunger (10/19-20) and Gremlins (11/2-3).
– Michael Bergeron
