The Air Up There
Encyclopedia
The Air Up There is a 1994 comedy film
directed by Paul Michael Glaser
and starring Kevin Bacon
and Charles Gitonga Maina
with Yolanda Vazquez
as Sister Susan.
) is a college basketball
assistant coach who wants to find a new star for his team since he believes this will get him a promotion to head coach at the school. He sees a home video of a prospect named Saleh and travels to Africa
to recruit him. Upon arriving in this continent, Dolan finds himself confronted not only with the challenges of basketball but also with the challenges of adjusting to and learning how to live in the midst of a brand-new culture. Though Dolan is initially opposed by Saleh's father who is also the leader of the village, he later agrees to let his son play. Dolan and Saleh both teach each other life lessons before they take the court for one final game with everything on the line. Dolan and Saleh win the match and the film ends with Saleh being recruited, and finally playing for the college basketball team that Dolan coaches. One of the most dramatic and exciting scenes in the film involves the tuition of Saleh by Dolan regarding the "Jimmy Dolan Shake and Bake," a basketball style made famous by the Bahr Brothers in the mid-1990s.
& Hamilton, Ontario
, Canada
. Copps Coliseum
stood in for the University's arena. Scenes in Africa were shot in Kenya
and Hoedspruit
, South Africa
.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Paul Michael Glaser
Paul Michael Glaser
Paul Michael Glaser is an American actor and director, perhaps best known for his role as Detective David Starsky on the 1970s television series Starsky and Hutch; he also appeared as Captain Jack Steeper on the 1999 to 2005 NBC series Third Watch.-Early life:Glaser, the youngest of three...
and starring Kevin Bacon
Kevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
and Charles Gitonga Maina
Charles Gitonga Maina
Charles Gitonga Maina is a 6'10" Kenyan-born actor best known for his co-starring role in The Air Up There. On the set of this film, Maina's character Saleh is taught the "Jimmy Dolan Shake and Bake," a basketball move that led his team to victory.Maina also guest starred in the episode "Lostland"...
with Yolanda Vazquez
Yolanda Vazquez
Yolanda Vazquez is a film, television and theatre actress best known for appearing in the film The Air Up There. More recently, she had a cameo in the well-received British indie science fiction thriller, Children of Men...
as Sister Susan.
Plot
Jimmy Dolan (Kevin BaconKevin Bacon
Kevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
) is a college basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
assistant coach who wants to find a new star for his team since he believes this will get him a promotion to head coach at the school. He sees a home video of a prospect named Saleh and travels to Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
to recruit him. Upon arriving in this continent, Dolan finds himself confronted not only with the challenges of basketball but also with the challenges of adjusting to and learning how to live in the midst of a brand-new culture. Though Dolan is initially opposed by Saleh's father who is also the leader of the village, he later agrees to let his son play. Dolan and Saleh both teach each other life lessons before they take the court for one final game with everything on the line. Dolan and Saleh win the match and the film ends with Saleh being recruited, and finally playing for the college basketball team that Dolan coaches. One of the most dramatic and exciting scenes in the film involves the tuition of Saleh by Dolan regarding the "Jimmy Dolan Shake and Bake," a basketball style made famous by the Bahr Brothers in the mid-1990s.
Cast
- Kevin BaconKevin BaconKevin Norwood Bacon is an American film and theater actor whose notable roles include Animal House, Diner, Footloose, Flatliners, Wild Things, A Few Good Men, JFK, Apollo 13, Mystic River, The Woodsman, Trapped, Friday the 13th, Hollow Man, Tremors, Death Sentence, Frost/Nixon, Crazy, Stupid, Love....
as Jimmy Dolan, a college basketball coach - Charles Gitonga MainaCharles Gitonga MainaCharles Gitonga Maina is a 6'10" Kenyan-born actor best known for his co-starring role in The Air Up There. On the set of this film, Maina's character Saleh is taught the "Jimmy Dolan Shake and Bake," a basketball move that led his team to victory.Maina also guest starred in the episode "Lostland"...
as Saleh, a basketball player from an African village - Yolanda VazquezYolanda VazquezYolanda Vazquez is a film, television and theatre actress best known for appearing in the film The Air Up There. More recently, she had a cameo in the well-received British indie science fiction thriller, Children of Men...
as Sister Susan - Winston NtshonaWinston NtshonaWinston Ntshona is a South African playwright and actor.Born in Port Elizabeth, Ntshona worked alongside fellow South African Athol Fugard on several occasions and played a minor role in Richard Attenborough's acclaimed film Gandhi....
as Urudu - Mabutho 'Kid' Sithole as Nyaga
- Sean McCannSean McCann (actor)Sean McCann is one of Canada's most successful character actors and has been in the business for over 40 years. Winner of the prestigious Earle Grey Award for his lifetime achievement in television, Sean McCann has appeared in over 150 movies, television shows and plays.- Notable roles and awards...
as Ray Fox - Dennis PatrickDennis PatrickDennis Patrick was a well-respected American character actor best known for his works in television shows such as Jason McGuire and Paul Stoddard in Dark Shadows, Somerset, Vaughn Leland in Dallas, movies such as Joe...
as Father O'Hara
Production
For scenes taking place in the United States, the film was actually shot in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
& Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum
Copps Coliseum is a sports and entertainment arena, on the corner of Bay Street North and York Boulevard, in Hamilton, Ontario. Depending on event, the Copps Coliseum has a capacity of up to 19,000.It is named after the former Hamilton mayor, Victor K...
stood in for the University's arena. Scenes in Africa were shot in Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
and Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit
Hoedspruit is a town situated at the foot of the Klein Drakensberg , in the Limpopo province of South Africa, on the railway line from Tzaneen to Kaapmuiden.-Economy:...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.