Reviews (61)

An insight into late 20th century culture and racial issues
In WHEN WE WERE KINGS, Leon Gast portrays 1974's "Rumble in the Jungle" as a cultural milestone in American history. This is more than a film on boxing -- it sheds light on the entire sport of boxing and, more importantly, on issues of race in America and rest of the world in the late 20th century. Intellectuals such as Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, and Spike Lee add comentary, and ask questions such as: Who was the "good" black boxer? Who should we root for, the draft-dodging but personable and funny Ali, aged and probably past his prime, or the super-talented, but also aloof and arrogant, Foreman. The contrast between the ways in which each boxer relates to the black Africans in Zaire is interesting and touching, and the fans' pre- and mid-fight chants trying to rally the losing Ali stay with you long after the film has faded to black. The film sets off at a lightnign quick pace and never slows down, and the last twenty minutes is among the most triumphant filmmaking, documentary or fictional, that I have ever seen. This film is a must see for sport fans, cultural historians, and anybody who loves good movies.

great background on Rumble in the Jungle 1974 event
The thing that leaped out at me:
1) BB King's singing and playing guitar in 1974 in Africa was at the top of his game.
2) Norman Mailer's analysis and insight when interviewed 1974 is like a sample from his book, "Fight", which is now featured, in part, on Muhammad Ali's web site now.
3) Ali seemed like a smartalec to me in 1974, but now in 2004 looking at the old footage of him talking, he seems charismatic and funny .If you want lots of Rumble in the Jungle fight footage, this is not the DVD for you, but if you want insight in to the event and what contributed to Ali's upset of Foreman, this is a must have.

Not quite the whole truth
My DVD, bought in England, contains as extras the full-length footage, round by round, of both the Rumble and the Thrilla, with English commentary by David Frost among others. I have to agree with those reviewers who have pointed out that WWWK badly misrepresents the fight. The simple truth is that Ali won every round of the Rumble. He was right on top of Foreman from the outset, and the clever editing and dramatic spin put on the match by Norman Mailer is just so much fiction. Foreman looked like he'd swallowed some substance which was the opposite of speed: as Joe Frazier said in the live commentary, he was missing with empty air-swings and "boxing foolish". After two rounds, which was about as far as he'd needed to go in previous fights, he ran out of wind. He still tried to use Ali's body as a punch-bag, more and more feebly, while Ali was picking off blow after blow to Foreman's head as if it was a standing punch-ball. Ali certainly threw a head-punch with shattering speed. He rolled around on the ropes a lot of the time, but for the rest he ducked away and danced around grinning fit to bust, mocking Foreman with his mouth and winking to the crowd. He was in much better physical shape, superbly fit, and he boxed an extremely smart strategy in the local conditions. WWWK is still a great film, however, full of interesting comment on the politics and hoop-la of the event: but it's marred by its fake telling of the fight. Ali is presented in all his glorious charismatic uppity persona, a magnificent physical presence, funny and clever, the epitome of boxing skill. I could have done without a lot of the music etc, but it seems this was part of the original reason for making the film. Four stars for WWWK, five stars for this DVD because it has the real thing as an extra feature.

One of the Best Documentaries Ever
This fight was one of the first distinct memories of my childhood. The damn thing took forever to come on TV (my father and his friends had gotten it on closed circuit in Germany) and I fell asleep at least once waiting for the fighters to finally make it into the ring. I was too young to understand everything that went on in the leadup to the "event" (and that's what it was) and I was absolutely delighted to learn that this film was going to be released so I could catch up.

And it is a truly great film. It is a great film because it documents a great time in American and African history and because the things it documents are inherently dramatic and exciting. That said, this is also a terrific film from a filmmaking point of view; wonderful camera work, in your face documenting, and intelligent editing. It's not as "artsy" as Leni Riefenstahl's classic documentation of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but that event had a totally different cultural and historical context.

As a sport film, this movie is also important because it documents one of the greatest fights of all time; Ali correctly noted after the fight that his rope-a-dope strategy would go down in the annals of boxing.

All in all a wonderfully entertaining, informative, and inspiring way to spend about 90 minutes of your time.

Ali Boom Bay Yea
As a piece of archival footage this film can't be beat, as it captures the chaos and pageantry that surrounded the Ali-Foreman fight in 1974. Ali never looked so great as he did in the build up to this fight. He was in prime form, even if a heavy underdog to the massive George Foreman. Leon Gast captures Ali in all his crazy kinetic glory, boasting proudly of how he would dance, and Foreman wouldn't lay a glove on him. Gast also focuses on Don King who in typical fashion played both ends of the stick, promoting both fighters and coming up with a $10 million purse thanks to Mobutu Sese Seko, Zaire's ruthless dictator, who saw a potential windfall for the country in the international attention this fight would generate. As Ali noted, some nations go to war to get attention and this fight will cost a lot less than a war. What we got was the famous "Rumble in the Jungle."

Unfortunately, this film doesn't go very deep in analyzing the fight, and gives the fight itself surprisingly short shrift. All we get are a handful of truncated rounds and the final blow delivered by Ali. But, what this film does provide is the pageant that surrounded the fight along with engaging commentary by Norman Mailler, who evocatively captured the spectacle in "The Fight," George Plimpton, Thomas Hauser, who has written the definitive biography on Ali, and Spike Lee. Mailler is the most fun to listen to, as he lived and breathed the fight and gives some of the most trenchant comments on it, but he too seemed mystified at how Ali pulled it off, chalking it up to the "trembling woman" who supposedly sucked the life out of Foreman.

George Foreman seemed invincible, having torn apart Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, but he simply wasn't prepared to deal with someone of Ali's caliber, or the massive publicity this fight generated. Foreman was also shocked to be so poorly received in Africa, where Ali was King. Foreman seemed out of place in Kinshasha, never able to find his footing or able to deal with a crafty fighter like Ali, who came up with his famous "rope-a-dope" that evening. Foreman simply punched himself out and had nothing left after seven rounds. It was then that Ali worked his magic and proved to the world that he was indeed the greatest, staging one of the most astonishing comebacks in sports history.

"Ali Boom Bay Yea" the crowd chanted as Ali fought himself off the ropes and pummeled Foreman with an array of blows that had him tumbling to the mat. Ali never had another moment like this, although he would successfully defend his title 10 times before his ignominous defeat to Leon Spinks in 1978, only to regain it for the third time that year. This film does more than any other at capturing Ali in top form, with all his remarkable charisma and incredible talent. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Too Pretty To Be A Fighter
I popped some popcorn and settled onto my couch - and was blown away - watched the entire thing in 1 day

Some of the rarest and greatest footage I've ever seen!

It felt like a treat to watch the fights I've only read about - I watched both Liston fights! - how many people can say that?

As the fights are concerned - you get to see them! - you get to watch Ali dance and dance - you get to watch him float like a butterfly and sting like a bee - you get to watch him apply his craft - I've never seen the amount of Ali fights as I did on the day I watched these videos. To be fair - some of the fights you only get a couple of important rounds - but as a whole this is the greatest of any Ali VHS/DVD I've ever seen.

You get to see some others interviewed about Muhammad Ali - from his brother - To Angelo Dundee - to Malcolm X - it' just incredable the amount of footage that this makes available to you.

I know it's said a lot, but if you're an Ali fan you HAVE to own this...you have to!

The best documentary of "The Greatest"
If you're a fan of the great Muhammad Ali, or have an interest in boxing history, or even just an interest in a fascinating period in American history, this 6-tape set (just under six hours total) will be worth the price. It contains a lot of rare footage of Ali in and out of the ring, as well as insightful commentaries by Angelo Dundee and others who knew him best. Of course it's impossible to separate Ali from his social impact and the turbulent times he lived in during his boxing days, and those are certainly covered in this set, but the main emphasis is really on his remarkable boxing career. Aside from his legendary fights with Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Foreman, there's extensive footage of many less-famous fights with boxers like Henry Cooper, Floyd Patterson, Archie Moore, George Chuvalo, Ernie Terrell, Jerry Quarry, Oscar Bonavena, and so on, and even his Olympic and early progessional fights. If you'd like the most complete Ali documentary available, this is the one you're looking for.

Amazing Footage
I have yet to view anything concerning Ali that surpasses this documentary. This is an absolute must have for any Ali fan.

The Greatest
Anyone who is a fan of Muhammad Ali, or who understands or admires his greatness, it would be unfair for them not to see this movie. The words really dont do it Justice as to the Depth of it's content. The fights, in depth interviews, and out of the ring footage is truly remarkable. This is a must see for any Boxing fan.....

Great Documentary
This documentary is very good, it has tons of fight footage. It has clips from some of Ali's bigger amateur fights, his Olympic fight, some of his bigger fights before fighting Liston. His fight with Liston, clips from all of his 9 title defenses. Clips from his first fight with Frazier, his fights with Norton. No clips of Ali-Frazier II which was kind of dissapointing, but most of the Rumble in the Jungle and most of the Thrilla in Manila. The only other dissapointing thing was that they didnt show clips of Ali-Spinks II which would have been interesting. Great documentary, 6 episodes an hour each, insights from Angelo Dundee, Jerry Izenberg, Ferdie Pacheco, Wali Muhamad, Howard Cosell etc deffinately worth buying. ... Read more

Description

Five champions together for the last time! Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, Ken Norton. For more than twenty years, these kings of boxing ruled the ring as they passed the world heavyweight title from one to the other. Now, for the first time, see them all come face to face--gloves off--in an unprecedented video event, hosted by Reggie Jackson. In "Champions Forever," you'll discover the real men behind the legends, uncover the hidden anguish and secret passions that drove them to greatness. Hear them talk about themselves--and each other--with surprising candor. Relive the most thrilling moments from dozens of their greatest bouts and hear the fascinating truth about how these legends felt when they squared off to do battle. This is unlike any sports video you've ever seen, an exciting, emotional odyssey through the awesome careers of five bigger than life heroes who, for millions of us, will always be "Champions Forever." ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Pretty Decent Tribute to 5 Great Heavyweights
I recently purchased the "Champions Forever" DVD and was disappointed. I was hoping for more fight footage. I remember watching the video when I was a kid and thinking there was much more boxing, perhaps even complete bouts. Imagine my excitement when I saw the list of fights (even amateur ones) and my disappointment when I realized how chopped up they were. Somebody needs to make a DVD of classic fights. Hey, anybody listening?

But as a "time capsule" tribute, this is definitely worth owning whether you're a boxing devotee, a casual fan or don't care much for it at all. Listening to these old-timers candidly recount their greatest triumphs and smoldering defeats is worth buying this DVD. And you will be blinking back tears when you hear Ali (still relatively coherent at this point because his affliction is still in its early stages) talk about having Parkinsons syndrome. "Usually, people with Parkinsons, hands shake", he says as he demonstrates. "But look" he says, holding up his fists. "You don't see me shaking."

I was also surprised at how bitter and resentful Joe Frazier still is towards Ali. There are some uncomfortable moments in both the sitdown interview and the dinner special.

A Very Uncomfortable Dinner But Great Fights
A Very Uncomfortable Dinner But Great Fights

Great DVD - 4.25 Stars

This is difficult to review - some of the greatest scenes I've ever seen and some of the hardest scenes I've ever seen.

Here's what's hard- watching what's happened to Muhammad. It's just difficult and sad. He's still the Greatest and still likes to clown, but you just can't help but wonder why or what if...

What's also painful is watching the dinner with these great champions. It's good and bad, but mostly just really uncomfortable.

On to the good.

I've never seen so much great fight footage on one DVD.

You don't get entire fights, but get the highlights. It's absolutely amazing and worth getting the DVD (or VHS) for this only - everything else is gravy.

An absolute must have for any boxing fan.
A great item for any Ali fan - there's actually one moment where Ali talks about coming back and taking on Tyson - and I found myself excited and actually thinking how great that would be...and then waking up to the reality and silently laughing at myself.

If you're a George Foreman fan I think you'll want this as well. George comes across as not only a great champion, but a humble and incredible man as well.

Help's put thing's into perspective
I thought this was a great documentary. They do show Ali alot, but it's not really because their being unfair, it's just that he was the best of the 5 and was so much more of a figure then the rest. However, it was unfair that they cut off Holmes' reign. They start off in the early 60s with Cassius Clay pummeling Sonny Liston, ignoring the fact that the Ali-Frazier-Foreman-Norton-Holmes fights didn't begin until the 70's, yet when the Ali-Frazier-Foreman-Norton-Holmes fights end with Holmes beating Norton, the documentary ends rather then going into Larry's achievements. Yes Ali was the best, yes Ali would have beaten Holmes, yes Ali's career in the 60's was very profound because of the Vietnam controversy, but give Larry some justice.

As mentioned, this documentary revolves around Ali. It shows clips of his domination of boxing in the 60's, then make's some statements about the Vietnam controversy, and give's the other 4 guys opinions on Ali's decision not to enter the service. Smokin' Joe Frazier is the only one who disagrees with Ali not going, and Frazier make's it clear that he feel's that not only is Ali insane, but Frazier feels that during their 3 fights Ali was someone who was not trying to get attention for the fights, not someone who was trying to get big purses and big gates for the fights, but that Ali was simply trying to personaly hurt Frazier. Ali make's an apology to Frazier at the end, but to this day I think these two just are two guy's who just wont get along.

It goes into Frazier and his fights with Quarry and Ellis, then it goes into Ali-Frazier I and Frazier's victory over Ali. Then we go into Big George Foreman, his Olympic Days, and his obliteration of Frazier and Norton. What is interesting is that when you see Ali-Foreman, the Rumble in the Jungle, without seeing the Frazier-Norton Foreman fights, you kind of wonder why everyone thinks Ali is going to lose. The Rumble in the Jungle looks like a blow out, Ali destroying Foreman. But by seeing the way that Foreman hits Frazier and Norton, and the way they just suddenly collapse, then look at the way that Foreman was hitting Ali, you can see how the 70s spectators might have figured "Ali's in trouble."

Before the Rumble in the Jungle in Zaire, we see Ali-Norton I in California. Norton breaks Ali's jaw and wins the fight. Ali won the rematch, but they dont show the rematch in this film. They do however show Ali's victory over Frazier in their rematch.

Then we see Zaire, where Ali add's insult to injury to the Boxing Commissions, Conservatives, and Hard Hats of the Vietnam period by knocking out George Foreman and regaining his title. They took his title, kicked him out, tried to send him to jail, he got back in, didn't go to jail, and got his title back. That, my friends, is revenge.

Then we see the Thrilla in Manila, which along with Hagler-Hearns is thought to be the most savage fight in boxing history.

We then see a bald Joe Frazier once again get creamed by George Foreman, who then retired because of a loss to Jimmy Young and a decision to become a minister. Big George later regained the title by knocking Michael Moorer's head off, but this documentary was made before that.

Then we see the Rubber Match between Ali and Norton. Many people feel that Norton won, but if you look at the fight, you see Norton standing, Ali jabbing, then finally when there's 2 seconds left in the round, Norton charges at Ali, throws some bombs, which Ali blocks. Similar to the recent Roy Jones Jr.-Antonio Tarver fight, Jones keeps hitting Tarver, Tarver stands still, then with 2 seconds left in the round Tarver gets Jones on the ropes and throws bombs, but Tarver still loses, as did Norton. Ali also should have retired after Manila, so that, plus the fact that Ali never had an easy time with Norton, explains Ali's lackluster performance, though he still won.

Then we see the Ali-Spinks fights, Ali becoming three time champion.

It then goes into Larry Holmes beating Ken Norton in their barn burner battle, but we dont see any of Holmes' later title defenses besides his fight with Ali where Ali is simply to old and to sickly to fight anymore. We do see Holmes losing to Tyson in what I consider to be one of the ugliest KO's of the past 20 years, during the begining of the documentary. It's bad enough they didn't show the rest of Holmes' career, his wins over Shavers and Cooney and other Title Defenses, they didn't have to add to it by showing him getting obliterated by Iron Mike. Holmes lost to Tyson the way Ali lost to Holmes, Holmes was getting old and at that point he shouldn't have been in the same ring with Tyson.

I thought this documentary was very good. This was the greatest period in Heavyweight History, and Ali beat all these guys, except Holmes. Doubtless a 25 year old Ali beats a 25 year old Holmes, but when their actual fight took place we have Holmes in his 20s against a 38 year old Parkinsonian Ali. We do see Ali landing some good jabs on Holmes early in the fight, so in my opinion that dispels the myth that Holmes had a better jab. Holmes was great, but he was like a downgraded version of Ali, anything Holmes can do Ali can do better. Ali's prime ended in 1967, Ali fought Holmes in 1980.

The fights that never happened between these guy's were Norton-Frazier, Holmes-Frazier, Holmes-Foreman, which would have all been battles. I think Frazier blows Norton away because Norton cant take a punch, I think Holmes can beat Frazier by decision but it would not be easy, the one I really don't know who wins in is Holmes-Foreman, that's a toughy.

Good documentary, but don't think of this simply as a tribute to Ali and his victims, it does a decent job with all of them and tries to treat them all as Champions, you can't blame Ali for beating everyone.

great overall
This is basically the tale of the five - Ali, Frazier, Norton, Foreman, Holmes - dominant heavyweights during the 70's, generally regarded the golden age of the division. Of course, Ali and Frazier began their careers in the 60's, but it was in the 70's that all 5 of them occupied the galaxy at the same time and had to inevitably fight one another.

This DVD differs only slightly from the Laserdisc version, but it is the extra interview that makes the difference. It is interesting to hear at least three (or four) of the five wonder how they would have against Jack Johnson. Of course, Johnson was the first black heavyweight champion, but more than that, he was a mold breaker in terms of his defense and in his ability to fight the "mental" game. He knew how to stoke the public and press, literally he was ahead of his time, he was Ali before there was Ali. (And there are not a few computer simulated fights by magazines that would have Johnson beating Ali.)

In the interviews, we also share the sadness that Larry Holmes felt while he was champion, where most of the time he was considered an Ali clone and never really on his own merits. Then, before he even got his due, Mike Tyson eclipsed him. Larry Holmes may have been "technically the best" of the five, and in the interview, he illustrates this clearly; when they still sparred, not only can he block Ali's jab, but he can return it stiffer and sharper. They're about the same in size and reach, and it was not until he was 38 that Holmes was knocked out, so they may have been equal in the density of their chins. Although they're not exactly similar stylistically, Holmes had Ali's 1960's athleticism. Holmes edge? The jab, and the power in both hands overall is just a tad greater.

In the end, that is about my only complaint about this movie. It's that the four other fighters merely serve as a footnote to the great career of Ali. Even that segment where we see Joe Frazier in his brutal duel with Jerry Quarry and his victory over Jimmy Ellis, all we hear is the voice of Ali (while he toured the college circuit) asking students "Who's the champion of the world?!" It's too contrived and in my opinion, bad taste. Even the footages of the political events during the 1960's-early 70's were no doubt there to illustrate Ali's social consciousness and the sacrifice he made for his political position.

Ali was indeed a great fighter, definitely the greatest heavyweight, but his greatness was fulfilled by his duels with the fighters who shared the billing with him in the movie. An even presentation would have been welcome, after all, Ali does not need any help in the promotion department anymore.

Overall, this is a good DVD. However, as a boxing fan, you cannot help but wonder, after watching them in action, how the following matchups, which never happened, would have gone:

-Norton vs. Frazier (they were basically stablemates under Eddie Futch, which probably explains why they never met in a formal match)

-Foreman vs. Holmes anytime around 1974-78. This one, I would have paid to see.

Enjoy.

really cool
this is a Must Collection that truly pays due to Some of the Greatest Champions in any Sport period.it's so cool to See clips&hear these Cats talk about how they got to where they did.it's a Very Special Collection for me.this is Prime Time Heavyweights. ... Read more

Amazon.com

"Every fight is the intersection of two stories," someone says in this enthralling documentary about a near-forgotten chapter in boxing history. The stories crossing paths in The Last Round are those of Muhammad Ali, considered by many the greatest pugilist in history and a controversial figure in his 1960s prime, and George Chuvalo, a Canadian fighter whose fortunes swayed radically until he got a near-accidental shot at Ali's heavyweight crown. While the former Cassius Clay was busy re-inventing himself from sassy press darling to Nation of Islam follower and draft resister, Chuvalo switched managers more often than his socks, scraping by, exploited, and increasingly desperate to realize his potential. Ali never took him seriously until a confluence of social and ideological forces put them together in a ring, where their match-up, as we see through archival footage, had more than a passing resemblance to those 15 rounds in Rocky. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great piece of pugilist history
This story is basically told through George Chuvalo, Canada's greatest heavyweight ever. This is a story of a real "Rocky Balboa" and the riviting documentry takes us from George's humble beginnings in Toronto right up to his shot at the heavyweight title in his unforgettable battle with Muhammad Ali. This film has some of the best fight footage I've ever seen that takes you into the ring and behind the scenes and in the locker rooms.
Great commentary not only from Chuvalo but from Ali's trainer Angelo Dundee, writers Jimmy Breslin, Burt Sugar and others connected to the fight scene here in it's last glory days of the 1960's. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Muhammad Ali's grace, charisma, and remarkable bravado shine through in this affectionate look at his life and career. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World takes a fairly straightforward documentary approach, chronicling Ali's life and career through film footage and interviews with journalists, loved ones, and a few bizarre commentators, like Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. The film does an excellent job of conveying both Ali's genuine importance as a historical figure and his incredible personal magnetism. Though the documentary doesn't shy away from his faults, Ali is simply impossible to dislike. Most importantly, the film's commentary and carefully selected fight footage make it clear even to those who don't follow the sport what a remarkable boxer Ali was. At one point, Lennox Lewis refers to the "sweet science" of not getting hit, and watching Ali dodge a barrage of punches, we understand exactly what he means. Muhammad Ali: Through the Eyes of the World doesn't pack quite the dramatic wallop of When We Were Kings, but it is a compelling look at one of history's greatest athletes. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Thriller Boom in my Living Room
What an outstanding DVD (4.75 stars) -

I was really skeptical at first because the price was so low and I just thought this was going to be one of those cheap and poorly put together Muhammad Ali pieces. I put it on my Holiday Wish List and I figured 10 bucks is pretty cheap for a family member and it's a DVD I want to check out...Maaaan did I get lucky!

Lots of great, fun and rare footage. Some great interviews and thoughts and memories from some pretty interesting people and a hilarious story from Billy Crystal in the Special Features section (the only good thing about that section otherwise it's pretty lame)

Great for any Muhammad Ali fan! - The price for this DVD is absolutely outstanding!

Comprehensive documentary on The Greatest
Muhammad Ali was recently named the "Sportsman of the Century" by Sports Illustrated magazine. "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World," which comes out on January 29th, tells the amazing story of this great athlete, political figure, and celebrity and you can easily see why Ali might have been chosen for this great honor. After all, he always knew he was "The Greatest" - something he claimed about himself from his earliest days of boxing.

"Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a documentary without a narrator. It basically is hundreds of short clips of interviews of everyone from childhood neighbors, former trainers, boxing opponents, friends, family, celebrities, etc. All of these are held together and made cohesive with clips from various sports and boxing historians. The number of voices making up the documentary, though, is really stunning! About the only one they didn't get a current interview from was Ali himself, but given that he suffers from Parkinson's disease now, that would probably have been fairly difficult.

As most people born before 1985 know, Ali was born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky. His start in boxing came from his bicycle being stolen. He told his father that he was going to "woop" whoever it was when he found out who had stolen his bike. His father asked if he knew how to fight and Ali said no, so his father took him to the local boxing ring and thus was born one of the greatest if not THE greatest boxer ever. What he did in the ring was revolutionary for a heavyweight, as he danced around with the agility of a Barishnikov ducking and bobbing and getting in a punch here and there till he finally bested his opponents either by out and out knockout or by TKO. At least this was the case in his early days. This documentary covers all of his fights, and although there was only an average of 10 or 15 seconds of footage of each fight (save for his fight with Spinx where there is only a still image), at least there was footage of each and lots of commentary about each fight from various people.

Ali was great not only for what he did in the ring, of course, but for his behavior in the public eye. He was a showboater and braggadocio, of course, but he backed this up and was a gracious looser the few times this happened. Nevertheless, more importantly he was outspoken about his own political and moral beliefs. Most people know that he converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and subscribed to many of the stances of that organization, at least initially. But what many don't know is that Ali was outspoken even before this. For example after coming back from winning the gold metal for boxing in the 1960 Olympics, he through his metal into the Ohio River to protest the racism that was still blatantly prevalent in his home town.

The documentary does not shy away from the controversial aspects of some of what made Ali a complex individual, although it definitely puts his flaws in a positive light, as if to make excuses for them. For example, although a wonderfully supportive father, Ali had 4 wives, and apparently quite a few affairs on top of this. While he divorced one wife apparently because she did not want to cover herself in the way that the Nation of Islam would have proposed (as well wanting to dance, smoke, etc.), Ali was seen escorting new girlfriends on trips while still married. The only family members actually interviewed were one his former wives and one of his daughters. Both are very favorable towards Ali, and his daughter actually says she's glad he was so prolific with relationships or she and all her brothers and sisters would not be around.

The documentary is almost two hours long, so has quite a bit of great footage. Universal presents it in anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), and transfer is wonderful - at least as far as the modern interview clips go. Of course earlier footage of fights, interviews, etc. from the '60's and 70's are flawed, but there's not much that could have been done about these. The audio is almost primarily dialogue and so the 5.1 Dolby Digital Soundtrack really doesn't get a chance to show off, but the dialogue is crisp and clean for what its worth. One would not expect to see extras on a documentary, but Universal has provided a decent array of bonus material, although each one is fairly small in length. I actually preferred this after watching the 114-minute documentary! Included is a music video, stills of the artwork of Leroy Nieman who did live work during Ali's fights, additional interview outtakes, and a very short "featurette" which could have been simply inserted into the documentary itself without seeming out of place. Also there is an Ali Center Promo: The Ali Center is being built in downtown Louisville and will promote learning and striving for excellence in all areas for youth based on Ali's own life experiences. Finally, there is "Through the Eyes of the World" which has short clips from the "man-on-the-street" but also some boxing professionals on what Ali means to them. I would have liked somewhat longer clips for these as they were only about 10-20 seconds each, but there are so many (10 countries are represented), that having clips that were much more than a couple of minutes per country would probably have gotten a bit tiresome, especially after the fairly long documentary. All these extras and the documentary itself make a really good value for even the list price..., let alone for discounted copies!

Overall, "Muhammad Ali Through The Eyes of the World" is a very comprehensive documentary. It tells a complete story of a great figure, both within sports and outside, from so many different perspectives, with so much old and newer footage, and with so many voices, that you can't help to come away from it feeling like you've really learned a great deal about Ali, and why he himself as well as so many other still consider him to be "The Greatest."

Loved it
This is the greatest Ali movie ever made. Period ... Read more

Amazon.com

Made in 1970, just as he was reaching the end of a three-year exile fromboxing, A.K.A. Cassius Clay is a documentary about Muhammad Ali's lifeand career. Produced by Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton, who would go on to manageMike Tyson, it includes reams of Jacobs's vast collection of fight footage, someof it familiar, some quite rare, such as flickering images of Ali's earliestbouts.

Ali's familiar story is competently related here: his 1960 Olympic triumph, hisupset of Sonny Liston in 1964, his conversion to the Nation of Islam, and theplainly vindictive decision on the part of the authorities to revise his draftstatus and call him up for service in Vietnam. The principal pleasure iswatching Ali in full verbal flow, including his maniacal teasing of Liston thatproved to be a psychological knockout blow: "The man's too ugly to be theworld champ. The world champ should be pretty, like me!" --DavidStubbs ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great Documentary about the first half of Ali's career
AKA Cassius Clay was made toward the latter part of the Exile.

It starts out with an explanation of Ali's financial situation, then goes into the debate over who was better; Muhammad Ali or Joe Louis. Cus D'amato, the trainer of Floyd Patterson and Mike Tyson, is in the documentary, and the exchanges and debates between Ali and D'amato are very fun to watch.

As the documentary goes along, it starts to get a little slow. It goes on about Ali's amateur career, some of Ali's bigger fights before Liston, then finally the Liston fight.

Then it gives a brief and interesting glimpse at the impact of Ali's conversion to Islam. Talk's a little about Malcolm X and show's some of his interesting speeches. It then goes into the "Phantom Punch" controversy and Ali explains the punch that KO'd Liston.

Then D'amato and Ali go at it over Ali's fight with Floyd Patterson. D'amato was Patterson's trainer and was trying to defend Floyd, whom Ali had totally humiliated and brutalized in the ring.

They kind of start to mix things around, they go into the Cleveland Williams fight first, then later the George Chuvallo fight (the Chuvallo fight came first.) Then it goes into the draft situation, the stripping of Ali's title, then lead's to clips of Ali's college lecture tours, then gives some interesting possibilities for Ali's future. Predictions about how he might get back into boxing, predictions about his political future, etc.

One interesting point is that during the Ali-Louis debate D'amato feel's that Ali would lose to Joe Louis since he apparently believed that Ali didn't have a great chin, when in actuality Ali regained the title because even though his speed was gone his chin was so good that the big sluggers like Frazier and Foreman couldn't put him out. And it's amazing that after watching the documentary you feel that the future look's hopeless for Ali, when what comes after is the regaining of his license, his victory in the Supreme Court and the over turning of his conviction, and his regaining of the Heavy Weight Championship.

If you want to get a glimpse at how amazing Ali's comeback was, get this documentary along with the Rumble in the Jungle, watch AKA Cassius Clay and then watch the Rumble in the Jungle, and you'll see what a monumental achievement it was for Ali to regain the title. Great documentary, and well worth ordering, and though the ending might be a little depressing, just the thought that 4 years after the documentary was made Ali had actually regained his title is just something amazing and very special to consider. ... Read more

Reviews (61)

An insight into late 20th century culture and racial issues
In WHEN WE WERE KINGS, Leon Gast portrays 1974's "Rumble in the Jungle" as a cultural milestone in American history. This is more than a film on boxing -- it sheds light on the entire sport of boxing and, more importantly, on issues of race in America and rest of the world in the late 20th century. Intellectuals such as Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, and Spike Lee add comentary, and ask questions such as: Who was the "good" black boxer? Who should we root for, the draft-dodging but personable and funny Ali, aged and probably past his prime, or the super-talented, but also aloof and arrogant, Foreman. The contrast between the ways in which each boxer relates to the black Africans in Zaire is interesting and touching, and the fans' pre- and mid-fight chants trying to rally the losing Ali stay with you long after the film has faded to black. The film sets off at a lightnign quick pace and never slows down, and the last twenty minutes is among the most triumphant filmmaking, documentary or fictional, that I have ever seen. This film is a must see for sport fans, cultural historians, and anybody who loves good movies.

great background on Rumble in the Jungle 1974 event
The thing that leaped out at me:
1) BB King's singing and playing guitar in 1974 in Africa was at the top of his game.
2) Norman Mailer's analysis and insight when interviewed 1974 is like a sample from his book, "Fight", which is now featured, in part, on Muhammad Ali's web site now.
3) Ali seemed like a smartalec to me in 1974, but now in 2004 looking at the old footage of him talking, he seems charismatic and funny .If you want lots of Rumble in the Jungle fight footage, this is not the DVD for you, but if you want insight in to the event and what contributed to Ali's upset of Foreman, this is a must have.

Not quite the whole truth
My DVD, bought in England, contains as extras the full-length footage, round by round, of both the Rumble and the Thrilla, with English commentary by David Frost among others. I have to agree with those reviewers who have pointed out that WWWK badly misrepresents the fight. The simple truth is that Ali won every round of the Rumble. He was right on top of Foreman from the outset, and the clever editing and dramatic spin put on the match by Norman Mailer is just so much fiction. Foreman looked like he'd swallowed some substance which was the opposite of speed: as Joe Frazier said in the live commentary, he was missing with empty air-swings and "boxing foolish". After two rounds, which was about as far as he'd needed to go in previous fights, he ran out of wind. He still tried to use Ali's body as a punch-bag, more and more feebly, while Ali was picking off blow after blow to Foreman's head as if it was a standing punch-ball. Ali certainly threw a head-punch with shattering speed. He rolled around on the ropes a lot of the time, but for the rest he ducked away and danced around grinning fit to bust, mocking Foreman with his mouth and winking to the crowd. He was in much better physical shape, superbly fit, and he boxed an extremely smart strategy in the local conditions. WWWK is still a great film, however, full of interesting comment on the politics and hoop-la of the event: but it's marred by its fake telling of the fight. Ali is presented in all his glorious charismatic uppity persona, a magnificent physical presence, funny and clever, the epitome of boxing skill. I could have done without a lot of the music etc, but it seems this was part of the original reason for making the film. Four stars for WWWK, five stars for this DVD because it has the real thing as an extra feature.

One of the Best Documentaries Ever
This fight was one of the first distinct memories of my childhood. The damn thing took forever to come on TV (my father and his friends had gotten it on closed circuit in Germany) and I fell asleep at least once waiting for the fighters to finally make it into the ring. I was too young to understand everything that went on in the leadup to the "event" (and that's what it was) and I was absolutely delighted to learn that this film was going to be released so I could catch up.

And it is a truly great film. It is a great film because it documents a great time in American and African history and because the things it documents are inherently dramatic and exciting. That said, this is also a terrific film from a filmmaking point of view; wonderful camera work, in your face documenting, and intelligent editing. It's not as "artsy" as Leni Riefenstahl's classic documentation of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but that event had a totally different cultural and historical context.

As a sport film, this movie is also important because it documents one of the greatest fights of all time; Ali correctly noted after the fight that his rope-a-dope strategy would go down in the annals of boxing.

All in all a wonderfully entertaining, informative, and inspiring way to spend about 90 minutes of your time.

Ali Boom Bay Yea
As a piece of archival footage this film can't be beat, as it captures the chaos and pageantry that surrounded the Ali-Foreman fight in 1974. Ali never looked so great as he did in the build up to this fight. He was in prime form, even if a heavy underdog to the massive George Foreman. Leon Gast captures Ali in all his crazy kinetic glory, boasting proudly of how he would dance, and Foreman wouldn't lay a glove on him. Gast also focuses on Don King who in typical fashion played both ends of the stick, promoting both fighters and coming up with a $10 million purse thanks to Mobutu Sese Seko, Zaire's ruthless dictator, who saw a potential windfall for the country in the international attention this fight would generate. As Ali noted, some nations go to war to get attention and this fight will cost a lot less than a war. What we got was the famous "Rumble in the Jungle."

Unfortunately, this film doesn't go very deep in analyzing the fight, and gives the fight itself surprisingly short shrift. All we get are a handful of truncated rounds and the final blow delivered by Ali. But, what this film does provide is the pageant that surrounded the fight along with engaging commentary by Norman Mailler, who evocatively captured the spectacle in "The Fight," George Plimpton, Thomas Hauser, who has written the definitive biography on Ali, and Spike Lee. Mailler is the most fun to listen to, as he lived and breathed the fight and gives some of the most trenchant comments on it, but he too seemed mystified at how Ali pulled it off, chalking it up to the "trembling woman" who supposedly sucked the life out of Foreman.

George Foreman seemed invincible, having torn apart Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, but he simply wasn't prepared to deal with someone of Ali's caliber, or the massive publicity this fight generated. Foreman was also shocked to be so poorly received in Africa, where Ali was King. Foreman seemed out of place in Kinshasha, never able to find his footing or able to deal with a crafty fighter like Ali, who came up with his famous "rope-a-dope" that evening. Foreman simply punched himself out and had nothing left after seven rounds. It was then that Ali worked his magic and proved to the world that he was indeed the greatest, staging one of the most astonishing comebacks in sports history.

"Ali Boom Bay Yea" the crowd chanted as Ali fought himself off the ropes and pummeled Foreman with an array of blows that had him tumbling to the mat. Ali never had another moment like this, although he would successfully defend his title 10 times before his ignominous defeat to Leon Spinks in 1978, only to regain it for the third time that year. This film does more than any other at capturing Ali in top form, with all his remarkable charisma and incredible talent. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

The inside look from outside the ring...
On the Ropes takes you inside boxing....not pro boxing where everyone has money, but young-people's boxing in urban NY, where they fight for their lives and struggle to break out of "their" ring. The film is such a perfect metaphor for life in an urban american city.

What makes this film even more remarkable, is that it's all true. And not one of those washed out 'based on fact' movies. On The Ropes is a feature documentary about real people fighting real battles in and out of the boxing ring, and its production style is gritty, entangled and subsequently perfect, for the metaphor continues...the lives of the people it documents is gritty and entangled and complex.

I highly recommend this film for viewing. If you're a boxing fan, you HAVE to see it, and if you are interested in real life drama, you have to see it.

a film about boxing and life
This film follows the lives of three poor inner-city youths who want to get into prize fighting. It's shown very clearly that their lives outside of the ring are tougher than any boxing match one can imagine. One of the subjects has legal battles to contend with, another is having problems in school and another is having problems with the people who run the fights. Anyone who believes boxing is an easy way out for inner-city blacks and hispanics should watch this film.

Outstanding!!!
This is a great DVD that captures the lives and stories of 4 people, 3 fighters and a trainer, trying to chase the brass ring in boxing, and life. A wonderfully gripping story that mainly focuses on the life of still active middleweight George Walton. You root big time for the 4 as they struggle to leave the tough Bed-Stuy NY neighborhood they live in. The only complaint here is that the DVD cuts off a nice bit at the end of the originally aired story that follows the reunion of George and his girlfriend, now (real life) wife, after her release from prison. This also deleats the 'where are they now?' updates. Great stuff though!

Entertaining but negative stereotyping
This is a pretty good documentary, although it's very typical and predictable. It's entertaining to watch, but it's a little bit like the guilty pleasure of watching a car accident. I wonder why so many documentary's are about underprivileged people who can't seem to escape from their poverty induced victim life. I'm not sure what the point of another hard knocks life film is, unless it shows that transcendence is possible. In the case of this film, the depressing stereotypes have only been perpetuated.

Personally, I prefer documentaries like When We Were Kings, Shadow Boxers, and Hoop Dreams - films that show us truely inspireing characters we have never seen before. Characters who prove that it is possible to confront your demons, whatever they may be, and win!

This movie is about a lot more than boxing...
This movie is about the human spirit. It's about four distinctively different people playing the cards that have been dealt. One of the best documentaries I have ever seen. If you like Hoop Dreams, you'll love this movie. Soundtrack is excellent, by the way. The music supervisor did a great job with the music. Every film should have music like this. ... Read more

Description

In life a man can be a hero, in the ring a legend..."The Latin Legends," hosted by Edward James Olmos, is an inspirational film about six of the greatest Latin boxers of our time. This film shows dazzling highlights from the spectacular careers of Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Alexis Arguello, Carlos Ortiz, Kid Gavilan and the late Salvador Sanchez. These true gladiators fought often and the many clips show their triumphs and occasional defeats. It is said that Latin men fight for God and country. These six men, who came from poverty, are seen as role models because they all stress the importance of hard work, clean living and respect for others. The story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration for the pursuit of our dreams. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Ideal for Boxing fans
It was great to see the interviews and fight footage of these great, and in many cases underappreciated, champions of the ring and life. One thing that bothered me though was the inclusion of an interview with Jose Suliaman and his opinion of the Chavez vs. Taylor fight.
Suliaman is one of the sleaziest names in boxing and his opinion that Richard Steele's stoppage of the fight three seconds before the end was justified really angered me. Meldrick Taylor would've won the fight if not for the stoppage and now he is broke, severely brain damaged, and still an active fighter. As anyone who saw him interviewed on HBO's Legendary Fights would agree this is very sad.

Latin Legends
This was a fun and inspiring video to watch. It was great to see clips of and interviews with Arguello, Duran, Gavilan, Sanchez, Ortiz and Chavez. Just one thing troubled me the inclusion of Jose Suliaman and his opinion of the Chavez vs. Taylor fight. Suliaman is one of Don King's right hand men and as many people know Meldrick Taylor would've won the fight had Richard Steele not stopped it three seconds before the end of the fight. Meldrick Taylor is now severely brain damaged, and broke with several children to support and the way this film made it look Chavez was the unquestioned victor of the fight and the decision was just. Very sad.

Champions of Life
To see Alexis Arguello of Nicaragua and Roberto Duran of Panama in their home towns, showing the rundown gyms their dreams developed in, is to understand the greatness of the game. The poverty is more brutal than an honest fight, and hearts can prevail in boxing. Fantastic boxing footage is combined with the human story and witnessing greatness rise from shacks becomes humbling to any viewer. The only tragic figure is the incredible featherweight Salvadore Sanchez, who died in a car crash at the age of 22. This film is as much about human spirit as it is boxing. I'd accidently posted this review on the video, but it is the dvd that I have so am reposting here.

Very Disappointed
This DVD included 6 champions who are Alexis Arguello, Roberto Duran, Julio Cesar Chavez, Kid Gavilan, Salvador Sanchez and Carlos Ortiz. However, this DVD only showed a fraction of their career highlights.

Few seconds of fight actions looked like from TV programs were shown for each fight. Here are some of the highlights:

Only 6 fights for Arguello including two losses vs. Aaron Pryor.

Only 3 fights for Chavez: 45 seconds vs Taylor with Richard Steel stopped that fight with 4 seconds left; 10 seconds vs. Mario Martinez; only few pictures vs. Edwin Rosario.

Only 6 fights for Duran: showed only pictures vs. Davey Moore and Iran Barkley, showed 30 second vs. Sugar Ray, Leonard I. You will not see vs Sugar Ray Leonard II and III, no Duran vs. Hearns, no Duran vs. Hagler...

A lot of repeated materials filled in this DVD. Quality of commentary and interviews is poor.

If you are buying for boxing actions, look for something else.

A MASTERPIECE
I believe that this video compilation of latin fighters is by far the most serious and comprehensive today. Just seeing the great Salvador Sanchez reaching the apex of his career and the interviews of Alexis Arguello and Roberto Duran show you what a latin fighter is all about. My personal opinion is that this is so good that they should make a sequel for this video. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This compendium of perfect punches hosted by British boxing expert BarryHearn may set some kind of record for the number of devastating blows landed inthe space of an hour and 15 minutes. Compiled from film footage shot at Englisharenas, punches of all varieties come fast and furious, and it seems thatsomeone's back is always bouncing off the canvas. Hearn appears throughout tooffer his insights to particular fighters and their devastating arsenal ofpunches. Among the boxers seen battering their opponents are Lennox Lewis,Herbie Hide, and Prince Naseem Hamed. There are also brief interviews withboxers, plus shots that establish the atmosphere at particular bouts. But forthe most part the punches themselves are the stars of the show. Various types ofknockout punches are profiled, such as a segment on "body punches," which, asHearn cogently notes, can "put someone down on the floor just as quickly as apunch to the head." And while the footage is of generally high quality, withslow-motion replays provided so dedicated fight fans can see exactly how adevastating blow was landed, there's no denying that things can get a littlerepetitive. But for those fight fans who revel in the power punch, thisproduction may be a knockout. --Robert J. McNamara ... Read more

Reviews (3)

a lowblow
every fighter here is from the uk no offense but they went 100 years without a heavyweight champion until lewis id say the majority shoulda been of american boxers and hamed being on a video called the perfect punch is a joke he was known for sloppy off balance odd punching that tricked and scared many in the uk but simply was exposed as a flaw by barrera who beat him easilymaking him virtually an unknown now dont waste money on this british boxing fest save money by recording a boxing show of fox sports about knockout this is about like that quality

all good fights did not manifest in ENGLAND
AS MUCH AS I AM A STUDENT OF THE GAME I FOUND THIS DVD THE PERFECT PUNCH,LOST IT KNOCKOUT ABILITY TO SEND ME REELING WANTING MORE.THE FACT THAT ALL THE FIGHTS THAT WERE SHOWN WERE BOXERS FROM GREAT BRITIAN.NOT SAYING GREAT FIGHTS DIDN'T HAPPEN OVER THERE ,BUT THE PERFECT PUNCH DID NOT START NOR WILL IT END IN THE U.K, NOT WHEN TRUE FIGHT FANS CAN REMEMBER WARS THAT TOOK PLACE IN ALANTIC CITY,MADISON SQUARE GARDEN,AND LAS VEGAS.THE PERFECT PUNCH IS LESS THAN PERFECT WHEN IT ATTEMPTS TO COVER BOXING THE SWEET SCIENCE.

WHERE IS THE LEWIS VS BRIGGS FIGHT ?
ON THE COVER IS LEWIS VS BRIGGS,UNLESS I MISSED SOMETHING IT'S NOT ON THE DVD? THE DVD IS ALL FIGHTS OF FIGHTERS FROM EUROPE AS FOR LEWIS AND HAMED IT WAS THEIR FIRST COUPLE OF FIGHTS AS A PRO AND DEFINITELY NOT THEIR BEST KNOCK OUTS.THIS DVD IS ONLY FIGHTS FROM ONE PROMOTER IN EUROPE,UNLESS YOU'RE A DEVOTED FIGHT FAN OF EUROPEAN FIGHTERS YOU MAY BE DISAPPOINTED.THERE ARE DECENT KNOCK OUTS BUT I DONT RECOGNIZE THE FIGHTERS.DONT LET THE COVER THROW YOU A CURVE IT'S NOT WHAT IT APPEARS. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This comprehensive HBO presentation documents the history of heavyweight boxing through the 20th century, beginning with Jess Willard's victory over Jack Johnson in the early 1900s and running through the reign of the controversial Mike Tyson. As well as being an overview of the Sweet Science, however, Kings of the Ring probes the private lives of the champs and the travails that they faced outside the ring, with special attention to the context of their times and the roles that the fighters played in reflecting and shaping society. Undoubtedly Max Baer's and Joe Louis's victories over Max Schmeling in the 1930s carried some political weight as the unwilling symbol of Nazi Germany was pummeled by both Americans. Some 30 years later, Cassius Clay's personality, brash attitude, and superior skills in the ring brought him attention. That attention turned to controversy when Clay joined the Nation of Islam, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, and was jailed for refusingto go to Vietnam. Also, no history of 20th-century heavyweight boxing would be complete without the occasional freak show, such as the Italian strongman Primo Carnera boxing with a kangaroo before being taken apart by the much smaller Max Baer. There is, of course, plenty of thrilling fight footage to go around as well, with boxers such as the wild Jack Dempsey, the remarkable Rocky Marciano, and Ali's astounding speed and footwork. Marciano's hammering of Jersey Joe Walcott in particular is worth the price of admission. --Jerry Renshaw ... Read more

Reviews (4)

pretty good but missing
while it's cool to hear Louis Gossett Jr The Academy Award winner given Commentary through out this Project doesn't cover the full bases of Boxing.you have to do more.still there are rare footage here&there good coverage throughout from different Era's&Weight Classes but still something is mising from this being complete.

Not what I was looking for!
I regret buying this DVD. Actually, it wasn't what I was looking for. There was another documentary called KINGS OF THE RING which focused on the careers of Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali. It was directed by Bud Greenspan, I saw it once or twice on SHOWTIME and thought it was excellent. The tribute to Joe Louis was particularly touching. What we have here is an HBO produced documentary with a similar name but with less class. Admittedly, some of the footage here is rare (the Schmeling-Baer fight, Carnera boxing a kangaroo), but it just feels like footage spliced together with bleh commentary. And poor Larry Holmes. You get to watch him get pummelled by a young Mike Tyson again. No mention of his 7 years as heavyweight champion of the world. ...

But save your [money] and wait for Showtime to air the Greenspan documentary.

Poor poor Larry
I've seen Larry Holmes interviewed in the past and at first I thought he was just a man with a massive inferiority complex but now I understand his problem. When a film such as this (which gives a fairly detailed history of the heavyweight crown) completely and uterly ignores his domination of the division for a five to eight year span, I think his complex is justified. Max Baer and Primo Carnera get five times as much attention in this movie as does holmes.

I was also expecting some kind of explanation of when and how the multiple governing bodies took precedence in the awarding of the title. After all it's something that could be discussed in narration alone without additional footage. Instead... we magically skip from Ali, who apparently has one title, to the days of Tyson and multiple titles. This is an important omition.

I understand that there is not film coverage of the absolute beginning of the heavyweight crown but I also find fault with the omission of this info...

Great History
I love KINGS OF THE RING. HBO always does a great job with boxing show and I like the Louis Gosset Jr. as the nararrator. It has a real in-depth history of the heavyweight division. From Jack Dempsey's brutal ko of Jess Willard, to Mike Tyson. It show training and fight clips, as well as clips from outside the ring. It also helps explain the signifcance of the Heavyweight title and what it meant to the world at each particualar time in history. ... Read more

Description

The incredible career of perhaps the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, is dramatized in this exciting film starring Ali himself. Fresh from his gold medal victory at the Olympic Games, 18-year-old Cassius Clay is ready to seek the heavyweight championship. Under the masterful guidance of trainer Angelo Dundee (Ernest Borgnine). Clay snatches the title from Sonny Liston. Soon afterward, Clay converts to the Islam religion and changes his name to Muhammad Ali. When he is suddenly classified 1A by the Draft Board that earlier rejected him, Ali refuses the draft on religious grounds. His hard-won title is taken from him. Winning a three-and-a-half year long court battle. Ali returns to the ring for what have been some of the greatest fights of all time. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

It was a nice movie, if not the Greatest
This was a nice movie. It was enjoyable. To take this movie to seriously might not be a good idea, but if you just wanna see Ali its good to watch. The acting is terrible, the only actors who were good in the movie were Ali himself and James Earl Jones. It was obviously a low budget movie, and if your not an Ali fan you might not like it. But Ali himself was charming in the movie and it's worth buying. If you want to see what Ali was like you should get this, if you want to see the events of his life in a clearer more serious way, get Ali with Will Smith.

Neither movie however does Ali's whole life full justice, so you might want to get an Ali documentary if you want to have a fuller look at Ali.

I thought I was renting a documentary
Expecting to see a documentary of the great man I was rather surprised when I realised this is in fact a film starring Ali himself detailing what he sees as the key points in his life.

As the three stars indicates this film is a mixed bag. Ali does a solid job of portraying himself and the ever brilliant Ernest Borgnine does a good job as Angelo Dundee. The storyline is somewhat disjointed and seeing an old Ali replaying his youthful antics is only a limited success.

There are points in the film where Ali is acting like a prize ..., whether he intentional meant to show this or whether he still didn't realise considering it was still only 1977 when this was made I am not sure.

Like the life of Muhammad Ali himself there are some areas of the film which age very well whilst others already seem rather embarressing and will only get worse as time goes on.

Ali's risking prison by refusing to be inducted into the military is a great example of a principled stand, something that will never be diminished.

However the three stages of Ali's interest in women is an example of the rather dated attitudes of the day. First we have Ali with the white hooker, thankfully saved ...by the calling of Malcolm X. The not so subtle message of this encounter equating white women as basically [easy] who are there to tempt the black man from the righteous path is racist nonsense. Ali is then saved by the perverted ideology of the Nation of Islam as spoken by Malcolm X (bizzarely played by James Earl Jones) and their "blue eyed devil" hate filled speaches. Next he moves to a transitional stage where he is with a black woman who is swiftly got rid of once she dares to dress provocatively and heaven forbid is willing to talk, even flirt with the devil white man. Finally Ali gets the perfect girl, your classic submissive and virginal young black muslim girl who needs her parents permission to go on a date.

The scenes where Ali encounters racism is no more or less convincing than the usual Hollywood stuff. Ali looks all noble whilst some small time actor is paid to stand there and call him "boy" and generally give him grief.

All in all this is probably only going to be enjoyed by the Ali fan. As someone who is a huge fan of the man despite recognising his many shortcomings I found it interesting. Someone with a limited knowledge would perhaps be better off with the modern day Wil Smith epic.

ps. I noticed they didnt include Ali getting pole-axed by 'enrys Hammer (Henry Cooper) in London. Where only the quick thinking of Angelo Dundee ripping Ali's glove and thus stopping the fight for five minutes and allowing Ali to recover prevented him from losing. ;)

Chip Mcalister
Chip was excellent in this movie and I know what happened to him. I ran into him in San Clamente, Ca and ate lunch with him. He seems to be doing very well. Good actor and good guy. 11/16/02

Perfect for the hard-core Ali fan
To sum it up, "The Greatest" is not a very well made movie. There are a few very taltented actors in it, but overall the movie lacks that certain special somthing that a movie needs to be good. Most of the scenes are dull, long and drawn out. And i don't believe that Muhammad Ali was the perfect choice to play Muhammad Ali, he really is not a good actor. But I did enjoy the movie, because I am a huge Muhammad Ali Fan. Many that ive heard have tried to compare this movie and the recently released "Ali" on DVD. But you can't really compare the two movies. "The Greatest", even though it's not a very good movie, its does portray what happened in Muhammad Ali's life very well. But the movie "Ali" does not portray his life, It just portray's Muhammad Ali himself, not his life. So I would say that this movie is a must for those who want to know more about Ali. Then after wards, rent or buy "Ali" to understand Ali's mind. when you do that, you'll have a great understanding of what kind of person, what kind of things he had to go through, and a much higher respect for "The Greatest."

More compelling than ALI with Will Smith
The day after I paid to see the film ALI, starring Will Smith, THE GREATEST, starring Muhammad Ali (playing himself), showed up on cable television. I had high hopes for ALI and low expectations for THE GREATEST.

The better picture? THE GREATEST. That's not saying much (if you saw ALI), but if nothing else THE GREATEST is worth a look for Muhammad Ali's charming performance. THE GREATEST offers several compelling scenes, even if they don't add up to a coherent film, all anchored by the ever-watchable Ali.

As the 5/30/00 review points out, Muhammad Ali doesn't sanitize himself in THE GREATEST. However, the movie's 1960s documentary fight footage followed by Ali, age 36, playing himself at age 22, breaks your concentration. Thankfully, talented actors, including Ernest Borgnine, James Earl Jones and Robert Duvall, help Ali pull it together. See THE GREATEST. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A sad and final chapter to a colorful boxing career.
Muhammad Ali was a shell of his former self when he stepped into the ring for his final fight against Trevor Berbick. You can see that even in 1981, he had that frozen, Parkinson's look on his face. Like the last reviewer said, you were afraid to watch the fight. But at the same time, you couldn't turn away, either.

But the fight really wasn't that bad. And after eight rounds, the fight was pretty darn close. But in rounds nine and ten. Berbick pounded on Ali, who was looking pretty old and tired and beat up.

It was sad because you could see that Ali knew what to do. But that he didn't hav the speed or the reflexes to pull the trigger at the right time. He would have creamed Berbick ten years earlier. And he would have gotten the decision even five years earlier.

But on this night, we saw an Ali who had been conquered by Father Time. Buy this video if you want to own the last chapter of a storied career. The video comes with a second video of a long, cumbersome, and boring one hour press conference.

Guilty Pleasure
Watching this video is like viewing a traffic accident.You don't want to watch and you know you shouldn't, but you can't help yourself.This film is like the flip side to Will Smith's film "Ali," which showed Muhammad at the top of his game.In the "Last Hurrah," we get to see the older Ali, long past his prime and for all accounts and purposes, a "shot" fighter.He's got nothing left as a boxer and sadly, he's a shadow of his former public persona.During the press conference, Ali is hard to understand and his face shows little emotion.

The fight itself is good, bad and ugly.The actual bout is a lot better than I'd thought it be.Ali isn't the flat footed, motionless fighter from the Holmes fight.He actually is quite animated, punching and jabbing and trying hard to contain Berbick.The bad is that Ali puts on a sad imitation of the fighter he used to be.Desperately attempting to rope a dope, motion Berbick forward and dance around the ring.None of it works and Ali ends up looking foolish.The ugly is the sheer physical beating that the young, very strong Berbick gives Ali.To look at Trevor, only 27 at the time, it makes you fear that he might kill Ali.And a lot of his head punches are quite scary.Even more so in hindsight, knowing about Ali's brain injuries.

Even so, this Rhino video is an indispensable document.One that shows a different Ali.One about to enter the darkest period in his life.Post-boxing and pre-Parkinson's.Luckily, Muhammad rebounded and has become a great peacemaker worldwide and lit the Olympic torch.He continues to be a hero to millions.And this video, while difficult to watch, is an essential chapter to the Muhammad Ali story.

Ali was surprisingly good
This fight would have been a media circus today, but when it happened nobody paid much attention. We're lucky to have this film.

I had always assumed Ali put in a pathetic performance, as he did against Holmes, but viewing this video I was surprised to see that he fought Berbick pretty evenly. You could even argue that he deserved the decision.

I will say, though, that Berbick seemed to refrain from following up on a couple of occasions when he had Ali flinching and potentially helpless. And that, of course, an Ali victory would not have been a good thing for Ali.

The Farewell Fight
One year after after almost getting killed by Larry Holmes, Muhammad Ali decided to fight again because, like most great champions, he couldnt accept being finished. When asked in the press conference why hes fightinga top rated fighter like Berbick he replies ''Because what if I fight somebum instead and he whups me? That'll make me look bad!''. He also talksabout the then rumors of him having brain damage and he asks ''Do I looklike someone who has brain damage?''. Sadly, I dont think he would haveliked what the honest answer wouldve been. The fight itself starts out withAli dancing around as he said he would and flicking his once awesome jab atBerbick. For just a little while, he looks like the Ali of old but byaround the 3rd round his age and shape really begin to show. He begins justpawing with his punches and tries to pull away from Berbicks punches butstill gets tagged with many of them. Still, he fought gamely as always.Alot of times going toe to toe with Berbick and holding his own. Thedecision really could have gone either way but Berbick got the decision.That was probably the best thing that could have happened in thecircumstances because even though you could have arguably said that Ali wonthe fight, he was far from the Ali of old and would have boxed circlesaround Berbick and stopped him early in his prime.After the fight theyinterview Ali and you can tell that the punches he absorbed in this fightdidnt make his condition any better. You can barely understand what hessaying. The only thing that I picked out was when he said ''Father time hasfinally caught up with me and Im gonna retire. And I dont think Im gonnawake up next week and change my mind.'' That was a good decision, butobviously it was a little too late.

A SAD ENDING TO A GREAT CAREER
It's sad to watch an ali with no reflexes,no timing and no speed lose to a journeyman fighter.It's a shame he couldn't have stayed retired after beating leon spinks.His last 2 fights against holmes and berbick reallytarnish a great career. ... Read more

Description

This inspiring tale looks at the incredible life of a young Irishman who surmounts poverty and prejudice to become a boxing champion and national hero. Francis Barrett grows up in a cluttered trailer park without electricity and running water among the "Travellers," a poor group of gypsies scorned by the rest of Irish society. Determined and naively optimistic, Barrett trains with the local barber in a sadly underequipped amateur boxing club. Against all odds, Francis achieves his dream of participating in the 1996 Olympics and becomes the first Traveller ever to represent Ireland! A refreshingly honest and unflinching tribute to an unlikely hero. 76 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What A Shame
I don't know how this film has escaped an audience. This film tells the truly remarkable story of an Irish Traveller - a gypsy (think of a nonfiction version of the fellow Brad Pitt played in "Snatch") - and his trainer, the unforgettable Chick. If you follow amateur boxing at all, you will realize how truly remarkable this story is. I think the boxer's name was Francis. Francis, training on home made equipment, with only this extremely old and sweet man as his trainer, out in the middle of nowhere, makes it to the elite echelons of the amateur game, including an Olympic bid, with the entire town rallying behind him even though many were once prejudice against him because he is a Traveller. A truly excellent documentary. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Before Muhammad Ali, plenty of African American heavyweights boxed, but few did for the game (or for blacks) what Ali did. Ali was bold, outrageous, and controversial.His antics outside of the ring showed an often-hilarious flair for self-promotion, and his conversion to Islam and decision to avoid the Vietnam War only fueled the storm of controversy that surrounded him. The thing about Ali, though, was that he was good enough to get by with it; after all, it's hard to argue with success. In the ring, he showed a sheer prowess and technique that few before or since could approach (the bonus CD-ROM discusses the similarities and contrasts between Ali and the great Joe Louis).Outside the ring, Ali had a sharp mind, good looks, and the strength of his own convictions going for him. This DVD contains footage of Ali's 1964 fight in which he slaughtered Sonny Liston, the 1974 bout where his technique got the better of George Foreman and his fearsome punching power, and the brutal 1975 fight against Joe Frazier (all fights are shown in their entirety). There have been few heavyweight boxers who can compare favorably to Muhammad Ali, and this DVD should be in the collection of all those who consider th