When We Were Kings (1996)
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.
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What a beautiful movie!
People are voting emotionally.
Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,
This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.
It's 1974 Zaire. President Mobutu Sese Seko and Don King organize the Heavyweight championship fight between the 32 year old challenger Muhammed Ali and the much younger murderous champion George Foreman. Ali is assumed to be pass his prime and the definitive underdog. It is the "Rumble in the Jungle". It's also suppose to have a music festival featuring James Brown and B.B. King.Muhammed Ali's charisma is undeniable. This movie soaks in all of his charms and power. I wouldn't say the documentary gets behind his overwhelming persona but the audience gets a small glimpse. This is simply Ali in the greatest of his greatness. I also love the music.
When We Were Kings (1996) *** 1/2 (out of 4) Extremely entertaining, Oscar-winning documentary covering the 1974 boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, which became known as the Rumble in the Jungle. Through interview footage as well as archival footage, director Leon Gast's film perfectly documents the historic match and everything leading up to it. The boxing match itself is legendary and something most people know about and it's perfectly shown here but I think the real key to the documentary is everything we're shown leading up to the fight. This, of course, includes a lot of stuff dealing with Ali trash talking and getting involved with the African people. There are several scenes where Ali is simply out in the streets working out and trying to pump up the African people and of course get them in his corner. By contrast, we then see interview segments with Foreman where he's obviously not as deeply in with the people and doesn't have the same connection that Ali does. One really gets a great idea of the political climate heading up to the fight and the stuff with Ali training and just being himself are truly priceless. It's also fun hearing about how his career was thought to have been on the low-end as everyone was thinking that Foreman would destroy and possibly kill him in the ring. When we finally get to the fight footage it's presented in such a way that you really see what Ali was going for and how he pulled the upset. We see some terrific footage that is broken down and we're shown every little point that helped get Ali the win. WHEN WE WERE KINGS shows a historic fight and the surroundings around it and you can't help but be thankful that such an important event was captured in such a great form.
The story of Muhammed Ali and the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" is the stuff of legend; the world's best boxer becomes a hate figure for middle America and is banned for political reasons; he returns but has lost his edge; he gets a last shot at the world title in a fight to be held in Zaire, whose kleptomaniac dictator is willing to put up his people's cash to pay for it; and against all the odds, he astonishingly beats the superior puncher George Foreman through a combination of wit and bravery. Ali was beautiful and clever as well as violent; his "art" destroyed him, but it's easy to tell his story as a kind of noble myth. Which is exactly what 'When We Were Kings', a documentary that relies relatively little on talking heads (because the whole drama was a kind of performance, and filmed) does. The film even gets its soundtrack for free thanks to the musicians brought in to publicise the fight. I don't even like boxing, but it's still a compelling story; but also watch 'Thrilla in Manilla', a film about Ali's next fight, for a story that takes something of the gloss of his personal sheen.
Muhammad Ali is arguably the greatest sports figure of all time. He is remembered for his athletic achievement, political stances, and larger than life personality. Yet we never knew him. Michael Mann made a decent movie called Ali a few years ago. He tried his best to draw a portrait of an elusive human being. But what he was trying to achieve had already been done before with When We Were Kings.When We Were Kings is a phenomenal documentary. In my opinion, the prototype for all documentaries. Taking place in and around perhaps the best boxing match of all time, the Rumble In The Jungle, in which Ali faced George Foreman(of grill fame...). Ali is shown as a man brimming with confidence, yet his constant boasting becomes a coat of armor that protects him from his own self-doubt. Yet he endears himself to the African people who embrace him like he's one of their own. In these moments Ali appears both invincible and mortal.There are some cool musical numbers by James Brown and B.B King as well as appearances by Spike Lee, Don King, and the controversial president of Zahire at the time, Mobutu Sese Seko. These appearances add depth to the amazing events of the film.If you love documentaries, sports, or character stories, When We Were Kings is among the class of each.