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When We Were Kings (Widescreen/Full Screen)
 
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When We Were Kings (Widescreen/Full Screen)

Muhammad Ali (Actor), George Foreman (Actor), Leon Gast (Director) | Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested) | Format: DVD
4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (65 customer reviews)

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Product Description

Amazon.com Essential Video

Decades ago, documentary filmmaker Leon Gast attempted to complete a feature about the 1974 "Rumble in the Jungle" championship bout between boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. Sundry complications, though, held up the project until its release in 1996. It was well worth the delay. From Gast's perspective of modern history, the six weeks Ali and Foreman were forced to spend waiting in Africa for their fight to take place now looks like an important moment in America's cultural understanding of African American roots. In a nutshell, Ali had been stripped of his heavyweight champion title because his opposition to the Vietnam War-era draft had landed him in prison. Reigning champ Foreman agreed to a Don King-promoted match in Kinshasa, but after all parties got there the fight was put off. Gast captures the charismatic Ali, in the ensuing days and weeks, going out among the people and getting to know them while the more reclusive Foreman keeps to his own company. Meanwhile, King brings over black American artists such as James Brown and the Spinners to mix it up with African musicians. The sense of excitement and connection is thrilling, as is the boxing footage of Foreman and Ali finally taking swings at one another in a titanic duel. Writers George Plimpton and Norman Mailer, each of whom was covering the fight as journalists, are on hand to recollect the details. Whether you're a fight fan or not, this is a unique experience and a fascinating insight into America's sense of identity. --Tom Keogh

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Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews
great background on Rumble in the Jungle 1974 event July 2 2004
Format:DVD
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.
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Not quite the whole truth Jun 19 2004
By A Customer
Format:DVD
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.
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One of the Best Documentaries Ever Jun 6 2004
Format:DVD
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.

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Most recent customer reviews
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. Read more
Published on May 29 2004 by James Ferguson
This is the one to see, about Muhammad Ali!
As a little ol' white girl, about 10 or 11, I listened to a "fight" on the radio one night. How I came to be interested in it is beyond me, but I remember being alone in the... Read more
Published on Feb 15 2004 by D. Hamilton
The Greatest look at The Greatest
For an incisive look at the Man of the Century, this sliver of time captures Ali at his apogee, at the juncture where all the forces he harnessed were unleashed. Read more
Published on Jan 30 2004 by Timothy G. Carlson
Giants That Walk Among Us
You're watching some incredible interviews, rare and great footage, learning a bit about the Africa of 1974 and grooving to the music. Read more
Published on Dec 28 2003 by Buster Paris
Giants That Walk Among Us
You're watching some incredible interviews, rare and great footage, learning a bit about the Africa of 1974 and grooving to the music. Read more
Published on Dec 28 2003 by Buster Paris
The Thrilla
Whether you're a Muhammad Ali fan or not doesn't matter; what matters here is how well the documentary has been assembled, and in actual fact, it deserved any and all recognition... Read more
Published on July 7 2003 by Greekfreak
American Journey, African Props
Leon Gast's documentary about the legendary Ali-Foreman fight works on all advertised levels. It is a fascinating snapshot of central Africa in the mid-1970s and a glimpse of... Read more
Published on Feb 26 2003 by William P. Mcneill
Mister, we could use a man like Mobutu again
I was confused by this movie. Is it a wildlife documentary, fight or concert film? Or is it everything sort of spliced together? Read more
Published on Nov 17 2002 by Ensio N Mikkola
Wow
This is a great documentary about the events leading up to the Rumble in the Jungle, and a good explanation of the fight itself. Read more
Published on Oct 20 2002
Rope A Dope
Next to "Hoop Dreams", this is the best sports documentary I have ever seen. Terrifically entertaining, funny, historic, illuminating, controversial, colorful, poetic,... Read more
Published on Oct 17 2002 by Samurai
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