When We Were Kings (1996)

[Responding to Howard Cosell] “And you’re always talking about, “Muhammad, you’re not the same man you were 10 years ago.” Well, I asked your wife, and she told me you’re not the same man you was two years ago!” – Muhammad Ali

Number of Times Seen – 1 (1 Jul 2015)

Brief Synopsis – Documentary about one of the most famous boxing matches ever between former champ Muhammad Ali and reigning champ George Foreman that took place in Zaire in 1974.

My Take on it – Any boxing fan (or even sn occasional one like me) has heard of the pivotal boxing match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman known as ‘The Rumble in the Jungle’ in 1974, but most people don’t realize is how much that fight impacted so many people, most notably the fighters themselves.

This movie is a combination of footage and interviews filmed at the time of the fight and segments filmed twenty years later and the combination of material from these two eras definitely gives us a broader image of the impact of this boxing match on so many facets.

I recall watching this movie win Best Documentary at the Oscars that year and seeing that both Ali and Foreman ascended the stage together showing that their animosity from years past was long gone.

Rewatching the clip of that moment is pretty emotional.

Watch it here:

The movie also has a great theme songs. check it out here:

Bottom Line – Exciting documentary that includes both interviews and footage from the actual event and from twenty years later. Interesting insight on both of these great fighters and how this event was truly a pivotal moment for both of them in their lives. Highly recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – Though almost all of the footage in this documentary was shot by producer/director Leon Gast in 1974, one reason it took 23 years to complete was because the negative and rights to the film were entangled in civil suits involving the Liberians who financed the movie’s making. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy

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