"When We Were Kings," the 1996 Academy Award winner for Best Documentary Feature, has finally arrived in Ann Arbor.
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When We Were Kings
Michigan Theater |
The fight was the brainchild of promoter Don King, who figures prominently in the film. King wanted to see a colossal matchup between Foreman, the angry young turk of boxing, and Ali, the onetime boxing giant whose star was thought to have faded by 1974. King's financial backer, putting up a total of $10 million, was President Mobutu, who thought that the fight would draw major investment into the Zairean economy.
Once both fighters arrived in Zaire, Foreman suffered a cut above his eye that required a six-week delay of the fight. While Foreman recovered, Ali engaged in his unique blend of politics and self-promotion, becoming a folk hero to the Zaireans and developing an attachment to the people and their folkways. The Zairean people rallied behind Ali, as the date of the fight approached, chanting "Ali, Bomaye!" ("Ali, kill him!").
Muhammad Ali's present state, his body racked by Parkinson's disease, stricken with tremors, a mask-like expression on his face, makes the footage of the once vital fighter all the more poignant. The film provides ample evidence of Ali's prodigious charm and verbal whit.
While promoting the upcoming fight, Ali asks a crowd of reporters: "You think the world was surprised when Nixon resigned? Just wait'll I kick Foreman's behind."
"When We Were Kings" doesn't just explore the charismatic side of Muhammad Ali, but also reminds us of his heightened social consciousness. Doubtless, Ali alienated many fans by opposing the Vietnam draft and publicly declaring his opposition to the war. Also, the fighter was unabashedly "Afrocentric" in an age when mainstream black figures were dissuaded from such proclamations.
Also fascinating is the demeanor of the young George Foreman. Most people know him as an affable and gregarious adman, but the 26-year-old Foreman was dark, arrogant and unstoppable. Upon arriving in Zaire, Foreman immediately rubbed the people the wrong way, his pet German Shepherd triggering memories of the dogs used by the Belgians, colonizers of Zaire (back when it was called the Belgian Congo).
Director Leon Gast and producers David Sonnenberg and Taylor Hackford have pulled together an extraordinary amount of footage, not only of the two fighters, but also the music festival that preceded the fight. Performers like James Brown, B.B. King and the Spinners are woven into the fabric of the film, along with traditional African music, creating an exciting feast for the ears and eyes.
Brown, in particular, delivers several incredible performances, making the concert footage of "When We Were Kings" comparable to some of the best rock documentaries ("Woodstock" and "Gimme Shelter"). The music lends to the film an inexorable rhythm that propels it forward, creating an atmosphere of almost intolerable anticipation.
On top of the music and the fight, the film employs interviews with George Plimpton and Norman Mailer, both fine writers who covered the boxing world for many years, and were in attendance in Zaire in 1974. Their commentary, along with that of Spike Lee, makes the significance of the fight clear and renders "When We Were Kings" a film that can be enjoyed by people who have never before watched a single boxing match.
Of course, the anticipated bout between Ali and Foreman does not disappoint. Even those who know the outcome will be on the edge of their seats, riveted by what is arguably the most exciting and dynamic opposition of personalities in the annals of boxing. "When We Were Kings" is a moving testament to a great man and a unique era in the history of sport.
Ali in "When We Were Kings."
Picture perfect: Ali gets behind the camera in "Kings."
04-21-97
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