Documentary Description
Believe the hype. This much-praised documentary about one of the
most famous boxing matches in history deserves every one of its
accolades. Blending sports drama and biography with a touch of
political analysis, When We Were Kings relates the who, when,
where, and most importantly the why of the 1974 George Foreman/Muhammad
Ali world championship fight in Zaire.
Splicing together old news footage, photos, and contemporary interview clips, director Leon Gast
captures the excitement and chaos that led up to the famed “Rumble in
the Jungle” and the incredible characters and events surrounding the
thrilling bout.
The documentary explores a gamut of issues that defined the 1970s
and impacted the African-American community: the Vietnam War and the
draft, the nascent “Black is Beautiful” movement and idealization of
Mother Africa, and the brutal reality of post-colonial dictatorships.
But it is the charismatic and bombastic Muhammad Ali at the center of it all who steals the show with the sheer force of his inimitable personality. When We Were Kings reminds us why…
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