Muhammad Ali

There is a lot of video that has been recorded of Ali over his lifetime and, because he was so loquacious, a lot of audio that accompanies it. Those are the best parts of this doco and always make for captivating entertainment. The bits about backgrounds to the fights are quite good but we do have to wonder how balanced the story telling is. The background on Ali's life seems very light with all sorts of women, houses, events popping up with little to explain any motivation about how Ali came to find himself in such situations.

A fascinating story of boxing and an average story of the boxer.

I've seen every documentary ever made on Ali. And I will say this is by far the best ever made. Ken Burns was born to make documentaries and he absolutely knocked this one out. It has more footage, more insightful information and behind the scene footage that has ever been shown in one show. Man this was so good. Keith David is probably the best narrator around today and he just is the icing on the cake. Any show that has Keith David narrating it I'm gonna watch. And Even if you don't like boxing, this series is so worth watching. No question this is the greatest Ali documentary of all time.

Of the over a dozen documentaries on the life of Ali -- which this reviewer has seen -- this is the best, the sharpest, the most nuanced. It deals albeit indirectly with the unspoken issue of whether Ali really was the best boxer ever (even at his peak) or whether it is what the Japanese call his "fighting spirit" which put him over the top. Fighting spirit may well be what kept this incredible man in the minds and hearts of the public for so many years. A similar story will hopefully be told one day about Elvis, also at one time the greatest in his chosen vocation, who similarly was forced by circumstances to give up his throne too early, and take a very different direction. (Eg., search "Dentons Benton 2011")

In the first of the three parts, the titles not represented here, we basically see a calculated move for amateur boxer to the heavyweight champion of the world. This incredible documentary shows us a man of enormous talent as a boxer, using tenuous methods to psyche his opponents, including the continual baiting of Sonny Liston, a heavy favorite to defeat hm. We are shown his movement toward Islam and his connections to Malcolm X and Elijah Muhammed. Also, his embracing of the pageantry of the sport. I will add more to this review after seeing the second part.

Having seen the second part we can see what can make for an ugly country. Granted, Ali was abrasive. But he was true to himself and formidable. This episode involves his confrontation with the draft during the Vietnam War. He refused to recognize the draft and paid dearly for it. He was stripped of his license to fight and had his title taken away from him for his personal and religious beliefs. Even though, as a celebrity, he would never have seen combat. He held fast to his religion. We are shown the small mindedness that would allow over a hundred white fighters with felony convictions to keep their licenses (murderers, armed robbers, etc.) while he was taken apart by politicians and law officers. It also shows his achieving the heavyweight championship and all the twists and turns he needed to fight his way back. More in the third part.

Now we have the most intense part of this series. It involves, first of all, Ali's having to deal with the five year sentence for avoiding the draft. But, the most interesting is his battle with Joe Frazier, whom he hated for some reason. Here we see Ali at his worst, abusing this man, making fun of his looks and his speech, and saying he is stupid. It went beyond his usual promotion of a fight. We all know what happens when they meet for the first time. This is a turning point. Ali wants a rematch but Frazier goofs it all up when he meets George Foreman. Ali also has bumps along the way and is starting to lose those youthful advantages. Episode 4 is on its way.

This was difficult to watch. When Ali fought George Foreman and wins, he gained a new sense of invulnerability. Because he had thrown so much money away or showed kindness to people, he felt he needed to keep going and he continued to fight way too frequently. After losing to Leon Spinks, he gets a rematch, defeats him, and gets his title back for the third time. The perfect time to quit. But then we see the decline of his health and his efforts to foolishly fight while ill and aging. This is a terrific documentary and it gives us a balance view of a man who was vile sometimes, loving most of the time, and never deterred. Excellent.

Muhammad Ali is probably the most well-known sports star of the late 20thC having numerous books, documentaries and films made about him. I'd already seen films such as "Champions Forever" and "Facing Ali" but Ken Burns updated PBS series that chronicles Muhammad Ali's life and career is definitely worth a watch. It's well done and for anybody that remembers Ali it's a nostalgic trip down memory lane with interesting commentary and analysis from journalists, family members, other boxers and trainers. It wasn't just nostalgia about boxing or his personality, Burns clearly wanted to conflate this with the civil rights struggle in the USA during 1960's and 1970's that Ali got enmeshed in.

It was the first time an American athlete had become an international sports personality, a celebrity and a showman all at the same time. His party piece was supreme confidence, brashness, incredible boxing skills and bravado which included disparaging nick names towards his opponents. He was loved in many quarters and people who didn't particularly like boxing tuned in to see him win, although others who disliked him tuned in to see him lose. At his peak years he fell afoul of the US government with his refusal to be drafted into the US army during the Vietnam war.

I have to point out that he was very popular in the UK and his close friendship and praise towards British fighter Henry Cooper who he fought twice did a lot to endear him to the British public as all his fights were broadcast on tv. He was Americas most well-known sports star. All four of the USA's major sports were not available on UK tv so people never knew the likes of Hank Arron, Bobby Orr, Terry Bradshaw or Bill Bradley who were huge stars in North America. Although golf stars such as Lee Trevino and Jack Nicklas as well as tennis stars Billie Jean King and Jimmy Connors were well known... they'd appear for a couple of weeks in the summer and then you wouldn't see them till they returned the following year. Ali was always on tv, either being interviewed or in the Boxing ring. He was generally well like by the British media and there is probably no doubt that he liked being in the UK as he had less scrutiny there that he did from some media outlets in the USA.

The world heavy-weight boxing champion was the jewel in the crown of boxing and coverage of this was very much in the national consciousness. There are four episodes of this documentary which is appropriate as you could easily divide Ali's boxing career into four phases.

The first one is from the Olympic games in 1960 up to 1967 when he was stripped of his titles and had his boxing license revoked. The second phase was the comeback in 1970 to the third Joe Frazier fight in 1975 where he was very active. Ali's third phase was from 1975 to 1978 where he was matched with some weak fighters and wasn't as impressive or dominant as he had been in the past, nevertheless, was good enough to get the decision with the exception of the first Leon Spinks fight. After losing to the ordinary Spinks in February 1978, he was able to avenge that loss by winning the WBA belt from Spinks later in the year. The last phase was his two fights in 1980 and 1981 where he was easily out pointed and were both difficult to watch.

In his prime Ali was clearly the better boxer than his contemporaries he was just too quick on his feet and had fast reflexes, however after the suspension for three and a half years which were prime years he seemed to lose a step. He probably got into the ring with Joe Frazier too soon as the layoff clearly affected him. However, despite his cockiness and his massive ego and quick wit, it has to be said that he was incredibly tough. After the Frazier loss Ali was very busy for the next two years as he fought 11 times which must have been incredibly difficult and draining on him. Ali was gifted that he could avoid punches like no other heavy weight but if he did get caught, he could certainly take a punch. He even recovered from a broken jaw in 1973 to win the world heavy weight title the following year against the heavily favored and fearsome George Foreman.

Something I didn't fully appreciate was that Muhammad Ali was born in raised in a part of Louisville in what was regarded then as a middle-class black neighborhood. He went into boxing for something to do rather than to defend himself against bullies. Joe Frazier, George Forman and Ken Norton for example took up boxing as to defend themselves on the tough streets of their neighborhoods in places like Philadelphia, Houston and New York. In a strange way Ali changing his name from Cassias Clay to Muhamad Ali and joining the radicle nation of Islam didn't seem like a good fit. Did he really believe in what he was saying and supported the cause or was he just doing it for some form of publicity stunt that backfired and didn't work out for him??

Muhammad Ali, a character, a great fighter, yet not a perfect person lived life to the full during his prime years, unfortunately had his life turned upside down due to a Parkinson's diagnosis in 1984. I personally didn't find it inspiring or great to see him lighting the Olympic flame in 1996 in Atlanta but found it unfortunate and awkward to see this former prime athlete, trembling, seemingly unsteady, bewildered and appearing much older than he was, yet despite that, I'll always remember him as he was, and to me he will aways be known as "the greatest". I'd certainly recommend this series.