The Fighters

Great documentary that has behind the scenes dealings as well as amazing fight footage of what was maybe the most significant boxing match of the 20th Century (though you could certainly make the argument for Louis-Schmeling II or Johnson-Jeffries, as well). I tried to search for it on here and you had it under the wrong title. BAM theaters in New York just screened this a month ago, so I know I'm not crazy. It's called "The Fight" as in "The Fight of The Century" as it was billed. It is not titled "The Fighters" - hard enough to find this lost treasure as it is. See BAM link below: http://www.bam.org/film/2014/the-fight

I first saw this on broadcast TV in the early 80's as a late night movie and now have it on DVD available here ---> http://www.amazon.com/Ali- The-Fighter-Muhammad/dp/B0007LPSIQ

Fans of the sport and the fighters get the entire fight without commentary from various angles including ringside to give the 'you are there' feel.

The promoters allowed cameras behind the scenes of financial discussions about the event and viewers are given a look into the personal lives and personalities of the fighters. The producers evidently wanted to provide every perspective possible as it happened leading up to the fight including speculation of sport writers and fans and members of the fighters' teams.

The film also provides insight into the societal attitudes of the time. Frazier's manager is asked why black investors where not involved and the sore subject of Ali's draft refusal comes up more than once.

In giving such detailed insight, this movie did an excellent job of showing future generations why this event transcended boxing and sports.

I had the opportunity to see this rarely shown movie yesterday at the American Museum of the Moving Image. In addition, the director was there to hold a question-and-answer session after the film. This film is way way more interesting, compelling, complex, and gloss-free than the recent film When We Were Kings (which was very good in its own right). It deals, in cinema verité style, with the weeks leading up to, and the immediate aftermath of, the 1971 Ali-Frazier fight. There are many scenes that take place on the streets of Manhattan, during which the camera eavesdrops on the passionate arguments between ordinary citizens who were of the two strictly divided Ali and Frazier fight-fan camps. The exciting fight is shown--all 15 rounds--in its entirety, without any sportscaster's narration--a conscious and brilliant decision by the director. The movie is better than When We Were Kings because it is less blatantly in Ali's camp--in that movie Foreman, a charismatic man in his own right, is portrayed as an inarticulate, unintelligent boxer who deserved no respect. In Ali: The Fighter both fighters are revealed as complicated, graceful, and intelligent boxers as well as human beings. Also--since it takes place in 1971, the Vietnam War era, when Ali was much-maligned and hated by many people for his conscientious-objector status--it makes for a much more psychologically interesting film. This is a must-see for any boxing/Ali/Frazier/documentary fan. Unfortunately it's not available on video as of yet. Apparently, plans are in the works.