Tyson

I was fortunate (?) to have been in the Catskill (later Cus D'Amato) Boxing club with Mike in the early to mid 80's and as such got to see him just as he was starting to get the acclaim that would later get ridiculous. I remember that he was still like a little kid in a lot of ways---pushing his friend's motorcycle on Main Street in Catskill for him to pop start it, walking around with a NY paper's cartoon showing a drawing of him holding the world in his hands, and exclaiming to anyone who would listen "This is so fly!" And much more. He was happy, healthy, and on a course for greatness. Then Cus died, and after an incredible series of fights that left him with all the belts, Mike threw it all away. He doesn't shy away from telling the world how foolish he was, and it is heartbreaking to see him on the verge of tears as he seems to relive it in his memory. Director Toback does a brilliant job in letting his subject do all the talking, and it is riveting. One star off for not making it clearer why he let Don King take over and basically destroy his career. While he does acknowledge the piece of crap that King is, he needed to go a little further, since King was sort of the anti-Cus, if you will. I know Mike knew that he was always welcome to come back to Catskill, where Cus's knowledge is still being imparted even today.

Truth, they say, is stranger than fiction. No more so than when it comes to documentaries. Even the average documentary can be far more gripping than many a feature film. And a great documentary is a wonder to behold. Such is the case with the film "Tyson", by James Toback. Of the ten films James Toback has directed over a period of thirty-one years, only "Fingers", and "The Pick-Up Artist" have made it to DVD, at least here in Australia. The first I knew of "Tyson" was a review I had read in The New Yorker. So when I saw it was one of the films to be screened at this year's Melbourne Film Festival, I made damn sure I got a ticket. Mike Tyson, in his career as a boxer, became the youngest heavy weight champion in the world. He floored one opponent in just eight seconds! Of the fifty -eight fights he fought, he won fifty. He knocked out his opponent forty -four times, and lost just six fights, before retiring from the fight game. "Tyson" is not an objective film as such. It is 100% subjective with Tyson doing all the talking. The death of his trainer, Constantine 'Cus' D'Amato hit Tyson hard, though there is no way of telling, his public and private life seemed to go off the rails not long after, the bulk of this film is devoted to having Tyson look at the camera and tell his story the best way he can. Yes, he probably leaves out a lot (who knows how much extra footage didn't make it into the final film), but what remains is like a cinematic jolt of electricity. He doesn't pull any punches. He tells it like it is, warts and all. He comments on the 'leaches' like Don King. Then again, knowing how explosive a temper he has, he says nothing while his wife, Robin Givens, lashes out at him in front of Barbera Walters on television. He tells about growing up in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, where he was bullied by neighbourhood kids, his life of petty crime, time in jail and when his luck changed on meeting Constantine 'Cus' D'Amato, who taught him all he knew about the craft of boxing, both physical and spiritual. You have to pay close attention as many of his fights are shown on a split screen, so when one image fades, another immediately takes its place. Whether you like to see two men pummel each other into submission, or wouldn't watch a boxing match to save your life, "Tyson" is a film that you really should see.

An excellent narrative on Mike Tyson's life from his point of view. The narrative is all done by Mike himself. Watching this movie you feel like you're sitting in front of Mike Tyson asking him to tell you his life story.

The movie itself I believe is not scripted since it's Mike Tyson himself telling us and the way he spoke seems genuine and full of holes in logic. In short it seemed honest enough.

Seeing this documentary, you gain a good amount of perspective about Tyson's personality, his life, how he think, his problems, and the people around him. The best part for me was when he explained why he bite Holyfield's ears.

Definitely one to watch for his fans. If you're not a Tyson or boxing fan, you might get a little bored.

Mike Tyson, probably the greatest heavy weight to ever walk the earth during a short span of 2 to 3 years. Why do you think all the other great heavyweights waited until he was well aged before they fought him. No other fighter ever exuded such skilled ferocity, not even Foreman.

Around the same time as Tyson's rape trial was William Kennedy's rape trial. I remember saying to a friend of mine after both trials were over that I bet William Kennedy was guilty and Tyson was not. I assume Tyson had his way with her and then discarded her and when she realized what his intentions were, she did it to save face and get back at him.

Now look, Tyson himself, says he took advantage of many woman but not her and you know, I actually believe him. Just a gut feeling I guess. Maybe I am wrong but its how I see it. Tyson was no saint by a long way and he admittedly confessed to committing many many felonies.

I actually find myself defending him for some reason.

Now that I said my points. This was an extremely intriguing documentary. From the heart and apparently truthful account of Mike Tyson. I never realized how well read Mike is. He has an excellent grasp of the English language and I only noted one or two bad English comments "That weren't intended".

He is very charismatic and intelligent. He gives very astute and detailed re-tellings of his life.

I was very much interested throughout.

What a great documentary. For anyone who likes boxing, this is a must-see. You hear Mike talking, almost non-stop, throughout giving numerous details about his personal life. The techniques used to present the film were terrific, though it does require you to pay attention; at several points, Toback runs multiple moving split-screens - it's an interesting device as you are forced to "follow" the dialog as one screen box goes quiet as another picks up where it left off.

The fight footage is incredible. I felt like I was watching all this footage again for the first time.

Throughout, the viewer is given access to a side of Tyson I doubt any but his closest friends and associates have ever witnessed. At many points he chokes up, fighting back tears - it's an amazing thing to watch.

And there's a lot of laughs. I won't reveal them, but there is some really funny stuff.