Facing Ali |  | Director: Pete McCormack
Actors: George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Larry Holmes
Studio: Lions Gate
Category: DVD
List Price: $19.98
Buy New: $10.99
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New (26) Used (12) from $9.17
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Rating:  13 reviews
Sales Rank: 11,072
Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Languages: English (Subtitled), Spanish (Subtitled), English (Original Language)
Rating: R (Restricted)
Region: 1
Discs: 1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Running Time: 100 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.1 x 5.4 x 0.6
MPN: 031398115939
UPC: 031398115939
EAN: 0031398115939
ASIN: B002T9H2KG
Release Date: December 29, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 12/29/2009 Run time: 100 minutes Rating: R
Amazon.com
He rocked the sport, shook the world, and changed their lives. Now, several decades after they met in the ring, ten of the sport's finest fighters tell what it was like to battle Muhammad Ali, the man many consider the best boxer ever. This brutally honest documentary recounts Ali's incomparable journey as seen through the eyes of those who stepped through the ropes and into history. Join these respected fighters as they weigh in on "The Greatest" and pay tribute to a living legend in this powerful and unforgettable film.
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
Fantastic homage to boxers and Ali July 28, 2010
Rextrent (Wichita, Kansas USA)
As a very mild fan of boxing, I will say that this is AWESOME. Clips and interviews are interesting to those who might not be boxing fanatics at all. This was very enjoyable and moving to watch.
A Gathering of Wise Old Men July 6, 2010
Koreatown Krooner (Los Angeles)
It's hard to imagine a better boxing documentary than this. There are more complete documentaries about Ali available. However, the decision to gather new material strictly from his living opponents is a brilliant idea which pays off. Every one of these guys has survived more than just Ali and the boxing ring. George Chuvalo's tragic story about the untimely loss of his wife and children alone will break your heart. While some are critical of Ali, none of these men are bitter. Even Joe Frazier, who endured so much verbal abuse from Ali, sheds a sentimental tear. Larry Holmes and Leon Spinks provide the most color and laughs.
Motivating for Life June 19, 2010
Mohamed Mortagy (Cairo,Egypt)
The DVD was awsome reflecting old gladiators insights , visions for life and their passion in boxing game ... What commonly noticed that inspite boxing is apparent to be a brutal sport where many parties want to stop it for good, it helps many souls to come out of destructive enviroment and push it to become a more human soul . That was noticed in all of the fighters interview . My cousin who was a water polo player and stoped the sport, lost confidence in himself , after watching this DVD ,he started a training routine and flew to Amesterdam to play a tournament with the team after watching this DVD many times ...
An inspirational DVD , must be owned in your library
Forever the greatest May 22, 2010
Warren P (Sydney , NSW Australia)
To see these old warriors reflecting on Ali and their own involvement in his extraordinary life was something special while I felt a kind of sadness in seeing them all having grown old along with him.
Ali was such a remarkable human being I am happy to have lived in his time.
He was a special inspiration in the league of Mandela and Martin Luther King and I believe those others great boxers (even Joe Frazier) have come to acknowledge that Ali was more than a boxer.
Another reviewer had taken offence to some subtitles being added believing it was demeaning to those old fighters. Frankly their words were slurred (nothing unusual for boxers) and I was glad to have that option on my copy and didn't consider it disrespectful.
Can anyone tell me what is that last music track playing as the credits come up?
I searched the tracks listed in the credits on the internet but could not identify it.
Superior documentary that's almost as great as its subject; Chuvalo wins by TKO May 17, 2010
K. Swanson (Austin, TX United States)
4.6 stars
Everything about this one is quality, from the camera work to the editing to the quality of the interviews. The filmmakers wisely stay hidden and let the boxers speak entirely for themselves, and what takes shape is an excellent examination of Ali, his opponents, and the boxing game in general.
The highlight for me was easily George Chuvalo's incredibly heartfelt and heartbreakingly honest look at this own life, and his family's issues with drug addiction. You expect this movie to be all Ali, then suddenly after a couple sharp jabs you catch a roundhouse right from the Canadian fighter and hit the mat. That scene took me by surprise more than almost anything I've ever seen in a movie. George comes across as a truly decent man and the humanity and suffering he openly shares with us hit me straight in the heart. An incredible moment that I'll never forget.
Add to that so many other fascinating characters and you've got a great film. And every one of these guys is a character, no question about it. My other favorite is Brit Henry Cooper, whose no-nonsense attitude and common sense are both refreshing and really funny at times. Holmes is also good humor, as is Foreman, and Spinks couldn't be invented if you tried. Real life in this movie is much more interesting than any fiction.
And of course rising above it all is the Greatest himself. The filmmakers do a good job at showing how his Vietnam War rebellion and other incidents made him the icon he became, perhaps the most famous person in the world of the last fifty years. And the respect that every fighter here has for Ali, both as a man and as a pugilist, is more than palpable. It's touching, and one feels somehow honored that these guys share with us as much as they do of their deep feelings for Ali.
Not to mention the fight highlights, worth watching this for purely on their own merits. I'm not much of a boxing fan any more, but seeing Ali dancing and weaving with that unparalleled footwork and attitude is a real treat. He truly had it all, especially the drive to be the best.
You walk away with much respect for almost all of the fighters here, and certainly for the man himself, whose sense of humor and intense drive to be the best, not to mention a gift for the English language unlike any other, still mark him as one of the greatest sports figures of the 20th century, and one of the most consistently interesting people I've ever had the privilege to watch from afar. That he would risk it all to stand up for his principles, especially ideals so at odds with his culture, seems oven more amazing in hindsight. That and his Muslim convictions come across strongly here, and make his accomplishments out of the ring seem even more impressive than his many wins inside it.
I grew up as a kid watching Ali fight in the late '60s and '70s, and all those memories that once seemed so halcyon are proved by this film to be dead-on. He really was one of a kind, and the chance to see his story played out beside the lives of his opponents here is a unique and fascinating experience.
This film is highly recommended to pretty much anyone who finds people fascinating. And if you've ever enjoyed even one boxing match, this is a must; Facing Ali is probably the best film on boxing I've ever seen.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 13
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