The 1996 documentary, When We Were Kings, was directed by Leon Gast. It spotlights the famous "Rumble in the Jungle" heavyweight championship match between fighters Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The fight was held in Zaire, which is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on October 30, 1974.
This documentary won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. It took the director, Leon Gast, 22 years to edit and finance before it was finally able to be released to the public.
Throughout this film, there are multiple celebrities giving cameos and interviews about the fight and their impressions of Ali and the fight itself. The film contains these interviews along with photos and clips around the time of the fight and leading up to it.
I found this film to be very unique in the way it was shot and put together. There was a lot going on and very scene was active and alive, I think this could very well be symbolic for the lively atmosphere possibly surrounding the fight. It was a world championship between two well-known fighters and it gained a lot of press. The lively onslaught of music, sound, press… I think this was a way for the director to depict the mood and atmosphere surrounding the actual fight.
Though, I personally didn’t love this film. I respected the director's artistic insight and eye for detail. To be in the process of creating a documentary for over 22 years, he practically lived and breathed this piece of history. It became a constant part of his life.
When We Were Kings, seems to be a film about going back to the good ole days when times were different and they were kings… kings of the ring.
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