When we were kings

Gast, Leon, (film director,, film producer,, editor of moving image work.). Sonenberg, David, (film producer.). Hackford, Taylor, 1944- (film producer,, editor of moving image work.). Ali, Muhammad 1942-2016 (on-screen participant.). Foreman, George 1949- (on-screen participant.). Das Films, (production company.). Criterion Collection (Firm), (publisher.). Zaire '74 (1974 : Kinshasa, Congo) (Added Author).

Summary: "In 1974, Leon Gast traveled to Africa to film Zaire 74, a music festival planned to accompany an unprecedented sports spectacle: the Rumble in the Jungle, in which late-career underdog Muhammad Ali would contend with the younger powerhouse George Foreman for the boxing heavyweight championship title--'a fight between two blacks in a black nation, organized by blacks,' as a Kinshasa billboard put it. When the main event was delayed, extending Ali's stay in Africa, Gast wound up amassing a treasure trove of footage, observing the wildly charismatic athlete training for one of the toughest bouts of his career while basking in his role as black America's proud ambassador to postcolonial Africa. Two decades in the making, When We Were Kings features interviews with Norman Mailer and George Plimpton that illustrate the sensational impact of the fight, rounding out an Academy Award-winning portrait of Ali that captures his charm, grace and defiance"--Container.

Record details

ISBN: 1681436507
ISBN: 9781681436500
Physical Description: 1 videodisc (87 min.) : sound, color with black and white sequences ; 4 3/4 in. + 1 sheet (17 cm x 70 cm folded to 17 cm x 12 cm).
videodisc
Edition: Blu-ray special edition.
Publisher: [New York, New York] : The Criterion Collection, [2019]
Copyright: ©2019

Content descriptions

General Note:	Title and credits from screen. Originally released as a documentary film in 1996. Widescreen (1.78:1 aspect ratio). Accompanying sheet includes an essay by critic Kelefa Sanneh.
Formatted Contents Note:	Features: New, restored 4K digital transfer, with 5.0 surround DT-HD Master Audio soundtrack -- "Soul Power," a 2008 documentary about the Zaïre 74 music festival directed by Jefrey Kusama-Hinte -- New interview with producer David Sonenberg -- Interview from 1997 with director Leon Gast -- Trailer -- An essay by critic Kelefa Sanneh.
Creation/Production Credits Note:	Cinematography, Maryse Alberti, Paul Goldsmith, Kevin Keating, Albert Maysles, Roderick Young ; editors, Leon Gast, Taylor Hackford, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, Keith Robinson.
Participant or Performer Note:	Featuring Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Don King, James Brown, B.B. King, Mobuto Sese Seko, Spike Lee, Norman Mailer, George Plimpton, Thomas Hauser.
Target Audience Note:	Rating: PG; for images of violence, brief nudity and some language.
System Details Note:	Blu-ray, region A; widescreen (1.78:1 aspect ratio); 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio.
Language Note:	English dialogue with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH).