When We Were Kings

About When We Were Kings

"When We Were Kings" is a 1996 documentary film directed by Leon Gast. It covers the famous 1974 heavyweight boxing match in Zaire, known as 'The Rumble in the Jungle', between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. Ali attempts to regain the heavyweight title stripped from him when he refused induction into the military during the Vietnam War, engaging in psychological warfare with Foreman to secure his win.

Making / Production

The film took over two decades to make because the footage was stored in a vault to prevent it from decomposing while the director sought funds to pay for the archive fees. It was finally completed after producer David Sonenberg acquired the footage.

Actors

• Muhammad Ali - Played himself. His in-ring prowess and playful trash talk stole the show.
• George Foreman - Played himself. His stoic demeanor was the perfect foil to Ali's dynamism.
• Don King - Played himself. He orchestrated the fight, handpicking Zaire as the location.
• B.B. King - Played himself. His performances at the accompanying concert added an indelible rhythm to the documentary.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was originally supposed to be a music documentary showcasing a three-day musical festival that was to accompany the fight.
• The fight was scheduled at 4 a.m. local time to accommodate a live television audience in the United States.

Awards

The film won the 1996 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

Quotes

• "The man who has no imaginations, has no wings." - Muhammad Ali
• "Ali, boom-ba-ye! Ali, boom-ba-ye!" - crowd chant

Music, Soundtrack

• "Black Man" - James Brown
• "To Be Young, Gifted and Black" - Aretha Franklin
• "Babarabatiri" - Fania All-Stars
• "Rumble in the Jungle" - The Fugees, A Tribe Called Quest, and Busta Rhymes