BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?

Subject: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:22 PM

I was thinking about all the boxing threads. And thought about "The Fighter" Which was a great movie and thought. Wow! are ALL the best sports movies about boxers?

A quick list shows me that among serious movies, there is a case to be made.

Rocky, (I'm only talking about the first one here.)
Ali
The Hurricane
The Fighter

Are all great movies.

Bull Durham and The Longest Yard and North Dallas Forty were good too. But all were comedy. I don't know what to make of Field of Dreams. I am tempted to say that since there were no baseball players, only ghosts, and since the baseball was a metaphor for the relationship of parenthood, I am inclined to think that it is not a sports movie.

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: olddude
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:26 PM

I think they do

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Tunesmith
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:27 PM

I'm a big boxing fan but I can't say that I enjoy boxing movies. Some I hated! Million Dollar Baby was one such film.

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:40 PM

Million Dollar Baby was a great film until the last 20 minutes. I'm pretty sure that the script was written to win awards rather than to entertain.

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:47 PM

Only if you consider violence entertaining!

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 01:58 PM

I hear what you are saying John, but I am willing to bet that you haven't seen most of the movies mentioned. The Fighter, Ali, and the Hurricane were certainly not about violence. They were inspiring true stories about exceptional men beating the odds mostly outside the ring.

I think boxing stories make better movies because the stakes are higher.

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 02:20 PM

I haven't been to the miovies for 25 years, and the main reason is that they don't make the kind of movies I like any more

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 02:28 PM

Well then, thank you for your informed and considered opinion. ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 03:09 PM

You don't need to see faked violence to be against this blood sport.
Because what is sadder than those forced by poverty to participae in this ugly spectacle, is those who glorify it, enjoy the suffering of the participants, and try to excuse it, by calling it a sport.
Yea, and Columbine was just skeep shooting!

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 04:11 PM

We get it John. You don't like boxing or current movies. You don't watch either, but you condemn both, because the very idea revolts you.

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 04:14 PM

Yup
In a civilised society it would be banned

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 04:27 PM

Well I don't like boxing to start with but I'm not sure about sports movies either.

Unless you count something like The Arsenal Stadium Mystery

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 04:35 PM

Not what I had in mind. Neither is this.

or this

Subject: RE: BS: Boxing makes best sports movies?
From: alanabit
Date: 12 Nov 11 - 04:59 PM

I think boxing does make great sports movies. You should add Martin Scorcese's "Raging Bull" to that list. There was also quite a good James Cagney one some time ago.
The only football film which I really enjoyed was "Mike Bassett - England Manager", which illustrated perfectly the inherently ridiculous culture of chaos and inflated expectations, which surrounds the England football team. It was hilarious.