DVD Review: Champions Forever: Ali – The Lost Interviews

Posted by Ramon Aranda on 10.29.2009

With a half hour of additional Ali interviews, this version is easily one of the best documentaries ever made.



With a half hour of additional Ali interviews, this version is easily one of the best documentaries ever made.

Having seen the original Champions Forever in 1990, I was always fond of the documentary which has been revered over the past 19 and some odd years. Producer Craig Glazer put together an exceptional film that featured classic fight footage alongside intriguing interviews with Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier and Larry Holmes. Out of print, I still wished I had purchased it on VHS when it was first released but Glazer has one upped himself with brand new the Lost Interviews edition that includes 30 minutes of never-before-seen interviews with Ali.

The video kicks off with those interviews that have been recently uncovered and took place at Ali's Los Angeles home, Johnny Taco's Gym in Las Vegas and his Michigan compound. One of the most enjoyable segments featured Ali talking about some of the moves he invented throughout his career such as the Ali Shuffle and the rope-a-dope. I got a big laugh out of his explanation of the ‘Ghetto Whopper' which is essentially Ali's version of the bolo punch. When pressed about why he gave it such a comical name, Ali tried to hold back his laughter when he described the bolo punch to be one that would generally be thrown by drunks at 2 a.m. in the ghetto when getting into fights. Despite his increasingly worsening condition, it's still a Joy to see and hear Ali before things got too damaging. You can see the gleam of youth in his eyes as he talks about his inspiration from Gorgeous George for his flamboyant personality and the reasons why Muhammad Ali would beat Cassius Clay in the ring. It's a very revealing look into Ali's mentality and is worth the price of admission alone.

The rest of the film is of course what we've seen from the original release and is a huge treat for boxing fans and historians. I especially appreciated some of the fight footage that is otherwise very tough to find and getting to hear from the participants of said fights ads a lot to the experience. Hearing Foreman's candid thoughts about his career is surprising given how menacing he was early on but we get to hear how unsure of himself he really was.

Though all of the interviews are a real treat, I also feel for each one of them who clearly show some deterioration in their conditions as you'll hear them slur through most of their thoughts, save for George Foreman. Still, if you can overlook their abilities to speak, they're still a joy to watch and it reminds us of how truly great these fighters were in their primes.

Finally the "Dinner with the Champs" segment is one of the best pieces of the package where all five men get together for an unforgettable evening of ribs, jokes and insight about how they all shaped each other's lives.

All in all, whether you've seen the 1990 release or not, Champions Forever: Ali – The Lost Interviews is a phenomenal documentary that cannot and should not be missed.

You can get additional information on the film as well as the option to purchase it via its official website at www.championsforeverdvd.com.