Search - Kings of the Ring on DVD

Not what I was looking for!

Ensio N Mikkola | Gaithersburg, MD United States | 01/21/2003

(2 out of 5 stars)

"I regret buying this DVD. Actually, it wasn't what I was looking for. There was another documentary called KINGS OF THE RING which focused on the careers of Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis and Muhammad Ali. It was directed by Bud Greenspan, I saw it once or twice on SHOWTIME and thought it was excellent. The tribute to Joe Louis was particularly touching. What we have here is an HBO produced documentary with a similar name but with less class. Admittedly, some of the footage here is rare (the Schmeling-Baer fight, Carnera boxing a kangaroo), but it just feels like footage spliced together with bleh commentary. And poor Larry Holmes. You get to watch him get pummelled by a young Mike Tyson again. No mention of his 7 years as heavyweight champion of the world. ... But save your [money] and wait for Showtime to air the Greenspan documentary."

Poor poor Larry

M Darrow | everywhere at once | 12/14/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've seen Larry Holmes interviewed in the past and at first I thought he was just a man with a massive inferiority complex but now I understand his problem. When a film such as this (which gives a fairly detailed history of the heavyweight crown) completely and uterly ignores his domination of the division for a five to eight year span, I think his complex is justified. Max Baer and Primo Carnera get five times as much attention in this movie as does holmes. I was also expecting some kind of explanation of when and how the multiple governing bodies took precedence in the awarding of the title. After all it's something that could be discussed in narration alone without additional footage. Instead... we magically skip from Ali, who apparently has one title, to the days of Tyson and multiple titles. This is an important omition.I understand that there is not film coverage of the absolute beginning of the heavyweight crown but I also find fault with the omission of this info..."

Great History

Ryan | Indianapolis, IN USA | 02/02/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love KINGS OF THE RING. HBO always does a great job with boxing show and I like the Louis Gosset Jr. as the nararrator. It has a real in-depth history of the heavyweight division. From Jack Dempsey's brutal ko of Jess Willard, to Mike Tyson. It show training and fight clips, as well as clips from outside the ring. It also helps explain the signifcance of the Heavyweight title and what it meant to the world at each particualar time in history."

Pretty good but missing

mistermaxxx@yahoo.com | usa | 06/21/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"while it's cool to hear Louis Gossett Jr The Academy Award winner given Commentary through out this Project doesn't cover the full bases of Boxing.you have to do more.still there are rare footage here&there good coverage throughout from different Era's&Weight Classes but still something is mising from this being complete."