why do boxing bios fall short...

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by john garfield, Jul 10, 2013.


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  1. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    ...as books 'n films? They rarely make best-seller lists, reach cross-over audiences or do big box office as films.

    Suspect RAGING BULL 'n SOMEONE UP THERE LIKES ME are exceptions to the rule.

    Think its because even the best researched don't rivet the reader to the page, like a good novel.
     
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    #1
  2. daprofessor

    daprofessor da legendary professor Full Member

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    what about cinderella man? pretty good film.

    i didn't care for it, but the fighter was critically acclaimed. i thought dickey euklands character stole the show.
     
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    #2
  3. Nonito Smoak

    Nonito Smoak Ioka>Lomo, sorry my dudes Full Member

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    "Million Dollar Baby"

    Won Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Supporting Actor. Good film.
     
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
    #3
  4. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Who was Ekland's character in CINDERELLA MAN? Thought he was only in the Micky Ward film.

    What didn't you like about CINDERELLA MAN?
     
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    #4
  5. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    ...Loved the picture, but it was fiction, not a bio, NS
     
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
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  6. Nonito Smoak

    Nonito Smoak Ioka>Lomo, sorry my dudes Full Member

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    Yeah I just realized looking at the thread title "bios."

    Selective reading, woo hoo...
     
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
    #6
  7. Stylez G.

    Stylez G. Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The Hurricane did pretty well.
     
    Stylez G., Jul 10, 2013
    Stylez G., Jul 10, 2013
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  8. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    HURRICANE did do well artistically (can't speak for box office), 'n it was acted, written 'n produced by reputable quality filmmakers, so I was astonished that so much of it was a work of fiction.
     
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
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  9. Nonito Smoak

    Nonito Smoak Ioka>Lomo, sorry my dudes Full Member

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    I will say that I've yet to see a boxing film, fiction or not, that really showcases good realistic action. It just doesn't happen, for some reason.

    Even Million Dollar Baby was frustrating to watch the fight scenes from my perspective. I hate to sound like a complete loser, but it's one of those cases where you really feel that you yourself could have made a positive impact if you were just on set and your opinion was valued.
     
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
    Nonito Smoak, Jul 10, 2013
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  10. daprofessor

    daprofessor da legendary professor Full Member

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    i guess i should have put quotation marks around "the fighter" in that second sentence. it was for the mickey ward story....
     
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    #10
  11. daprofessor

    daprofessor da legendary professor Full Member

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    happens to the best of us.. :lol:
     
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
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  12. daprofessor

    daprofessor da legendary professor Full Member

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    i feel the exact same way. it's why i think they would do well to limit the scenes and just tell the stories similar to how they did in "the champ" or "pulp fiction."

    "ali" with will smith was horrible.

    "the boxer" with daniel day lewis is one of the best displays of boxing i ever saw in a movie.
     
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    #12
  13. Stylez G.

    Stylez G. Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    It's Hollywood, that's what they do. They got the basic gist though. A pro boxer goes to jail and people to try to get him out.
     
    Stylez G., Jul 10, 2013
    Stylez G., Jul 10, 2013
    #13
  14. daprofessor

    daprofessor da legendary professor Full Member

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    same can be said for cinderella man. they made max baer out to be this villanous character...but the opposite was true.
     
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    daprofessor, Jul 10, 2013
    #14
  15. john garfield

    john garfield Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Think the reason is that it's all carefully choreographed for camera 'n safety, so punches are wider 'n telegraphed. Interesting enough, James Wong Howe won an Academy Award for his in-ring action cinematography (done on roller skates) for the '47 version of BODY & SOUL

    Whadya think of the operatic boxing action 'n surreal sound FX in RAGING BULL?
     
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    john garfield, Jul 10, 2013
    #15
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