The best Muhammad Ali’s documentary movies

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

17/01/1942- 03/06/2016
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Muhammad Ali’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about Muhammad Ali.
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Andre the Giant

Andre the Giant
7.8/10
An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.

When We Were Kings

When We Were Kings
7.9/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 25/10/1996
  • Character: Himself
It's 1974. Muhammad Ali is 32 and thought by many to be past his prime. George Foreman is ten years younger and the heavyweight champion of the world. Promoter Don King wants to make a name for himself and offers both fighters five million dollars apiece to fight one another, and when they accept, King has only to come up with the money. He finds a willing backer in Mobutu Sese Suko, the dictator of Zaire, and the "Rumble in the Jungle" is set, including a musical festival featuring some of America's top black performers, like James Brown and B.B. King.

I Am Ali

I Am Ali
7.2/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 10/10/2014
  • Character: Himself
Unprecedented access to Muhammad Ali's personal archive of "audio journals" as well as interviews and testimonials from his inner circle of family and friends are used to tell the legend's life story.

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
7.6/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 04/07/2008
  • Character: Himself
Fueled by a raging libido, Wild Turkey, and superhuman doses of drugs, Thompson was a true "free lance, " goring sacred cows with impunity, hilarity, and a steel-eyed conviction for writing wrongs. Focusing on the good doctor's heyday, 1965 to 1975, the film includes clips of never-before-seen (nor heard) home movies, audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts.

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration
8.4/10
The Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special was a 2001 New York City revue show by Michael Jackson. It took place on September 7, 2001 and September 10, 2001. In late November 2001, the CBS television network aired the concerts as a two-hour special in honour of Michael Jackson's thirtieth year as a solo entertainer (his first solo single, "Got to Be There", was recorded in 1971). The show was edited from footage of two separate concerts Michael had orchestrated in New York City's Madison Square Garden on September 7 and September 10 of 2001. The shows sold out in five hours. Ticket prices were pop's most expensive ever; the best seats cost $5,000 and included a dinner with Michael Jackson and a signed poster.

The Real Rocky

The Real Rocky
7.1/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 25/10/2011
  • Character: Himself (Archive Footage)
Chuck Wepner is a liquor salesman from Bayonne, N.J., who drives a Cadillac with “Champ” vanity plates. A former New Jersey State Heavyweight Boxing Champion, he took abuse from Sonny Liston, got his nose broken by Muhammad Ali, and inspired Sylvester Stallone to write “Rocky” which won three Academy Awards. Wepner was left out of the “Rocky” glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight: he went on to fight Andre the Giant as “The Assassin” and boxed a 900 pound bear. Twice.

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali

Blood Brothers: Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali
6.9/10
From a chance meeting to a tragic fallout, Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali's extraordinary bond cracks under the weight of distrust and shifting ideals.

Africa Rising

Africa Rising
How African artists have spread African culture all over the world, especially music, since the harsh years of decolonization, trying to offer a nicer portrait of this amazing continent, historically known for tragic subjects, such as slavery, famine, war and political chaos.

Facing Ali

Facing Ali
7.9/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 29/05/2009
  • Character: Himself
Ten of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.

Soul Power

Soul Power
7.1/10
  • Genre: DocumentaryMusic
  • Release: 04/09/2008
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
Soul Power is a 2008 documentary film about the Zaire 74 music festival in Kinshasa which accompanied the Rumble in the Jungle heavyweight boxing championship match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in October 1974. The film was made from archival footage; other footage shot at the time focusing on the fight was edited to form the film When We Were Kings.

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak

WWE: Undertaker 20-0 - The Streak
8.2/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 23/07/2012
  • Character: Self (archive footage)
Walk the dark and hallowed path of he who cannot be buried. The Apocalyptic Warrior who has denied salvation to twenty souls to forge an eternal streak. The dynasty of The Deadman becomes immortal in Undertaker: The Streak. Hear the tales of Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista, Big Show, Randy Orton and other victims who have dared to stare across the ring into the cold eyes of The Phenom. From Undertaker's WrestleMania VII debut vs. Jimmy Superfly Snuka to his agonising war with Triple H and the illustrious opponents in between, every chilling encounter is presented here from bell-to-bell.

Jack Paar: Smart Television

Jack Paar: Smart Television
7.4/10
PBS documentary examining the work of Jack Paar.

The Trials of Muhammad Ali

The Trials of Muhammad Ali
7.2/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 23/08/2013
  • Character: Himself
Brash boxer Cassius Clay burst into the American consciousness in the early 1960s, just ahead of the Civil Rights movement. His transformation into the spiritually enlightened heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali is legendary, but this religious awakening also led to a bitter legal battle with the U.S. government after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War. This film reveals the perfect storm of race, religion and politics that shaped one of the most recognizable figures in sports history.

James Bond: The First 21 Years

James Bond: The First 21 Years
7/10
A look back at the first 21 years of Britain's most successful film series.

Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990

Kings of The Ring - History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990
The BBC produced “Kings of The Ring – History of Heavyweight Boxing 1919-1990” celebrates boxing’s marquee division. Comprehensive and nonjudgmental, it begins with Jess Willard’s victory over Jack Johnson in Cuba and runs through the Mike Tyson era.

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme
7.4/10
From neighborhood ciphers to the most notorious MC battles, "Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme" captures the electrifying energy of improvisational hip-hop--the rarely recorded art form of rhyming spontaneously. Like preachers and jazz solos, freestyles exist only in the moment, a modern-day incarnation of the African-American storytelling tradition. Shot over a period of more than seven years, it is already an underground cult film in the hip-hop world. The film systematically debunks the false image put out by record companies that hip-hop culture is violent or money-obsessed. Instead, it lets real hip-hop artists, known and unknown, weave their story out of a passionate mix of language, politics, and spirituality.

Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World

Muhammad Ali - Through The Eyes Of The World
7.7/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 19/11/2001
  • Character: Himself
"This is a kid who just said it. I'm the greatest - and he said it with poetry. And I don't mean just the poems that he wrote but with the poetic energy, the poetic spirit" - James Earl Jones. Through the eys of the world is a unique account of one of the great icons of the 20th century, told by family, friends and fans from all over the world.

The Journey of the African-American Athlete

The Journey of the African-American Athlete
6.9/10
Documentary feature exploring the rise of African-Americans to positions of greatness in American sports. Stories are told of boxers, tennis players, runners, and basketball players, athletes who either suffered the indignities of racism, helped break down its walls, or enjoyed the opportunities afforded by past struggles.

a.k.a. Cassius Clay

a.k.a. Cassius Clay
6.7/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 03/11/1970
  • Character: Himself
The study of crazy brilliance and flamboyant sincerity. a.k.a. Cassius Clay presents a fascinating look at the incredible life and achievements of one of the most courageous, outspoken and charismatic figures of boxing: Muhammad Ali. Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Ali soon rose to become a renowned athlete, an articulate author and a compelling political; leader. Audacious, ambitious and totally fearless, Ali became a symbol of pride, a legend of hope and one of the most extraordinary cultural icons of the 20th century.

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali
8.6/10
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Release: 19/09/2021
  • Character: Himself (archive footage)
An in-depth look at the life of boxer, Muhammad Ali, including his years as an activist and philanthropist.

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