Ali [Director's Cut] DVD

Ali
Notoriously obsessive director Michael Mann and star Will Smith devoted nearly two years and over 100 million dollars from the coffers of Columbia Pictures and other financiers to creating this biography of boxing great Muhammad Ali, which focuses on the ten-year period of 1964-1974. In that time, the brash, motor-mouthed athlete quickly dominates his sport, meets and marries his first wife (Jada Pinkett-Smith), converts to Islam (changing his name from Cassius Clay), and defies the United States government by refusing to submit to military conscription for duty in Vietnam. His world heavyweight champion title thus stripped from him entirely for political reasons, the champ sets about to win back his crown, culminating in a legendary unification bout against George Foreman (Charles Shufford) in Zaire, dubbed the "Rumble in the Jungle." In his travels, Ali becomes a symbol of power to disenfranchised African-Americans everywhere and meets such luminaries as Malcolm X (Mario Van Peebles), Martin Luther King Jr. (LeVar Burton) and Maya Angelou (Martha Edgerton). Ali features an all-star supporting cast that includes Jon Voight, Giancarlo Esposito, Jamie Foxx, Nona Gaye, Michael Michele, Joe Morton, Paul Rodriguez, Ron Silver, Mykelti Williamson, and Jeffrey Wright. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast Will Smith as Muhammad Ali Jamie Foxx as Drew "Bundini" Brown Jon Voight as Howard Cosell Mario Van Peebles as Malcolm X Ron Silver as Angelo Dundee Jeffrey Wright as Howard Bingham Mykelti Williamson as Don King Nona Gaye as Belinda Michael Michele as Veronica Joe Morton as Chancy Eskridge Paul Rodriguez as Dr. Ferdie Pacheco Bruce McGill as Bradley Barry "Shabaka" Henley as Herbert Muhammad Giancarlo Esposito as Cassius Clay Sr. Lawrence Mason as Luis Sarria LeVar Burton as Martin Luther King Jr. Albert Hall as Elijah Muhammad David Cubitt as Robert Lipsyte Ted Levine as Joe Smiley Candy Ann Brown as Odessa David Elliott as Sam Cooke Shari Watson as Woman Singer Malick Bowens as Joseph Mobutu Michael Bentt as Sonny Liston James N. Toney as Joe Frazier Alfred Cole as Ernie Terrell Charles Shufford as George Foreman

Crew Tomas Voth - Art Director Ebow Prah - Art Director Bill Rea - Art Director Jonathan Lee - Art Director Jon Townley - Art Director Christopher Bass - Art Director Audrey Soodoo-Raphael - Art Director Oliver Moore - Animator Gusmano Cesaretti - Associate Producer Kathleen M. Shea - Associate Producer Alison E. McBryde - Casting Victoria Thomas - Casting David Dontoh - Casting John D. Schofield - Co-producer Michael Waxman - Co-producer Reza Levy - Costume Designer Carolyn Schnitzer - Costume Designer Dihantus Engelbrecht - Costume Designer Marlene Stewart - Costume Designer Kim Du Plessis - Costume Designer Darkowaa Tsibu - Costume Designer Gina Panno - Costume Designer Cathy Kukard - Costume Designer Michael Waxman - First Assistant Director Michael Mann - Director William C. Goldenberg - Editor Stephen E. Rivkin - Editor Lynzee Klingman - Editor Graham King - Executive Producer Howard Bingham - Executive Producer Mary E. Buono - Hair Styles Annette Keet - Hair Styles Caroline Clements-Jewery - Hair Styles Romaine Greene - Hair Styles Demetra Diamantopoulos - Location Manager Janice Polley - Location Manager Maria Chavez - Location Manager Lisa Gerrard - Composer (Music Score) Pieter Bourke - Composer (Music Score) Beverly House - Makeup Catania McCoy-Howze - Makeup Captive Audience Prods. - Makeup Special Effects Greg Cannom - Makeup Special Effects John Myhre - Production Designer Emmanuel Lubezki - Cinematographer Paul Ardaji - Producer A. Kitman Ho - Producer Michael Mann - Producer Jon Peters - Producer James Lassiter - Producer Lee Caplin - Producer Jim Kent - Set Designer Nicholas Scott - Set Designer Nadia Sultanegy - Set Designer Paulo Mondlane - Set Designer Jim Erickson - Set Designer Lynn Christopher - Set Designer Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson - Set Designer Marcos Alvarez - Set Designer Richard Sprawson - Sound Mixer Lee Orloff - Sound/Sound Designer Sound Dogs - Sound/Sound Designer Kevin Morrow - Stunts Roy Anderson - Stunts Larry Tankson - Stunts Richard Lexsee - Stunts Joel Kramer - Stunts Coordinator Kevin de la Noy - Unit Production Manager Christopher Wheeldon - Unit Production Manager Gregory Allen Howard - Screen Story Eric Roth - Screenwriter Stephen J. Rivele - Screenwriter Michael Mann - Screenwriter Christopher Wilkinson - Screenwriter James Lay - Sound Effects Editor Stuart Waks - Additional Editing James Peterson - CGI Effects Bryan H. Carroll - Associate Editor Gilles Boisacq - Grip Joe Mnisi - Grip Collen Rampedi - Grip Nick Rankin - Grip Laurence Nepfumbada - Grip Gordon Adams - Grip Guy Micheletti - Key Grip David Merrill - Key Grip Francis Annan - Key Grip Thomas Lewis - Key Grip Michael Tinger - Post Production Supervisor Mitchell Bell - Production Coordinator Mary Kim - Production Supervisor Thomas Hayslip - Production Supervisor Charles Stewart - Properties Master Margaret Prentice - Prosthetic Makeup Effects Julie Herrin - Second Assistant Director Brian Risner - Sound Effects Director Craig Henighan - Sound Effects Director Dave Watkins - Special Effects Coordinator Gregory King - Supervising Sound Editor Leslie Oliver - Visual Effects Producer Gina Marie Ome - Costume/Wardrobe David W. Krummel - Assistant Art Director Nicklas A. Farrantello - Assistant Art Director Michael Youp - Assistant Chief Lighting Technician Chanel Salzer-Chadock - Assistant Location Manager Kitty Terry - Assistant Location Manager Mark Mamalakis - Assistant Location Manager Julie Hannum - Assistant Location Manager Beverly Visitacion - Assistant Location Manager Susan M. Ehrhart - Assistant Production Coordinator Christopher Emerson - Assistant Sound Editor Shaughnessy Hare - Assistant Sound Editor Jeffrey Cook - Best Boy Electric Bill Summers - Best Boy Grip Robert "Bobby" Fischer - Best Boy Grip Mary A. Brady - Buyer Alishja A. Ballard - Buyer Abraham Martinez - Camera Loader Karyn Lyman - Casting Assistant John Friday - Chief Lighting Technician Nana George Owusu Asare - Chief Lighting Technician John McKay - Chief Lighting Technician John Buckley - Chief Lighting Technician Michael Diersing - Construction Coordinator Mark Yardas - Dialogue Editor Dan Yale - Dialogue Editor Michael Haight - Dialogue Editor Karen Spangenberg - Dialogue Editor Bill Wynn - Dolly Grip Bernie de Wet - Electrician Joseph Themba - Electrician Steven Brooks - Electrician Gareth Viner - Electrician Kenneth Fisher - Electrician Dudley Fillies - Electrician Russell Delport - Electrician Edgar Chissico - Electrician Mannie Chonka - Electrician Andre Kemp - Electrician Pepsi Mahanisi - Electrician Andries Ngaleka - Electrician Joe Matlou - Electrician Patrick Botha - Electrician Brenton Nortjie - Electrician Caulo Amade - Electrician Jose Mahumane - Electrician Ben Beukes - Electrician Willie Makuvela - Electrician Andy Malcolm - Foley Artist Goro Koyama - Foley Artist Scot Tinsley - Foley Editor Sam Crutcher - Foley Editor Stephen Durante - Leadman Anne Ford - Production Accountant Anne Johns - Production Controller Kenneth Gallagher - Second Assistant Accountant Eric J. Luling - Set Dresser

Ali
Always a technician at the top of his craft, Michael Mann proves it again with his visually alive take on the boxing life of Muhammad Ali, starring Will Smith in the role naysayers doubted he could play, and featuring all manner of virtuoso work inside the ring. While both director and star were generally praised, the film itself failed to appear on year-end ten-best lists, due to what might be described as an impenetrable emotional distance from its subject. Even with Smith silencing his critics through an effective combination of impersonation and nuance, his Ali is an unexplored curiosity, seen mostly through a handful of his most famous fights. Still, the visual achievements, including the precise performances, are undeniable. Mann's handheld camera and off-center compositions again give that palpable p.o.v sense of a life spied upon, teleporting viewers into the detailed world he creates. Mann is king of setting the scene without expository overkill, letting the soundtrack or a telling image speak louder than the dialogue. This approach is particularly noteworthy with the character of Angelo Dundee (Ron Silver), Ali's trainer, a key recurring figure whom the ever-judicious Mann blends into the narrative without having to rely on a big speech or other device to distinguish him. Jamie Foxx, Mario Van Peebles, and Jon Voight are also terrific in supporting roles, particularly Voight's scene-stealer as the appropriately plastic-looking Howard Cosell. Ali may float like the most technically accomplished butterfly out there, but because it fails to sting like a bee, thematically, it can't keep pace with Mann's best work. ~ Derek Armstrong, All Movie Guide
 

Jon Voight: Academy, Best Supporting Actor (nominated) Jon Voight: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Supporting Actor (nominated) Jon Voight: Golden Globe, Best Supporting Actor (nominated) Lisa Gerrard: Golden Globe, Best Original Score (nominated) Pieter Bourke: Golden Globe, Best Original Score (nominated) Will Smith: Academy, Best Actor (nominated) Will Smith: Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Actor (nominated) Will Smith: Golden Globe, Best Actor - Drama (nominated)

Broadcast Film Critics Association, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: Revised scenes and never-before-seen footage Commentary with director/co-writer Michael Mann Exclusive new documentary on the making of the movie DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1: 2.40:1 MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 165 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- 1. Start [:21] 2. Liston Vs. Clay [15:32] 3. The People's Champ [12:13] 4. Clay & Malcolm X [1:54] 5. Elijah Muhammad [4:01] 6. First Time in Africa [5:28] 7. Sonji [5:25] 8. Martin Luther King [7:35] 9. "They Shot Malcolm" [3:08] 10. Ali Vs. Liston II [4:31] 11. "Wide World of Sports" [4:46] 12. War Comes Home [2:24] 13. Ali Vs. Terrell [7:07] 14. The Sentence [1:31] 15. Belinda [1:12] 16. Exile in Chicago [1:59] 17. Historical & Momentous Moment [3:44] 18. Joe Frazier [10:12] 19. Ali Vs. Quarry [2:18] 20. Supreme Court Ruling [3:33] 21. Ali Vs. Frazier II [4:28] 22. Don King, Promoter [1:41] 23. Welcome to Zaire [7:55] 24. Roadwork [2:18] 25. "George Had and Accident" [2:32] 26. Veronica [9:15] 27. The Rumble in the Jungle [4:39] 28. Winner By a Knockout [14:34]