The Great White Hype (1996)

Director:

Reginald Hudlin

Writers (WGA):

Tony Hendra (screenplay) and
Ron Shelton (screenplay)

Release Date:

3 May 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sport

Tagline:

If you can't find the perfect contender....make one.

Plot:

When the champ's promoter, Rev. Sultan, decides something new is needed to boost the marketability of the boxing matches...

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Boxer | Satire | Corruption | Woman As Object

Cast

Samuel L. Jackson	...	Rev. Fred Sultan
Jeff Goldblum	...	Mitchell Kane
Peter Berg	...	Terry Conklin
Corbin Bernsen	...	Peter Prince
Jon Lovitz	...	Sol
Cheech Marin	...	Julio Escobar
John Rhys-Davies	...	Johnny Windsor
Salli Richardson-Whitfield	...	Bambi (as Salli Richardson)
Jamie Foxx	...	Hassan El Ruk'n
Rocky Carroll	...	Artemus St. John Saint
Albert Hall	...	Roper's Manager
Susan Gibney	...	Vivian
Michael Jace	...	Marvin Shabazz
Duane Davis	...	Palace Guard #1
Lamont Johnson	...	Palace Guard #2
Damon Wayans	...	James 'The Grim Reaper' Roper
Sam Whipple	...	Artie
Lydell M. Cheshier	...	Palace Guard #3
Stu Nahan	...	Fight Announcer #1
Ferdie Pacheco	...	Fight Announcer #2
Al Rodrigo	...	Press Member #1
Phil Buckman	...	Lee the Drummer
Renee Allman	...	Angel (as Renee Ammann)
Bert Randolph Sugar	...	Himself
Walter Addison	...	Michael Katz
Jonathan P. Hicks	...	Sports Writer
Craig Modderno	...	Sports Writer
Tim Kawakami	...	Himself
Michael Fairman	...	Chairman Jerry Schwartz
Brad Blaisdell	...	Press Corps #1
James Hardie	...	Press Corps #2
Nedra Volz	...	Old Lady
Rick Scarry	...	White Middle American
Elizabeth LaRou	...	Pretty Young Woman #1
Alyson Croft	...	Pretty Young Woman #2
Christy House	...	Pretty Young Woman #3
Richard Steele	...	Referee
Anthony Johnson	...	Sultan's Valet (as Anthony 'A.J.' Johnson)
Brian Setzer	...	Himself
Method Man	...	Himself
Irv Dotten	...	Roper's Crony #1
Deezer D	...	Roper's Crony #2
Reno Wilson	...	Roper's Crony #3
Art Evans	...	Minister
Randy Harris	...	Palace Guard #4
G. John Slagle	...	Kane's Cameraman
Leon Frederick	...	Roper Cornerman #1
James H. Hays	...	Roper Cornerman #2
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Andrea Carlson	...	Ring Girl (uncredited)
Jarrett Lennon	...	Jarrett Kane (uncredited)

Directed by
Reginald Hudlin

Writing credits (WGA)
Tony Hendra		(screenplay) and
Ron Shelton		(screenplay)

Produced by
Barry M. Berg	....	co-producer (as Barry Berg)
Fred Berner	....	producer
Joshua Donen	....	producer
Neil Leifer	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Marcus Miller

Cinematography by
Ronald Víctor García		(as Ron Garcia)

Film Editing by
Earl Watson

Casting by
Eileen Mack Knight

Production Design by
Charles Rosen

Art Direction by
Scott Ritenour

Set Decoration by
Mary Olivia McIntosh

Costume Design by
Ruth E. Carter		(as Ruth Carter)

Makeup Department
Marietta Carter-Narcisse	....	makeup artist
Voni Hinkle	....	assistant hair stylist
Wynona Price	....	assistant makeup artist (as Wynona Y. Price)
Robert L. Stevenson	....	key hair stylist

Production Management
Barry M. Berg	....	unit production manager (as Barry Berg)
Yoli Poropat	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marla D. Saltzer	....	dga trainee
Daniel Silverberg	....	second assistant director
Barry K. Thomas	....	first assistant director
Diana E. Williams	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Vincent Aiello	....	labor forman
Raymond Camaioni	....	construction coordinator
Jack Forwalter	....	lead man (as Jack L. Forwalter)
Gordon Germaine	....	set dresser
Dick Girod	....	paint foreman
Richard Girod Jr.	....	stand-by painter
Gary Isbell	....	set dresser
John Paul 'J.P.' Jones	....	property master (as John 'J.P.' Jones)
Lisa M. Kittredge	....	construction assistant (as Lisa M. Brooks)
Janet Kusnick	....	illustrator
Robert McNerney	....	construction foreman
Donovan H. Miller	....	assistant property master (as Donavan Miller)
David P. Newell	....	on-set dresser
Charlie Nicholson	....	set dresser
Paul S. Power	....	illustrator
Robert L. Rosen	....	art department production assistant
Brooke Sartorius	....	set dresser
John 'Skip' Weaver	....	assistant property master
Fred O'Connor	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Walter Anderson	....	boom operator
Lou Angelo	....	dialogue editor
David A. Arnold	....	dialogue editor (as David Arnold)
Dana Austin	....	adr recordist (as Dana Porter)
Craig Berkey	....	sound effects editor
David Boulton	....	adr mixer: New York
Ted Caplan	....	foley editor
David Chornow	....	sound mixer
Susan Dawes	....	digital sound assistant (as Susan Shackelford)
Susan Demskey	....	assistant adr editor
Sean Garnhart	....	sound effects editor
Don Givens	....	foley recordist
Ellen Heuer	....	foley artist
Lora Hirschberg	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Jobe	....	foley mixer
R.J. Kizer	....	adr editor
Cliff Latimer	....	adr supervisor
Cliff Latimer	....	supervising adr editor
Diane Linn	....	adr recordist
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist (as Chris Moriana)
Jeffrey J. Osmer	....	first assistant sound editor
Michael A. Patillo	....	cable person
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer: Los Angeles
Ronald G. Roumas	....	sound re-recordist
Michael Semanick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Donald Sylvester	....	supervising foley editor
Gayle Wesley	....	technical sound supervisor
Steven D. Williams	....	supervising sound editor
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Ronald Nary	....	special effects
Mike Thompson	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Marc Canas	....	transfer technician
Doug Delaney	....	transfer technician
Jim Eberle	....	compositor
Tom Gorey	....	imaging supervisor
Brian Hanable	....	senior compositor
Sharon Holly	....	visual effects coordinator
Rodney Montague	....	visual effects producer
Rich Thorne	....	visual effects supervisor
Bob Wiatr	....	compositor

Stunts
Doug Coleman	....	stunts
Lanier Edwards	....	stunts
Ousaun Elam	....	stunts
Kevin Grevioux	....	stunts
Mike Gunther	....	stunts
Randall Huber	....	stunts
Gilbert Ivan Johnson	....	stunts
Joseph Leahy	....	stunts (as Joseph Winston Leahy)
Pee Wee Piemonte	....	stunts
Robert Powell	....	stunts (as Robert Pavell)
Von L. Roddy	....	stunts
Jim Stephan	....	stunts
James Turner	....	stunts (as Jim Turner)
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunt coordinator
Lloyd Watts	....	stunts
Big Daddy Wayne	....	stunts
Gary J. Wayton	....	stunts (as Gary Wayton)

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas M. Barrett	....	rigging electrician
Alicia Brauns	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael D. Brown	....	Steadicam assistant
John Buckley	....	chief lighting technician
Linda R. Chen	....	still photographer
Jeffrey R. Clark	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Kevin Cook	....	grip
O'Brian Curry	....	rigging grip
Ric Delgado	....	rigging electrician
Malcolm Doran II	....	dolly grip
Sean Doyle	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Don Estes	....	rigging grip
Michael G. Felner	....	camera operator: "b" camera
Bill Fine Jr.	....	lamp operator
Jim Gavin	....	camera loader
Harry H. Gevshenian	....	rigging electrician
Michael E. Gips	....	lamp operator (as Michael Gips)
Tom Harjo	....	best boy grip
Jay Herron	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Peter C. Jensen	....	Steadicam operator (as Peter Jensen)
Eugene B. Kerry	....	key grip
Michael Liakos	....	key rigging grip (as Mike Liakos)
William R. Mayberry	....	lamp operator
Dan Owen	....	grip
Michael F. Pierre	....	lamp operator
G. John Slagle	....	video operator
David Thomson	....	lamp operator
Wendi Van Dyke	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Glenn Wade	....	grip
Scott Webb	....	rigging electrician
John W. Weeks	....	best boy electric
Gary Welch	....	rigging grip
Chuck Wells	....	grip
Felix R. Williams III	....	lamp operator
Donald M. Wolak	....	rigging gaffer
Victor J. Pancerev	....	jib operator (uncredited)
Brian Stransky	....	camera production assistant (uncredited)
Michael J. Walker	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Meredith Behrend	....	casting assistant
Barbara Harris	....	voice casting
Melissa O'Shea	....	casting assistant
Monica Swann	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Teresa Binder	....	women's key set costumer
Ira M. Hammons-Glass	....	men's key set costumer
Debrae Little	....	assistant costume designer
Birgitte Mann	....	costumer: woman
Susie Money	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Lumumba Dunduza	....	editorial production assistant
Jessica Landaw	....	assistant editor
Dennis McNeill	....	color timer
Warren Paeff	....	first assistant editor
Greg Parsons	....	assistant editor: avid
Scott Price	....	assistant editor
Stefanie Wiseman	....	assistant editor
Jeff Zaman	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bibi Green	....	score coordinator
Wendell Greene	....	assistant music supervisor
Alan Meyerson	....	score mixer
Marvin R. Morris	....	assistant music editor
Byron Phillips	....	assistant music supervisor
Katherine Quittner	....	music editor
Bill Stephney	....	music supervisor
David I. Ward II	....	assistant score producer

Transportation Department
Mike Fenster	....	transportation captain
Randy White	....	transportation coordinator
William Hogue	....	driver (uncredited)
James Nordberg	....	transportation captain: additional photography (uncredited)
Thomas O'Donnell	....	mobile lighting operator (uncredited)

Other crew
Cynthia Aguilar	....	accounting assistant
Angelique Anderson	....	assistant: Damon Wayans
Joseph Aspromonti	....	set production assistant
Angelique Bones	....	set production assistant
Susan J. Bonno-Buckner	....	assistant accountant: re-shoots
Brigitte Bourque	....	production secretary (as Brigitte M. Bourque)
Susannah Brengel	....	post-production accountant
Elaine Frontain Bryant	....	assistant: Mr. Berner
Mark Cheatham	....	unit publicist
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Steve Dayan	....	location manager (as Steve A. Dayan)
Ross C. Day	....	assistant location manager
Blanca de la Isla	....	additional clothes
Ron Finley	....	additional clothes
David 'Cajun' Guilbeau	....	craft service (as Cajun)
Anne E. Hart	....	production coordinator
Vikki Jackson	....	assistant: Mr. Hudlin
Zoè Jackson	....	set production assistant
Elisabeth Jereski	....	assistant: Mr. Donen
Ayeola B. Johnson	....	assistant: Samuel L. Jackson
Rashon Khan	....	fight choreographer
Leigh Landau	....	set production assistant
Ademola McMullen	....	set production assistant
Daniel Messler	....	accounting assistant
Mary Mitchel	....	script supervisor (as Mary M. Patton)
Montez A. Monroe	....	production assistant
Lysa Moser	....	first assistant accountant
John Parker	....	production accountant (as John H. Parker)
Jean Quay	....	first aid
Elyse Allyn Ramsdell	....	assistant production coordinator
Monique Ward	....	assistant: Mr. Hudlin
Steven Werbkay	....	production assistant
Jeff Coopwood	....	adr voice (uncredited)
Larry Eudene	....	consultant to producers (uncredited)
Tina Reynolds	....	assistant: Mr. Donen (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Atman Entertainment
• Fred Berner Films
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1999) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Digital Magic Company

Other Companies

• Camel Island Studio  recording facilities
• Camel Island Studio  score mixed at
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Clairmont Camera  camera systems
• Drop Dead Clothing  additional clothes
• Inter Video  computer and video playback
• Leonetti Company  production equipment
• Michelson Food Services  catering
• Skywalker Sound  post-production sound services
• Todd-AO Studios (West)  adr stage

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | USA:R (certificate #34402) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:R16 | Australia:MA | Denmark:16 | UK:15

Company:

Atman Entertainment

Trivia:

Jon Lovitz's character mentions, when watching film of Tommy Morrison being knocked out, that he is 'John Wayne's cousin'. Morrison is actually John Wayne's (real name Marion Michael Morrison) grand nephew.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Roper is watching the soap opera, and throws the ring away to watch his entourage chase it, it clearly falls out of the box as it skips on the floor. Yet, when Rollo puts it on, before Roper takes it, he takes it out of the box.

Quotes:

James Roper: Hey, we ain't duckin' you man. You're just so black we can't find you!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Roger & Me (1989)

Soundtrack:

Baller's Lady

Not all that bad

This movie has a lot of fun making fun of both the boxing world and itself. It's not really much of a movie, but it has moments. I recommend it as one of those movies that, if you're channel-surfing on cable and you happen to come across it, and there's really nothing else on, then watch it. It's not a complete waste of time, but it's not a movie that you should run out and rent.