Ali (2001)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Michael Mann

Writers (WGA):

Gregory Allen Howard (story)
Stephen J. Rivele (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

25 December 2001 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Drama | Sport

Tagline:

Forget What You Think You Know

Plot:

A biography of sports legend, Muhammad Ali, from his early days to his days in the ring.

Plot Keywords:

Boxer | Muhammad Ali | Friendship | Victory | Malcolm X

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 7 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Will Smith	...	Cassius Clay / Cassius X / Muhammad Ali
Jamie Foxx	...	Drew 'Bundini' Brown
Jon Voight	...	Howard Cosell
Mario Van Peebles	...	Malcolm X
Ron Silver	...	Angelo Dundee
Jeffrey Wright	...	Howard Bingham
Mykelti Williamson	...	Don King
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Sonji
Nona Gaye	...	Belinda Ali
Michael Michele	...	Veronica Porche
Joe Morton	...	Chauncey Eskridge
Paul Rodriguez	...	Dr. Ferdie Pacheco
Bruce McGill	...	Bradley
Barry Shabaka Henley	...	Herbert Muhammad
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Cassius Clay, Sr.
Laurence Mason	...	Luis Sarria
LeVar Burton	...	Martin Luther King, Jr.
Albert Hall	...	Elijah Muhammad
David Cubitt	...	Robert Lipsyte
Ted Levine	...	Joe Smiley
Candy Ann Brown	...	Odessa (as Candy Brown Houston)
David Elliott	...	Sam Cooke
Shari Watson	...	Woman Singer
Malick Bowens	...	Joseph Mobutu
Michael Bentt	...	Sonny Liston
James Toney	...	'Smokin' Joe Frazier (as James N. Toney)
Alfred Cole	...	Ernie Terrell
Charles Shufford	...	George Foreman
Rufus Dorsey	...	Floyd Paterson
Robert Sale	...	Jerry Quarry
Vincent Cook	...	Jimmy Ellis
Damien 'Bolo' Wills	...	Ken Norton
David Haines	...	Rudy Clay / Rahaman Ali
Victoria Dillard	...	Betty Shabazz
Brad Greenquist	...	Marlin Thomas
Morgana Van Peebles	...	Malcolm X's Daughter
Maya Van Peebles	...	Malcolm X's Daughter
Maestro Harrell	...	Young Cassius Clay
William Utay	...	The Doctor
Kim Robillard	...	Jimmy Cannon
David Purdham	...	Madison Square Garden Announcer
Gailard Sartain	...	Gordon Davidson
Wade Williams	...	Lieutenant Jerome Claridge (as Wade Andrew Williams)
Guy Van Swearingen	...	Induction FBI Man
Doug Hale	...	Judge Ingraham
LaDonna Tittle	...	Bundini's Landlady
Marc Grapey	...	Bob Arum
Herb Mitchell	...	Boxing Commissioner
Eddie Bo Smith Jr.	...	Malcolm's Bodyguard
Bobby Stuart	...	Thomas 15X Johnson (as Bob Stuart)
Patrick New	...	Room Service Guy
Ron O.J. Parson	...	Death Newsman
Ellis Williams	...	Family Photo Man (as Ellis E. Williams)
Alexandra Bokyun Chun	...	Asian Cosmetologist (as Bokyun Chun)
John G. Connolly	...	Assistant Director
Warner Saunders	...	Customer
Jack Reiss	...	Referee Arthur Mercante
Marty Denkin	...	Frazier Fight II Announcer
Tamara Lynch	...	Flight Attendant
Chico Benymon	...	Hampton House Announcer
Bill Plaschke	...	Miami Weigh-In Reporter
Steve Springer	...	Miami Weigh-In Reporter
Patrick M. Connolly	...	Announcer
Patrick C. Russell	...	Referee
Robert Byrd	...	Willie Reddick
Cedric Wills	...	Jersey Joe Walcott, Referee
Ronald A. DiNicola	...	Prosecutor
Moses Hollins	...	Man on Train
Daniel E. Gurevitz	...	Boxing Commission Reporter
Steven Randazzo	...	Reporter
Ray Bokhour	...	Reporter
Leonard Termo	...	Madison Square Garden Reporter
Johnny Ortiz	...	Madison Square Garden Reporter
Mark Salem	...	New York Reporter
Sheldon Fogel	...	New York Reporter
Jim Gray	...	New York Reporter
Melvin Thomas	...	Harlem Neighbor
Natalie Carter	...	Harlem Neighbor
Reginald Footman	...	Harlem Neighbor (as Reginald Barshem Footman)
Poe Poe	...	Harlem Reporter
Mel Dick	...	Louisville Sponsoring Group
Kim Coleman	...	Lana Shabazz (as Kim Taylor Coleman)
Christian Stolte	...	Miami Cop
Vic Manni	...	Dressing Room Weigh-In Guy (as Victor Manni)
Will Gill Jr.	...	Dick Sadler
Sylvaine Strike	...	ORTF Interviewer
Dr. Denis Luposo	...	Kinshasa Reporter
Sharon Wilkinson	...	Rose Jennings
Carol Hatchett	...	Pointer Sister
Judith Mwale	...	Pointer Sister
Keabetswe Motsilanyane	...	Pointer Sister
Richard Katanga	...	Mobutu Aide / Military Aide
Thomas Kariuki Matheri	...	Lieutenant Nsakala
Larry Hazzard Sr.	...	Zack Clayton
Derrick Brown	...	Larry Holmes
Rommel Hyacinth	...	The Pilot
Graham Hopkins	...	London Banker
Daniel Janks	...	CIA Man
Bradford E. Lang	...	Black Pilot
Michael Dorn	...	Black Pilot
Dan Robbertse	...	Reporter in Zaire (as Daniel Robbertse)
Graham Clarke	...	Reporter in Zaire
Dimitri Cassar	...	Reporter in Zaire
Frank Notaro	...	Reporter in Zaire
Mark Mulder	...	Reporter in Zaire
David W. Hess	...	Reporter in Zaire (as David Hess)
Henrikennyo Mukenyi	...	Bula
Nathaniel Malekane	...	Archie Moore
Millard Arnold	...	Doc Broadus
Edda Collier	...	Blonde French Reporter
Yi Lu Wei	...	Chinese Delegate
Lee Cummings	...	Hunter Thompson
Zaa Nkweta	...	Foreman Fight Announcer
Themba Gasa	...	Idi Amin
Andrew P. Jones	...	Don King's Aide
Marc Kulazite Mboli	...	Additional Aide to Mobutu
Cimanga Kalambay	...	Additional Aide to Mobutu
Jean Bikoi	...	Additional Aide to Mobutu
James Gilbert	...	Sparring Partner in Africa
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matisha Baldwin	...	Club Patron (uncredited)
Jon A. Barnes	...	Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
Lionel D. Carson	...	Dr. King's Driver (uncredited)
Craig Cove	...	Frazier Fight Reporter (uncredited)
Ed Cray	...	Radical Professor (uncredited)
James Currie	...	Court Room Photographer (uncredited)
Trish Dempsey	...	Diplomat's Wife (uncredited)
Vincent De Paul	...	Roving Reporter (uncredited)
Edge	...	Sports Writer (uncredited)
Freda Nelson Evans	...	Woman in Mink (uncredited)
Josh Feinberg	...	Extra in Terrell Fight Sequence (uncredited)
Deborah Smith Ford	...	Party Guest (uncredited)
Edward C. Gillow	...	Foreman-Frazier Fight Judge (uncredited)
Ross Haines	...	News Cameraman (uncredited)
Brandon T. Jackson	...	Club Goer (uncredited)
Leon	...	Brother 'Joe' (uncredited)
Eric Lichtenberg	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Valentine Miele	...	Liston Fight Reporter (uncredited)
John O. Nelson	...	Louis Rodriguez (uncredited)
Tracy Perry	...	Usher (uncredited)
Al Quinn	...	Boxing Trainer (uncredited)
Hunter F. Roberts	...	Angry Fight Fan (uncredited)
Sheldon Robins	...	Heckler (uncredited)
Joseph Luis Rubin	...	Blinky Polermo (uncredited)
Robert Standley	...	Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
Jack Truman	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Ray Uhler	...	Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
Larry Vigus	...	Times Ringside Photographer (uncredited)
Robert Warnack	...	Madison Square Garden Fight Fan (uncredited)
John Wolfshohl	...	Ray 'Boom Boom' Mancini (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Mann

Writing credits (WGA)
Gregory Allen Howard		(story)
Stephen J. Rivele		(screenplay) &
Christopher Wilkinson		(screenplay) and
Eric Roth		(screenplay) &
Michael Mann		(screenplay)

Produced by
Paul Ardaji	....	producer
Howard Bingham	....	executive producer
Lee Caplin	....	executive producer
Gusmano Cesaretti	....	associate producer
A. Kitman Ho	....	producer
Graham King	....	executive producer
James Lassiter	....	producer
Michael Mann	....	producer
Jon Peters	....	producer
João Ribeiro	....	consulting producer
John D. Schofield	....	co-producer
Kathleen M. Shea	....	associate producer
Michael Waxman	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Pieter Bourke
Lisa Gerrard

Cinematography by
Emmanuel Lubezki

Film Editing by
William Goldenberg
Lynzee Klingman
Stephen E. Rivkin		(as Stephen Rivkin)
Stuart Waks

Casting by
Victoria Thomas

Production Design by
John Myhre

Art Direction by
Jonathan Lee
Bill Rea
Tomas Voth

Set Decoration by
Jim Erickson
Tricia Schneider

Costume Design by
Marlene Stewart

Makeup Department
Pierce Austin	....	hair stylist: Mr. Smith
Mary 'Dugan' Buono	....	hair stylist
Greg Cannom	....	special makeup effects artist
Mary Cooke	....	key hair stylist
Shirley Dolle	....	key hair stylist
C. Romania Ford	....	makeup artist
Mark Garbarino	....	prosthetic makeup artist: Mr. Voight
Keith Hall	....	makeup artist
Glen Hanz	....	sculptor
Connie Kallos	....	additional hair stylist: Chicago
Erma Kent	....	hair stylist
John Kim	....	makeup effects technician: Captive Audience Productions
Mary Kim	....	makeup effects production supervisor: Captive Audience Productions Inc.
Nick Marra	....	sculpture designer: Mr. Voight
Cat'ania McCoy-Howze	....	key makeup artist: Chicago unit
Vera Mitchell	....	hair department head
Judy Murdock	....	makeup artist: Mr. Smith
Suzi Ostos	....	makeup artist
Nadyne Peoples	....	additional makeup artist
Michael Peterson	....	makeup effects technician
Margaret Prentice	....	prosthetic makeup
Beverly Jo Pryor	....	makeup department head
Joseph Michael Regina	....	key makeup artist
Brian Sipe	....	prosthetic effects supervisor
Roddy Stayton	....	additional hair stylist
Froylan Tercero	....	makeup effects technician
Alicia M. Tripi	....	hair stylist
Laine Trzinski	....	hair stylist (as Elaine M. Cascio)
Todd Tucker	....	makeup effects technician
Keith VanderLaan	....	makeup effects producer: Captive Audience Productions
Kenneth Walker	....	hair stylist
Wesley Wofford	....	prosthetic effects supervisor
Michael F. Blake	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Anita Brabec	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Jay Cannistraci	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Donna Cicatelli-Lewis	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Kim Collea	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Timothy A. Miguel	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
James Parr	....	special makeup effects technician (uncredited)
Michael Peterson	....	lab makeup effects (uncredited)
Justin Raleigh	....	key special makeup effects technician: Mr. Voight (uncredited)
Marsha Shearrill	....	makeup artist: second unit, Chicago (uncredited)
Brian Sipe	....	fight makeup key artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Kevin De La Noy	....	unit production manager
Thomas Hayslip	....	production supervisor
Billy Higgins	....	unit production manager: Chicago
Genevieve Hofmeyr	....	production manager: South Africa
Angela Phillips	....	assistant production manager: South Africa
Elayne Schneiderman	....	production supervisor
Cristen Carr Strubbe	....	unit production manager
Michael Tinger	....	post-production supervisor
Chris Wheeldon	....	unit manager: Ghana
Yvonne Yaconelli	....	production supervisor: African unit
Robert Latham Brown	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Angus Buchan	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Geoff Dibben	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Anthony Hemingway	....	second second assistant director: New York (as Anthony M. Hemingway)
Julie Herrin	....	second assistant director
Jason Hilgart	....	assistant director
Takahide Kawakami	....	second second assistant director: New York
Genevieve Le Cordeur	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Neil Lewis	....	additional second assistant director
Camille Mbongo	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Stephanie Moore	....	additional second assistant director
Antonio Pereira	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Luis Sarmento	....	second assistant director: Mozambique
Jody Spilkoman	....	second second assistant director
Daniel R. Suhart	....	additional second assistant director
Susan E. Walter	....	dga trainee (as Susan Walter)
Michael Waxman	....	first assistant director
Wayne Witherspoon	....	second second assistant director
Cy Roscoe Strickland	....	additional assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Gunnar Ahmer	....	scenic artist
Marcos Alvarez	....	set designer
Greg Aronowitz	....	model maker
Mark Auret	....	props assistant: Mozambique
Christopher Bass	....	art director: Mozambique
Christopher Bass	....	art director: South Africa
Jennifer Blatt	....	set decorating coordinator
Ben Bocell	....	art department production assistant
Richard Brunton	....	key set dresser
Timothy Burgard	....	storyboard artist
Brian Cho	....	art department coordinator: Chicago
Lynn Christopher	....	set designer
Randall S. Coe	....	construction gangboss
Chuck Coffman	....	set dresser
Ray Conchado	....	set dresser
Max Daly	....	art department researcher
Guido DeCurtis	....	lead man: New York
Oscar Delgadillo	....	set dressing gang boss
Michael Diersing	....	construction coordinator
Amina Allean Dieye	....	art department researcher
Nicklas Farrantello	....	assistant art director: Miami
Michael J. Flynn	....	greens foreman
Richard Fojo	....	assistant art director: Miami
Darryl Hammer	....	set dressing buyer
Scott E. Handt	....	construction foreman
Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson	....	art director: South Africa
Jonathan Hely-Hutchinson	....	set designer: Mozambique
Michael Hyman	....	scenic painter
Reggie Jackson II	....	assistant set designer
Michael Anthony Jackson	....	storyboard artist
Reggie Jackson	....	set designer
Vinson Jae	....	stand-by painter
Jane B. Johnson	....	set decorator: Florida
James V. Kent	....	set decorator: New York
David W. Krummel	....	assistant art director
Robert Loring Jr.	....	greens coordinator
Eric Luling	....	on-set dresser
Eduardo Lytton	....	property production assistant
Frank McEldowney	....	greensperson
Ron Mendell	....	3D artist
Paulo Mondlane	....	set designer: Mozambique
Aimee O'Shea	....	props assistant
Steve Park	....	set dresser
Nya Patrinos	....	set dressing buyer
John Patteson	....	assistant props: Florida
Clive Pollick	....	construction coordinator
Ebow Prah	....	art director: Ghana
Jeremy Alan Read	....	set dresser
Shane Reed	....	set dresser
Brent Regan	....	general foreman
Steve Rice	....	greens foreman
Rando Schmook	....	assistant art director
Nathan Schroeder	....	illustrator
David Scott	....	graphic artist
Nicholas Scott	....	set designer: Florida
Roger Sherman	....	scenic artist
Audrey Soodoo-Raphael	....	art director: New York
Keith Stalker	....	gang boss propmaker
Glenn Stevens	....	construction foreman
Charles Stewart	....	property master
Nadia Sultanegy	....	set designer: Mozambique
Rpin Suwannath	....	previsualization consultant
Sloane U'Ren	....	set designer
Liz van den Berg	....	lead scenic
Karen Virgin	....	art department buyer
Greg Waddle	....	additional buyer
Delarey Wagenar	....	set decorator: South Africa
Gary E. Wamhoff	....	carpenter
Cary Whittaker	....	set dresser
Helen Wilson	....	draper
Christine Youngstrom	....	art department coordinator

Sound Department
Mike Anderson	....	boom operator
Anna Behlmer	....	sound re-recording mixer
Ed Callahan	....	dialogue editor
Derek Casari	....	adr engineer
Samuel C. Crutcher	....	foley editor (as Sam Crutcher)
Yann Delpuech	....	co-supervising sound editor
Christopher Emerson	....	assistant sound editor
Cornelia Mariana Gavrilescu	....	foley recording assistant
Michael Haight	....	dialogue editor
Shaughnessy Hare	....	assistant sound editor
Craig Heath	....	sound recordist
Craig Henighan	....	sound effects editor
Andrew I. King	....	sound re-recording mixer: director's cut
Darren King	....	co-supervising sound editor
Gregory King	....	supervising sound editor
Goro Koyama	....	foley artist
Sean Landeros	....	sound recordist
James P. Lay	....	sound effects editor (as James Lay)
Andy Malcolm	....	foley artist
Andy Nelson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Rob Nokes	....	post sound technical planning
Lee Orloff	....	sound mixer
Thomas A. Payne	....	boom operator
Robert Renga	....	sound recordist
Brian Risner	....	sound effects editor
Karen Spangenberg	....	dialogue editor
Denis St. Amand	....	re-recording engineer
Meg Taylor	....	first assistant sound editor
Scott A. Tinsley	....	foley editor (as Scot Tinsley)
Paul Virostek	....	sound effects recordist
Don White	....	foley recording mixer
Rebecca Wright	....	foley recording assistant
Dan Yale	....	dialogue editor
Mark Yardas	....	dialogue editor

Special Effects by
Christina Carothers	....	special effects technician
Steve King	....	special effects technician (as Steven King)
Mark Nieman	....	silicone technician
Art Pimentel	....	mold shop supervisor (as Arthur Pimentel)
Alan Poole	....	special effects supervisor: Mozambique
Max Poolman	....	special effects supervisor: South Africa
Corey Pritchett	....	special effects foreman
Peter Skehan	....	special effects floor supervisor: Mozambique
Richard Starke	....	silicone technician
David H. Watkins	....	special effects coordinator
Christopher West	....	special effects coordinator: Mozambique

Visual Effects by
Matthew Adams	....	rotoscope supervisor: Cinesite
Jonathan Alvord	....	Avid editor
Jeffrey Edward Baksinski	....	motion tracking supervisor: Cinesite
Lynn Basas	....	CG supervisor: Cinesite
Wally Chin	....	3D technical assistant
Harmon Cusack	....	visual effects camera operator
Joe Dubs	....	digital artist: Cinesite
Kevin Elam	....	visual effects producer: Cinesite
Kurt Hall	....	video & computer graphics technician
Michael Hofacre	....	visual effects editor
Dennis Hoffman	....	head of production: Cinesite
Arkay Hur	....	digital artist: Cinesite
Kent Johnson	....	visual effects coordinator (as Kent Richard Johnson)
Bridgitte Krupke	....	visual effects coordinator: Cinesite (as Bridgette Nance)
Nathan Lafionatis	....	video consultant
Krystine Lankenau	....	digital artist: Cinesite
Vincent Lavares	....	digital asset manager: Cinesite Hollywood
Don Lee	....	digital compositor: CREO
Andrew MacDonald	....	compositor
Michael J. McAlister	....	visual effects supervisor
Valerie McMahon	....	digital artist: Cinesite
Sal Migliore	....	high def digitizing
Kama Moiha	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Oliver Moore	....	CG character animator: Cinesite
Bill Murphy	....	visual effects coordinator
Karen M. Murphy	....	visual effects consultant
Serena Naramore	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Leslie Oliver	....	visual effects producer: CREO
Chad Owen	....	digital artist: Cinesite
James Peterson	....	CG effects animator: Cinesite
Corinne Pooler	....	paint supervisor: Cinesite
Dante Quintana	....	CG modeler: Cinesite
Dante Quintana	....	digital artist
Jon Quon	....	technical assistant: Cinesite
Liz Radley	....	video & computer graphics supervisor
Jerry Sells	....	compositing supervisor: Cinesite
Anthony Serenil	....	motion tracker: Cinesite
Robert Stadd	....	visual effects producer
Deborah Wiltman	....	digital compositor: Cinesite
Steve Wright	....	stitch cam digital compositor: Cinesite
Travis Baumann	....	Inferno artist (uncredited)
Lindsay Burnett	....	visual effects producer: Asylum (uncredited)
Robert Coquia Jr.	....	3D technical assistant (uncredited)
Fred Jimenez	....	2D technical assistant (uncredited)
Kevin LaNeave	....	video editor (uncredited)
John Nelson	....	visual effects supervisor: preproduction (uncredited)
Alex G. Ortoll	....	main title sequence compositor (uncredited)
Mark Robben	....	Inferno artist: CREO (uncredited)
Antonio Torres	....	roto artist: Cinesite (uncredited)

Stunts
Roy T. Anderson	....	stunt double: Mario Van Peebles
Joel Kramer	....	stunt coordinator
Richard Lexsee	....	stunts
Kevin Morrow	....	stunts
Larry C. Tankson	....	stunts (as Larry Tankson)
Randolph LeRoi	....	stunt double: Will Smith (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Thomas M. Allen	....	electrician
Eric Anderson	....	camera operator: video camera
Alan Barnes	....	electrician: South Africa
Gerard Botha	....	clapper loader: pick-up shots
Erik L. Brown	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera and Steadicam
Glenn Brown	....	assistant camera
John Buckley	....	gaffer
Benjamin Centoducati	....	electrician
Robert Cheung	....	lighting technician
Ian Cohen	....	gaffer: second unit
Keith Collea	....	video assist operator
Frank Connor	....	still photographer
Jeffrey A. Cook	....	assistant chief lighting technician: Africa
Dawn Copeland	....	grip
Steve Craft	....	assistant camera
Joshua Davis	....	rigging electrician
John Fine	....	lighting technician
Ronald Gabriel	....	grip
Alan Gitlin	....	assistant camera
John Grillo	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Jaime Heintz	....	rigging grip
Trevor Horn	....	on-camera music producer
Gary Jay	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Gary Jay	....	key camera operator
Jimi Johnson	....	video assist operator
Jamie Klein	....	rigging key grip: Florida
Dana Kroeger	....	assistant camera
Dana Kroeger	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Julie 'Doc' Lindstrom	....	additional rigging grip
Abraham Martinez	....	camera loader (as Abe Martinez)
Jim McConkey	....	Steadicam operator
Jim McConkey	....	camera operator: "b" camera
John McKay	....	gaffer: South Africa
David L. Merrill	....	key grip
Guy Micheletti	....	key grip: South Africa
Chris Mulsoff	....	set lighting
Jack Nealy	....	electrician
Earl Perque	....	best boy rigging grip: Florida
Morten Petersen	....	set electrician
Matthew A. Petrosky	....	camera intern: Los Angeles
David Presley	....	video assist operator
Richard Ralston	....	rigging electric: USA
Niles Roth	....	camera intern
Robert Snyder	....	lighting technician
Brent Studler	....	rigging electrician
Doug Weinmann	....	rigging electric best boy
William D. Wynn	....	dolly grip
R. Michael Yope	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Harry Zimmerman	....	second assistant camera
Kevin Boyd	....	additional video assist operator: Los Angeles (uncredited)
Tom Fendley	....	electrician (uncredited)
Michael Mann	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Nicole Abellera	....	casting assistant
Petrie Alexandra	....	casting associate: Los Angeles
Kim Coleman	....	casting associate
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	location casting
Vicki Jo Hertz	....	extras casting associate: Chicago
Sandy Holt	....	adr voice casting
Ellen Jacoby	....	extras casting
Jennifer Layton	....	casting assistant
Alison E. McBryde	....	casting: New York
Joan Philo	....	extras casting
Paul Richter	....	casting assistant
Christa Shamberger	....	casting: South Africa (as Christa Schamberber)
Claire Simon	....	casting: Chicago
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting
Summer Wesson	....	extras casting: Los Angeles
Rachel Winn	....	extras casting assistant
Jillian Jester	....	extras casting assistant (uncredited)
Ka-Mook Nichols	....	casting associate (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Bolger	....	costumer
Artemio Carpio	....	costumer
John Casey	....	costume supervisor
Holly Davis	....	key costumer
Karan Doherty	....	costumer
Jeanne DuPont	....	assistant costume designer
Patrick Guzzo	....	costumer
Karen Hare	....	costumer
Lori Harris	....	costumer
Emelle Holmes	....	costumer
Heather Holmes	....	costumer
Lisa Hyde	....	costumer
Jessica Jorde	....	wardrobe assistant
Jo Katsaras	....	costume supplier
Carolyn Marston	....	costumer: Mozambique
Sukari McGill	....	set costumer
Elizabeth Meredith	....	wardrobe assistant
Sybil Mosely	....	costumer
Gina Marie Ome	....	set costumer
Christine Orth	....	key costumer
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant costume designer
Carolyn Schnitzer	....	costume supervisor: Miami
Dalhia Schuette	....	costumer
Catherine Wall	....	cutter/fitter
George Sartiano	....	specialty costumes (uncredited)
Thao T. Vu	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gordon Antell	....	first assistant editor: avid
Lori Ball	....	assistant editor
Kenny Becker	....	co-color timer
Rayford Berrymon	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Bryan H. Carroll	....	associate editor
Timothy Colletti	....	assistant film editor
Rolando Diaz	....	telecine dailies
Alex Hepburn	....	assistant editor: avid
Michael Hofacre	....	assistant editor
Adam Kimmerlin	....	editorial production assistant
Robert Komatsu	....	assistant editor
Gene A. Lewis Jr.	....	editorial production assistant
Edward Malone	....	first assistant film editor
Jim Passon	....	co-color timer
Brett Reed	....	apprentice editor
Mike Sowa	....	high-definition color timer
Marianne Urioste	....	assistant editor
Kim Roseborough	....	assistant editor: location (uncredited)

Music Department
Tim Boot	....	music playback operator
Bill Brown	....	composer: additional music
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	music contractor
Steve Durkee	....	music mixer
Vicki Hiatt	....	music editor
Julie Glaze Houlihan	....	music coordinator
Lisa Jaime	....	music editor
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor
Stephanie Lowry	....	music editor
Christine H. Luethje	....	coordinating music editor (as Christine Luethje)
Sonnet H. Retman	....	music consultant
Sonnet H. Retman	....	music researcher
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
James T. Sale	....	conductor
James T. Sale	....	orchestrator
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Steven Scott Smalley	....	conductor
Steven Scott Smalley	....	orchestrator
Martin Tillman	....	composer: additional music
Dan Wallin	....	music scoring mixer
Michael Farrow	....	additional music mixer (uncredited)
Joseph Magee	....	production music mixer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael W. Broomer	....	driver: Mr. Smith (as Michael Broomer)
K.C. Colebrooke	....	transportation co-captain
David Glasscoe	....	action vehicle assistant
Barry E. Golob	....	driver: Mr. Mann (as Barry Golob)
Brian Hathaway	....	transportation coordinator
Chad Moore	....	production driver
Robert Nagle	....	driver: Michael Mann
Robert Nagle	....	transportation co-captain
Andrew Orlando	....	action vehicle coordinator
Mick Snell	....	transportation coordinator: South Africa
John Yarbrough	....	transportation cars
Michael R. Cairo	....	driver: Chicago second unit (uncredited)
George Grenier	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Jordan Albert	....	production assistant
Charles E. Alston	....	assistant: Mr. Smith
Laurie Arnow-Epstein	....	construction accountant
David M. Atkinson	....	first assistant accountant
Jana Babatunde-Bey	....	executive assistant: Mr. Smith
Scottie Bairstow	....	set production assistant
Lori A. Balton	....	location scout
Mitchell Bell	....	production coordinator
Marcy J. Berlow	....	production assistant
Damon Bingham	....	character researcher
Anita Boudreaux	....	assistant accountant
Aillene Laure Bubis	....	first assistant accountant
Lydia Cedrone	....	production associate
Victoria Cervantes	....	production secretary: Miami
Maria K. Chavez	....	location manager
Sari Checkartze	....	production assistant
Thomas S. Ciciura	....	production assistant
Joni Cuquet	....	field publicist
Paul Damm	....	accounting clerk
Robert Dawson	....	title designer
Pieter De Weerdt	....	paramedic
Demetra Diamantopoulos	....	location manager
Maritza Diaz	....	production assistant
Angelo Dundee	....	boxing technical advisor
Robb Earnest	....	assistant to producer
Josh Eggebeen	....	office production assistant: Chicago
Susan Ehrhart	....	assistant production coordinator
Morgan Fallon	....	assistant: Mr. Mann (as Morgan D. Fallon)
Kathryn Fisher	....	assistant: Mr. Lassiter
Anne C. Ford	....	production accountant
Darrell Foster	....	boxing trainer
Darrell Foster	....	key boxing trainer
Ran Francke	....	security: Will Smith
James Gadd	....	intern
Kenny Gallagher	....	key assistant accountant
Lyall Gardiner	....	production assistant
Paul Giorgi	....	second payroll accountant
Veloz Gomez	....	production assistant
Carrie Goodman	....	location scout
Damon Michael Gordon	....	location scout
Matthew Gordon	....	production assistant
Gary J. Gross	....	production consultant: Captive Audience Productions
Loretta Gruber	....	executive assistant: Mr. Peters (as Loretta Walsh-Gruber)
Chris Gutierrez	....	set medic: Los Angeles
Steven Hacker	....	production assistant
Julie Hannum	....	assistant location manager
Scott Hanson	....	production secretary
Glen Hanz	....	sculptor: Captive Audience Productions
Rob Harris	....	unit publicist
Shireen Hattingh	....	production secretary
Todd Havern	....	location assistant
Eryka Seimona Henderson	....	assistant location manager: New York
Eryka Seimona Henderson	....	location scout
James Hinton	....	assistant accountant
Marc Hofstatter	....	office production assistant
Susan Hollander	....	scenario coordinator
Susan Hollander	....	script coordinator
Kenneth Hunter	....	location scout
Sean Ilnseher	....	production assistant
Reggie Jackson	....	production assistant
Zac Jackson	....	production assistant
Anne Johns	....	production coordinator: Chicago/Ghana
Arik Johnson	....	second assistant accountant
Tish Johnson	....	accountant: Mozambique
Tish Johnson	....	location accountant: Mozambique
Timothy S. Kane	....	production assistant
Tilu Khalayi	....	accounting clerk
Nancy Lazarus	....	location scout
Mark Leslie Woods	....	production assistant
Harvey Lowry	....	operations manager: Captive Audience Productions Inc.
Todd Lubin	....	researcher
Johnny Mack	....	assistant: Mr. Foxx
Justin G. Maguire	....	production assistant
Mark Mamalakis	....	location manager
Edward Mazurek	....	location scout
Karl McMillan	....	assistant to producer
Tim Monich	....	dialect coach
Elizabeth Morin	....	executive assistant: Mr. Mann (as Elizabeth A. Morin)
Danilo Mussa	....	production assistant
Jason Neudecker	....	production assistant
Elizabeth J. Nevin	....	travel coordinator
Michael Olajide Jr.	....	boxing coach
Dale Ottley	....	travel coordinator
Carrie Oviatt	....	second assistant accountant
Deborah J. Page	....	location scout
Snehal Patel	....	production assistant
Paul Pawlowski	....	additional first assistant accountant
Paul Pawlowski	....	post-production accountant
Angela Phillips	....	production coordinator
David Anthony Pizzuto	....	location scout
Janice Polley	....	location manager
Sunni-Ali Powell	....	production assistant
Dr. James Puffer	....	boxing coach
Stan Purdy	....	personal security
Jennifer Quesenbery	....	assistant location manager: New York
Stefan Rand	....	production assistant
Paul Rathburn	....	caterer
Fatima Robinson	....	choreographer
Alida Rubens	....	assistant accountant: Mozambique
Jill Rudison	....	production assistant
Thérèsa Ryan	....	accommodation coordinator: Africa
Bilaal Salaam	....	assistant: Mr. Smith
Chanel Salzer	....	assistant location manager
Munir A. Shaikh	....	technical advisor: islam
Richard Sharkey	....	location manager: Africa
Jasan Sherman	....	location scout
Pete Smith	....	history advisor
Emre Sonmez	....	location scout
Pattie Stone	....	board operator
Bradley Sweetman	....	unit location assistant
Andre Tréjo	....	high-definition services coordinator
Marshall Tyler	....	production assistant
Beetle Van Graan	....	assistant location manager
Sandra J. White	....	accounting clerk: Chicago
Chris Winn	....	key craft service
Denise Woods	....	dialect coach
Joanne Goldstone	....	first assistant accountant: Africa (uncredited)
Russ Kavanaugh	....	pre-production consultant (uncredited)
Lyndon Lehde	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• Forward Pass (as Forward Pass Productions)
• Initial Entertainment Group (IEG)
• Moonlighting Films
• Overbrook Entertainment
• Peters Entertainment
• Picture Entertainment Corporation

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (2001) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (2004) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (VHS)
• Bac Films (France)
• Cecchi Gori Distribuzione
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (Argentina)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Entertainment Film Distributors (UK)
• Entertainment in Video (2002) (UK) (DVD)
• Manga Films (Spain)
• Nelonen (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Nordisk Film (2002) (Norway) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Oy Nordisk Film (2004) (Finland) (VHS)
• RCV Film Distribution (2002) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• RCV Film Distribution (Belgium)
• RCV Film Distribution (Luxembourg)
• RCV Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (video)
• Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

Special Effects

• Asylum VFX (additional visual effects)
• CREO (additional visual effects)
• Cinesite (Hollywood) (visual effects)
• Keith Vanderlaan's Captive Audience Productions (special makeup effects)

Other Companies

• AFM Lighting  lighting
• Asylum VFX  main titles (as Asylum)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  cranes and dollies
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Ellen Jacoby Casting  casting
• Footsteps Post-Production Sound  foley
• Heritage Films  production services: Ghana
• Interscope Records  soundtrack
• Laser Pacific Media  high-definition laboratory (as Laser Pacific)
• Martin Kobald Personal Chef  personal chef: Mr. Smith and Mr. Mann
• Medical Support Solutions  medical services
• Moonlighting Films  production services: South Africa (as Moonlighting Filmmakers Pty Ltd)
• Pacific Title  opticals
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Sound Dogs  sound design and editorial services
• Sportsrobe  costumes
• UMG Soundtracks  soundtrack
• Urban Marketing Corporation of America (UMCA)  field publicity

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and brief violence. (also director's cut)

Runtime:

157 min | USA:165 min (director's cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | Malaysia:18SG (uncut version) | Malaysia:U (re-rating) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (director's cut) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) (original rating) | Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG (cut) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | France:U | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Philippines:PG-13 | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R (certificate #37745) | Iceland:12

Filming Locations:

Accra, Ghana

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Producer Jon Peters first commissioned an Ali screenplay from writer Gregory Allen Howard (Remember the Titans (2000)) in 1994. Though Gregory Allen Howard's screenplay, titled "Power and Grace", was an expansive study of Ali from childhood on, it languished for three years without securing A-list talent.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the last fight of the film, Ali always sits down between each round. In reality, he never sat down in this fight.

Quotes:

Muhammad Ali: [to Joe Frazier] You look like the heavyweight champion of pimps.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "South Park: Here Comes the Neighborhood (#5.12)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

Induction

solid but flawed

Ali is a film that both succeeds and fails at the same time. Will Smith's performance was very solid, yet I never was able to shake the feeling that on screen it was Will Smith playing Muhammad Ali and not simply Muhammad Ali. Perhaps that is through no fault of his. He truly does a great impression of the fighter. The script is again decent, centering on several facets of the star's life that go beyond the sports pages. However, overall the whole project has a rather distant feel. The viewer rarely is truly captivated by what is occurring. Michael Mann's characteristic documentary-esque filming style works well in parts, but services to alienate the viewer in others. Yes, it feels as though you are almost watching a documentary in many cases, as if the viewer is a bystander to the circumstances at hand, but this is a work of drama, not a documentary. I wish someone had told Mann to stop shaking the camera and shifting to view Ali between the standard stock of blurred reporters for a few seconds and do a more typically dramatic shot. With Heat and The Insider, Mann managed to pull off this style successfully. In Ali he does not. In many cases conversations begin to rise but then only dissipate before anything really gripping has been said. Simply put, this film could have used a few more motivational speeches along the lines of a Rocky film. Perhaps it wouldn't have been as accurate, but it would have serviced a more dramatic story, at least one where the viewer really felt involved. Ali goes through two wives in the film and in neither case do they even serve to get very angry with him. Voices begin to rise and then either the woman or Ali leaves the room. The scene ends without any heavy emotion other than stern faces being shown. He's divorced a few minutes later. The fight scenes also have a lack of emotion. The film style is interesting and visually stimulating, but it could have used a few `it's over Rock!' lines here and there to punctuate things.

Mann's standard use of music again fails in many cases here. Whereas in "historical" films like Forrest Gump period music is used to punctuate a dramatic score, in Ali it is almost the sole backing track of the film. There is scarcely any musical score involved. When it is used, it often seems like it was just pieced together from leftovers to provide ambience. In a few key dramatic scenes, the pop ditties being played (although sometimes fitting lyrically) really end up being a distraction. The death of Malcolm X is a prime example. Ali's close friend has just been killed and you're just waiting for a rising orchestral number (however cliche and standard it may be, that's what you're looking for), but instead you get a period song that, at this point in the film, is beginning to sound like half a dozen others before it. In several cases Mann's musical style does work (Ali's jog through the streets of Zaire being an example, the closing number another) but the technique fails overall.

I've mostly criticized this film, which should not be the only viewpoint, because cinematically it is a fine work. There doesn't need to be another Ali film made, as this will service his legacy nicely. It has flaws, but I point out these flaws taking for granted just how good much of it is. The banter between Ali and Howard Cosell (Jon Voight, who completely disappears into this role) is classic, and work by Jaime Foxx and Mario Van Peebles (as Malcolm X) is solid as well. Michael Mann knows how to handle a film and I would rather watch a sub-par outing from him than most of what Hollywood produces any day. He's just done better. Some script work and a better musical score could have pushed this good film to greatness.

7/10