The Greatest Sports Documentaries
Columnist
By Adrian Musolino, 29 Dec 2008 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- America, ARL, Basketball, Valentino Rossi, Yamaha
If you’re still recovering from unwrapping presents and singing Christmas carols, fear not. There is an escape from the boredom of the season: five great documentaries that not only entertain but also enlighten us about what makes sport so great.
1. Once in a Lifetime (2006)
Narrated by actor Matt Dillon and featuring a groovy 70s soundtrack, this doco charts the spectacular rise and fall of the New York Cosmos and the North American Soccer League. It’s a fascinating story of a movie studio executive who saw the potential of the world game and successfully turned the Cosmos and soccer into the hottest ticket in the Big Apple. The film centres around the impact Pele had during his spell with the club including the following scene that looks at how the club wooed the greatest ever player to North America.
There are several parallels that can be drawn between the development of the sport in both North America and Australia so it provides an interesting avenue for comparison.
It’s a great tale told in a thoroughly entertaining manner.
2. The History of Football (2002)
This epic 13 episode series charts the history of the world game from its origins, evolution and future. It also contains episodes about Brazil, Africa and a particularly moving episode entitled “The Dark Side” on the sad history of hooliganism and other tragedies.
Not only is it informative, it also portrays the game in a way few documentaries have achieved – full of emotion, perspective and depth.
With over thirty hours of extras this is the definitive history of the game.
3. When We Were Kings (1997)
The story of the Rumble in the Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman is brilliantly told in this documentary.
Not only do you gain inside access to one of the most incredible sporting events, it also demonstrates why Ali is an icon of the 20th century. His bravado is on display throughout as well as his philosophies and relationship with the people of Zaire.
4. Faster (2004)
What motivates motorbike racers to risk life and limb every fortnight?
Faster, narrated by bike nut Ewan McGregor, explores their world. What motivates them to race and what it’s like to be part of the globetrotting MotoGP circus.
I suggest you also check out the short sequel film that updates the story of the sport up until 2004 and Valentino Rossi’s move to Yamaha.
It also contains this scene that explores the ultimate price the riders risk each time they get on the bike.
A very well made doco that gives you a historical perspective of the sports recent history.
5. Hoop Dreams (1994)
An American classic that explores the hopes and dreams of two African–American boys playing high school basketball trying to make it into the pro leagues.
The story is about so much more than basketball.
It’s about the struggle of the working class in inner city America and sport as an escape from this world. The hope it provides but also the devastation when it doesn’t happen.
There are plenty more great sporting documentaries out there. Please add your own favourites to the list.
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- Explore:
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Savvas Tzionis said | December 29th 2008 @ 8:36am | Report comment
Peter Burns ‘History of Baseball’…….. my favourite ever…and I don’t even really like Baseball!!!
sheek said | December 29th 2008 @ 11:20am | Report comment
I have ‘When We Were Kings’ in my private collection, & can vouch for its sheer briliance.
A constant criticism against Muhammed Ali being the greatest heavyweight of all-time, or the greatest boxer of any division of all-time, was his reputed lack of punching power, & killer instinct.
I’m no Einstein, & no boxing expert, but I reckon this is rubbish. To Ali, boxing was what it was purported to be – a science. He would only knock an opponent out, when he felt the fight slipping away from him, &/or he had no other option.
Against his great contemporaies of the 70s – George Foreman, Joe Frazier & Ken Norton – he knew he had no option but to put them out on the canvas. Or vice-versa. Otherwise, he saw his genius in out-boxing & out-pointing his opponents.
But Ali was certainly the smartest boxer I have ever seen in 40 years of following sport. He also possessed great physical courage inside the ring, & even greater moral courage outside the ring.
Honestly, how many of us would have had the courage of their conviction, to stand up against the government in his day. Not just any government, but the most powerful government in the world. That of the USA.
I have another video, of the history of the racehorse Tulloch. There is a scene of his comeback race that brings tears to even the most hardened individual. After 2 years at death’s door, Tulloch is finally back in training. He has missed his entire 4 year old racing season, & most of his 5 year old season (often a horse’s best two years).
His first comeback race isn’t any old race. It’s the Group One Queen Elizabeth Stakes over a mile & a half (2400 metres) at Flemington during the Melbourne Autumn carnival (March 1960). His is up against Lord, a Melbourne horse, & the best weight-for-age (wfa) horse at the time, much loved by his home crowd.
The two horses slug it out for the last 500 metres or so, from around the bend to the finish post. First, one horse, then the other, gets their nose in front. On the line, Tulloch is the winner by a half-head.
The 100,000 plus Melbourne crowd gives the Sydney horse Tulloch a standing ovation all the way back to the dismount yard. I tell you, I get a tear again just typing this. You don’t even have to be a thoroughbred racing fan to appreciate this kind of story!
Sam Taulelei said | December 29th 2008 @ 11:59am | Report comment
“When we were Kings” and “Hoop dreams” stand out for me. Saw both on the big screen and then bought the DVD’s to add to my collection. A few others I’ve enjoyed were “Dogtown and Z Boys”, “Ring of Fire – the Emile Griffith Story”, “Michael Jordan – Come Fly With Me” and “Pumping Iron”
Thanks for the post, I’m interested in viewing some of the others that you’ve mentioned.
Adrian Musolino said | December 29th 2008 @ 1:33pm | Report comment
Other notable mentions:
- Troy’s Story – documentary about motorbike racer Troy Bayliss.
- Michael Jordan to the Max – follows Jordan’s last season with the Bulls.
Also for those of you with Foxtel – Once in a Lifetime is on rotation on the Showcase channel so keep an eye out for it.
Spiro Zavos said | December 29th 2008 @ 2:20pm | Report comment
The Burns ‘History of Baseball’ is the benchmark sports documentary in my opinion. The brilliant use of photos, music and sociology (the story of the black baseball leagues, for instance, and the Jewish baseball stars etc) make this history a history of America, as much as a history of its national sport.
Savvas Tzionis said | December 29th 2008 @ 2:30pm | Report comment
Spiro,
The fact that most of the early episodes of the Peter Burns History of Baseball doco had virtually no live action footage speaks volumes for the sheer outstandign quality of the series.
When will our local leagues ever produce anything of a similair ilk?
Maybe we will have to be satisfied with our movies (The Great McCarthy from 1975 and The Club from 1979), at least from an Aussie Rules perspective.
Adrian Musolino said | December 29th 2008 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
Is the History of Baseball readily available or hard to find?
Savvas Tzionis said | December 29th 2008 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
Not sure about availability. SBS showed it about 5-8 years ago. I am happy to wait until they show it again.
For some unknown reason, the things that stick in my memory from the series were:
- Ty Cobb. A ruthless a*hole but a great player from 100 years ago
- The ‘death’ of the New York teams, the Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers in the 1950′s. 10 years later a new team, the Mets is formed. Just seemed so silly.
Dave said | December 29th 2008 @ 3:11pm | Report comment
The History of Football is absolutely magnificent. Not only is it a history of the World Game but also a recent history of the world in many respects, whereas other documentaries concerning sports played in one country give you perspective of that country. It covers all continents and the rise or not of the game…it is warts and all and IMO the best.
Once We Were Kings is brilliant for a documentary on a single event, compelling as that is.
Adrian
History of Baseball can be picked up in stores that import US DVD,s or on the internetl
Adrian Musolino said | December 29th 2008 @ 6:28pm | Report comment
Thanks lads – I’ll check it out.
It seems like it is a similar series to the History of Football – tracing the sports history and heritage.