Thriller in Manila

USA 2008, 86 minutes
Dir. John Dower
Genres: Documentary

Topics: Sport, Period 1970s, Indigenous & Minority Cultures.

Aroview: This seemingly straightforward account of Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s third and final confrontation surreptitiously reveals the deep-seated hatred beneath the public face of the boxers’ legendary rivalry.

Also notable for eschewing the usual reverence bestowed upon Ali, with greater attention afforded to the forgotten (and somewhat tragic) Frazier, the documentary suspensefully integrates archival footage of the brutal fight with a probing investigation into the racial politics of the 1970s.