A.K.A. Cassius Clay

Amazon.com Made in 1970, just as he was reaching the end of a three-year exile from boxing, A.K.A. Cassius Clay is a documentary about Muhammad Ali's life and career. Produced by Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton, who would go on to manage Mike Tyson, it includes reams of Jacobs's vast collection of fight footage, some of it familiar, some quite rare, such as flickering images of Ali's earliest bouts. Ali's familiar story is competently related here: his 1960 Olympic triumph, his upset of Sonny Liston in 1964, his conversion to the Nation of Islam, and the plainly vindictive decision on the part of the authorities to revise his draft status and call him up for service in Vietnam. The principal pleasure is watching Ali in full verbal flow, including his maniacal teasing of Liston that proved to be a psychological knockout blow: "The man's too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty, like me!" --David Stubbs Product Description "A study of crazy brilliance and flamboyant sincerity" (LA Herald-Examiner), a.k.a. Cassius Clay presents a fascinating look at the incredible life and achievements of one of the most courageous, outspoken and charismatic figures of boxing: Muhammad Ali. Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Alisoon rose to become a renowned athlete, an articulate author and a compelling political leader. Audacious, ambitious and totally fearless, Ali became a symbol of pride, a legend of hope and one of the most extraordinary cultural icons of the 20th century. Filled with "plenty of meat in the visual material" (Newsweek), a.k.a. Cassius Clay charts the voyage of a man who grabbed Olympic gold at the age of 18, captured the world heavyweight title at 21 and ultimately came topower as one of the most forceful leaders of the American civil rights movement. Featuring clips from his most celebrated fights with Archie Moore and Sonny Liston, rare interviews with his trainer Cus D'Amato and extraordinary footage of Ali during his alliance with Malcolm X, a.k.a. Cassius Clay is an "intelligently and artistically assembled" (Los Angeles Times) and "provocative"(Box office) documentary.