Creative Nonfiction Film - Essay Example

? Creative Nonfiction Film February 24, Introduction Creative nonfiction films focus on real life occurrences.The research delves on Muhammad Ali’s plans and strategies to survive in real life United States. The research delves on Lopate’s characteristics of the typical film essay. The film When We Were Kings shows exemplifies Lopate’s film essay structure. Discussion The film is synonymous with personal essays. The average film, like personal essays, includes several elements. Films include conversational element. In the nonfiction 1974 film When We Were Kings, the Boxing Promoter (Don King) rightfully orchestrated the Muhammad Ali and George Foreman boxing championships in the Zaire Boxing Ring. Prior to the actual Zaire fight, the two fighters proudly stated that each boxer will knock out the other opposing boxer (Denby 123). The film’s drama environment heightens as each boxer convinces the general public, especially the movie audiences, that the opposing boxer is no match for the other boxer. Just like the personal essay, the movie is filled with heated conversational element. Further, the film may contain themes of honesty, confession, and privacy. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film correctly centers on the theme of honesty (Lopate, Getting Personal: Selected Essays 197). Muhammad Ali originally keeps espousing that all Americans should be honest (Lopate 130). Muhammad Ali espoused that Americans should stand up for their beliefs. Muhammad Ali refused to join the Vietnam War. The boxer insisted that the United States should meddle with the internal affairs of another country, Vietnam. For refusing to be drafted into the Vietnam War, Muhammad Ali was convicted and jailed for five years. Muhammad Ali theorized that the Vietnam people should be entitled to their privacy from being intruded by the United States army. Likewise, Muhammad Ali confessed to the people that he is willing to be jailed for his political belief on the encroachment of the United States on Vietnam’s political issues. Furthermore, the film may include issues that contract or expand the self. Specifically, the film may focus on the behavior of the person of film protagonists and antagonists. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film rightfully shows that Muhammad Ali consistently espoused that he can easily knock out the crowd favorite. The crowd favorite is the defending world heavyweight champion, George Foreman. Muhammad Ali proves to his critics that he was right. In the Zaire fight, Muhammad Ali was able to knock out George Foreman. When Foreman fell to the canvass, the boxing referee counted out the defending champion, the seemingly unstoppable George Foreman (Gast 1). The film clip starting from 1:01:08 to 1:08:02 time lapse correctly shows the real life boxing match between the two boxing gladiators. The audience can see how George Foreman unloaded several punches onto Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali leaned on the ropes to prevent falling onto the boxing ring canvass. After Foreman slowed down his boxing pace, Muhammad Ali pounced on the unsuspecting Foreman. As expected, Muhammad Ali knocked out George Foreman while keeping the movie audiences on their feet awaiting the final outcome. As expected, the film correctly shows Muhammad Ali exchanging pleasantries with a girl. The Film clips also show the time frame of the activities from the 40:02:00 movie scene to the 40:39:00 time lapse film scene. The film captivates to audience by making the films more realistic. Moreover, the film may include challenging the status quo. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, Muhammad Ali correctly fought hard and long against the status quo. The status quo requires all able-bodied United States citizens to join the Vietnam War. The United States law punishes any American citizen from rendering the required services within the United States army. Muhammad Ali insisted that his new religion, Islam, prohibits him from joining the United States army during the Vietnam War (Gast 1). Likewise, the film may include the problem of egotism. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, Muhammad Ali is rightfully depicted as a proud egotistic person. Muhammad Ali kept insisting that he will knockout George Foreman during the Zaire world heavyweight champion ship belt (Gast 1). Further, the film may include cheek and irony issues. Specifically, the film may focus on outbreaks of mischievous imprudence. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, Muhammad Ali is correctly shown to exercise mischievous imprudence. Muhammad Ali pretends to bend on the sides of the boxing ring ropes. By clinging to the boxing ring ropes, the audience will normally think that George Foreman has the better boxing advantage. After several rope leanings, Muhammad Ali finally turns the fight around. Muhammad Ali converts from being on the receiving end of the boxing exchange to being the boxing tournament organizer (Gast 1). Additionally, the film can incorporate the past, the local, and the melancholy topics. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film rightfully reflects on the issue of racism. Muhammad Ali constantly voiced out his sentiments regarding the racial discrimination against African Americans. Muhammad Ali stated that African Americans deserved to be treated on equal footing as the White Americans (Gast 1). Likewise, the film can incorporate quotations and the uses of learning. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film rightfully offers several quote many of Muhammad Ali statements. Muhammad Ali constantly preaches to the world. Muhammad Ali’s real life words and actions inspire the movie audiences to make their own dreams a reality. The movie audiences and the world are easily convinced that Muhammad Ali does not fear or feel inferiority when compared to the current world champion George Foreman’s image as the better boxer (Gast 1). Lastly, the film correctly functions as a mode of thinking and being. In the nonfiction film When We Were Kings, the film correctly moves the movie audiences to incorporate Muhammad Ali’s statements and actions. The movie shows Muhammad Ali knocking out George Foreman. The win proves that Muhammad Ali was able to prove to the world, including the Foreman boxing fans, that Muhammad Ali is far stronger and better than George Foreman. The movie correctly inspires the movie audiences to do their best to make the world a better place. Muhammad Ali used actions, not words, to bring himself out of the quagmire called racial discrimination (Gast 1). Conclusion Summarizing the above discussion, creative nonfiction films rightfully center on reality situations. The movie correctly discusses Muhammad Ali’s plans and strategies living within the discriminatory world of the United States. The Lopate characteristics are vividly incorporated in the production of the above Muhammad Ali film essay. Evidently, the film When We Were Kings is perfectly crafted to comply with Lopate’s film – personal essay characteristics. Works Cited Denby, D. (1997, February 24). Sparring Partners. New York Magazine, p. 123. Print. Gast, Leon. (Director). (1996). When We Were Kings [Motion Picture]. Gates, Leon, 1996. When We Were Kings, Retrieved February 25, 2013 from "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kKBJsWXFoc&playnext=1&list=PLA36B2698AD29BE1E&feature=results_video" > Lopate, Philllip. (2008). Against JoieDe Vivre.: Personal Essays. Lincoln : University of Nebraska. Lopate, Phillip. (2008). Getting Personal: Selected Essays. New York: Basic Books . 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