Tyson (documentary)
Encyclopedia
Tyson is a 2008 documentary film
about the life of former undisputed heavyweight world champion boxer
Mike Tyson
. It was directed by American
filmmaker James Toback
and produced by Nicholas Jarecki
, Bob Yari, and Carmelo Anthony
.
The film was publicly screened for the first time at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation and won the Regard Knockout Award at the Un Certain Regard
event.
Tyson was released on April 24, 2009, distributed by Sony Classics.
, who reflects on his highly controversial and publicly viewed life. It begins with clips of 20-year-old Tyson's convincing World Boxing Council
Heavyweight Championship win over Trevor Berbick
, then explores the fighter's upbringing and motivation. It is revealed that he had a fractured family life and difficult childhood in Brownsville, Brooklyn
, where his crimes led him to Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York
. A father-son relationship with his first professional trainer and only father figure in his life, Cus D'Amato
, is expressed as Tyson chokes back tears. He reveals his vulnerability when he relates the fear that he felt when D'Amato died in 1985. Tyson was only 19 years old when he lost the one real parental figure in his life.
Tyson eventually unified the WBC
, WBA
and IBF
title championship belts, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This turned into a traumatic event that was the root cause of Tyson's many personal issues. Tyson makes it apparent that his great stardom at only the age of 20 was a blessing for him but also a curse. From his great achievements at such a young age to the eventual tangled web of his existence, Tyson is able to expose his contrasting flaws of mental instability, immaturity, lust for women and fear, all of which explain his downfall as a boxer and his controversial life. In the end, having fought a battle with fear in order to fight for his respect, Tyson is shocked by the outcome: a renewed respect for life and family.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about the life of former undisputed heavyweight world champion boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
Mike Tyson
Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
. It was directed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
filmmaker James Toback
James Toback
James Lee Toback is an American screenwriter and film director.-Early life:Toback was born in New York City. His mother, Selma Judith , was a President of The League of Women Voters and a moderator of political debates on NBC. His father, Irwin Lionel Toback, was a stockbroker and former...
and produced by Nicholas Jarecki
Nicholas Jarecki
Nicholas Jarecki is an American writer and filmmaker, best known for his 2005 documentary The Outsider.A native of New York City, Jarecki attended New York University's film school and graduated at age 19....
, Bob Yari, and Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Kiyan Anthony , nicknamed "Melo", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association...
.
The film was publicly screened for the first time at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
, where it received a 10-minute standing ovation and won the Regard Knockout Award at the Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard
Un Certain Regard is a section of the Cannes Film Festival's Official Selection. It is run at the Salle Debussy, parallel to the competition for the Palme d'Or.This section was introduced in 1978 by Gilles Jacob...
event.
Tyson was released on April 24, 2009, distributed by Sony Classics.
Synopsis
This documentary is a self-discovery of a matured Mike TysonMike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson is a retired American boxer. Tyson is a former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world and holds the record as the youngest boxer to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles, he was 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old...
, who reflects on his highly controversial and publicly viewed life. It begins with clips of 20-year-old Tyson's convincing World Boxing Council
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
Heavyweight Championship win over Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick
Trevor Berbick was a Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight boxer who fought as a professional from 1976 until 2000. Berbick briefly held the WBC heavyweight championship in 1986 , before losing it to 20-year old Mike Tyson, via 2nd-round TKO...
, then explores the fighter's upbringing and motivation. It is revealed that he had a fractured family life and difficult childhood in Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, New York City.The total land area is one square mile, and the ZIP code for the neighborhood is 11212....
, where his crimes led him to Tryon School for Boys in Johnstown, New York
Johnstown (city), New York
Johnstown is a city and the county seat of Fulton County in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 Census, the city had population of 8,511. Recent estimates put the figure closer to 8,100. The city was named by its founder, Sir William Johnson after his son John Johnson...
. A father-son relationship with his first professional trainer and only father figure in his life, Cus D'Amato
Cus D'Amato
Constantine "Cus" D'Amato was an American boxing manager and trainer who handled the careers of Floyd Patterson, José Torres, Vinnie Ferguson, and Mike Tyson. Several successful boxing trainers, including Teddy Atlas, Kevin Rooney, and Joe Fariello, were tutored by D'Amato...
, is expressed as Tyson chokes back tears. He reveals his vulnerability when he relates the fear that he felt when D'Amato died in 1985. Tyson was only 19 years old when he lost the one real parental figure in his life.
Tyson eventually unified the WBC
World Boxing Council
The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...
, WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
and IBF
IBF
IBF may refer to:*International Boxing Federation is one of several boxing organisations* International Bandy Federation former name of Federation of International Bandy , an international governing body for bandy...
title championship belts, becoming the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. This turned into a traumatic event that was the root cause of Tyson's many personal issues. Tyson makes it apparent that his great stardom at only the age of 20 was a blessing for him but also a curse. From his great achievements at such a young age to the eventual tangled web of his existence, Tyson is able to expose his contrasting flaws of mental instability, immaturity, lust for women and fear, all of which explain his downfall as a boxer and his controversial life. In the end, having fought a battle with fear in order to fight for his respect, Tyson is shocked by the outcome: a renewed respect for life and family.