The Square Ring (1953) Basil Dearden’s Knockout Boxing Drama

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Funny to think of a ring being square? Ok, just me then… Ding Ding. So that’s that, my review of boxing drama, The Square Ring. Thanks for popping on by…

A re-match you say? Ok! here goes. This is a neat little boxing drama featuring a snapshot into the lives of six fighters ready to enter the boxing ring. The main narrative is centered within the changing rooms for our home club boxers. Men at different stages and journey paths of their careers. A wise ex-pro is the dressing room attendant, his experience puts him in the perfect place to give out honest and practical advice. Whether they listen to his sage wisdom is another thing but he would never judge. He’s been there before.

64 Day Hero (1986) The Tragic Story Of British Boxer Randy Turpin

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I’m ashamed to say I’d never heard of Randolph Turpin, fighting under the name Randy Turpin, before. A British boxer born and raised in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire. Of course his fighting records were way before my time however I feel I should of at least of heard his name. Especially when the boxing stats website BoxRec has him riding high in second place behind Joe Calzaghe in their Lb for Lb points system.

Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962) A Life Changing Beating From The Greatest Muhammad Ali

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The dank little room stunk of arseholes and BO. These places always did. Luckily the rubbing ointments took the edge off. To be honest Louis ‘Mountain’ Rivera (Anthony Quinn) couldn’t smell shit. His flatten nose had been busted countless times, he even struggled to breathe.

Paradise Alley (1978) Video Store Action Heroes 4 x Action Packed Fight VHS Movie Memories

So it’s that time again when the dreamboys or The Video Store Action Heroes as we sometimes go by join forces and unleash a choice selection of our movie rental memories. Now where this is of course a very fun excursion, its not without its dangers, yep I said it, dangers. It’s a tightrope that we walk to bring these reviews. Hacking into the hippocampus part of the brain has peril written all over it. Why you just don’t know what unearthly memory you could tap into. With a gentle prod a sweet memory might bring a bittersweet tear to fall down the side of your cheek or maybe release a slight giggle of laughter. Though truth be told it’s normally a spontaneous bout of Wilhelm Screams.

The Blood of Heroes (1989) Rutger Hauer’s Battle Cry Salute To The Jugger

In a world ravished by nuclear war, the barren, sorry looking landscape of Earth has taken on that familiar look of a post-apocalyptic Mad Max. Scattered little pockets of civilisation can be found around the desolate, desert terrain. The small market-towns are called dog-towns, where desperate people scavenge and scrounge for food scraps. On the fringe, the shanty towns of rubbish and recycled waste are forged into makeshift living spaces. The food consists of what tough vegetation is hardy enough to grow and whatever meat that can be found. Rats are high on the list but you sure get more meat on the bones of a dog! Besides the dog kind of comes in handy for past-time entertainment!

The Harder They Fall (1956) Humphrey Bogart’s Last Film Is A Smasher

Not until it had finished and went to tick The Harder They Fall off my Humphrey Bogart films I must see list, that it dawned on me this was his final film before he passed away at the young age of 57. I have to say I didn’t realise he was ill whilst watching, he had all those classic Bogart characteristics and mannerisms we all so love. That world weary New York tough guy that hides a heart of gold, a style that you can imagine is naturally his real persona. He’s such a joy to watch and it’s great to know I still have a lot more Bogies to work my way through.

99 River Street (1953) John Unleashes The Payne With Power Punches

Depressed and broken ex boxer Ernie Driscoll (John Payne) can’t help reminiscing back to his heyday as a prize fighter and unfortunately to that fateful day when he took a beating on the ropes. The day he damaged his eye, bringing with it the end of his boxing career. He sits there with great sadness, in his apartment, watching a rerun of the fight. Things aren’t helped for our poor Ernie as his wife Pauline (Peggie Castle) loves nothing more that belittling him, reminding him what a loser he is and how he has ruined their future.

Tagline – Rips into you like a double-crossing Dame!

The Great White Hope (1970) Darth Vader Fights Hatred With His Fists.

Hey! That black boxer with his shining bald head on the screen looks familiar? Without that big cuddly frame and his glasses he’s almost unrecognisable as he bounds up and down firing off punches as fast as his mouth. When the words come out you instantly recall that voice, that unmistakable voice, those deep tones of the dark side, that ultimate bad guy, Darth Vader. You’ll also gonna know those vocal sounds from the likes of Disney’s father of the pride, Mufasa, from The Lion King. And who could forget Eddie Murphy’s Dad, King Jaffe Joffer in Coming To America. He’s the guy thats so iconic that it can only be one guy, that super legend, Mr James Earl Jones.

Fat City (1972) Real Life Can Pack Quite A Punch!

Down and nearly out ex-semi pro boxer Billy Tully (Stacy Keach) looks into another empty bottle of spirits and drags himself to his feet, hey he might be down but he’s not out for the count yet. Determined to get back into shape and start a fresh, he packs his dirty old kit and heads off to the boxing gym. Wheezing, straining and sweating off the booze from countless nights, he steps and skips around the hall, shadow punching, ducking and a diving. He’s still got the moves under all that rust and achy bones.

The Set-Up (1949) Robert “Rocky” Ryan

Here’s a super smashing punching sweating panting tension filled film noir boxing drama starring Robert Ryan as the aging human punch bag, Bill “Stoker” Thompson. What a film The Set-Up turned out to be and it popped my 40’s cherry on this here blog.