Story of movie Resurrecting The Champ :
Resurrecting the Champ is a 2007 American drama sports film directed by Rod Lurie. The storyline was conceived from a screenplay written by Michael Bortman and Allison Burnett, based on a Los Angeles Times Magazine article entitled Resurrecting the Champ, by author J.R. Moehringer. The film centers on a fictionalized former athlete portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson, living on the streets of Denver, who attempts to impersonate the life and career of former professional heavyweight boxer Bob Satterfield. The ensemble cast also features Josh Hartnett, Alan Alda, David Paymer, and Teri Hatcher.
| Resurrecting the Champ | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Rod Lurie |
| Produced by | Mike Medavoy Bob Yari Marc Frydman Rod Lurie |
| Screenplay by | Michael Bortman Allison Burnett |
| Based on | Resurrecting the Champ by J.R. Moehringer |
| Starring | Samuel L. Jackson Josh Hartnett Kathryn Morris Alan Alda Rachel Nichols David Paymer Teri Hatcher |
| Music by | Larry Groupé |
| Cinematography | Adam Kane |
| Edited by | Sarah Boyd |
Production company | Phoenix Pictures Alberta Film Entertainment Battleplan Productions Yari Film Group |
| Distributed by | Yari Film Group 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment SEVEN24 Films |
Release date |
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Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $13 million |
| Box office | $3,242,427 |
The film was a co-production between the motion picture studios of Phoenix Pictures, Alberta Film Entertainment, Battleplan Productions, and the Yari Film Group. Theatrically, it was commercially distributed by the Yari Film Group, while in the home video rental market it was distributed by 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Resurrecting the Champ explores professional ethics, journalism and athletics. On September 25, 2007, the original motion picture soundtrack was released by the Rykodisc record label. The film score was composed and orchestrated by musicians Larry Groupé and Blake Hazard. Indie Rock band The Submarines also contributed a musical track to the score. In 2008, the film was nominated for an ESPY Award for Best Sports Movie as well as a Young Artist Award in the category of Best Performance in a Feature Film, Young Actor Age Ten or Younger.
Resurrecting the Champ premiered in theaters nationwide in the United States on August 24, 2007 grossing $3,172,573 in domestic ticket receipts. The film took in an additional $69,854 in business through international release for a combined worldwide total of $3,242,427. Preceding its initial screening in cinemas, the film was generally met with positive critical reviews. With its initial foray into the home video marketplace; the widescreen DVD edition of the film featuring theatrical trailers, cast and crew interviews, and commentary with director Lurie among other highlights, was released in the United States on April 8, 2008.
Screenplay
Erik Kernan Jr. (Hartnett) is a young fledgling journalist employed by The Denver Times. Frustrated, Kernan struggles with his supervising editor Ralph Metz (Alda) concerning rudimentary coverage over his articles related to professional sports. Metz views Kernan's editorial work as bland and uninspiring considering his recently deceased father was a famous sportscaster. Kernan is separated from his wife, Joyce (Morris), who also works at the newspaper, and worries that he might be losing touch with their young son, Teddy (Goyo).
In an alley near the Denver Coliseum, three rowdy young men taunt an elderly homeless man (Jackson), who calls himself "Champ" and claims to have been a professional boxer. As the men begin to assault him, Kernan, leaving a boxing match he was covering at the venue, comes to his aid. Eventually, Kernan learns that Champ was once a famous former heavyweight boxing contender, Bob Satterfield.
During an interview with a magazine publisher named Whitley (Paymer), Kernan informs him that he has an influential story about the former boxer Satterfield, who's now a homeless man living on the streets assuming the moniker "Champ". Though at the same time, Champ is reluctant to cooperate for any biographical piece. In order to gain Champ's confidence for the chronicle, Kernan recruits an associate at the newspaper, Polly (Nichols), to assist him in retrieving information about his past.
The magazine ultimately publishes Kernan's article. It wins applause from readers and journalists alike. The story even draws the attention of a TV personality from Showtime, Flak (Hatcher), who boldly suggests it should be nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. But the intense publicity brings Kernan into contact with elderly folk who knew Satterfield personally, and are adamant that he's deceased. Kernan later learns that Champ is in fact a lesser known boxing contender, Tommy Kincaid, whom Satterfield once defeated in the ring. He makes a conscious choice and decides to inform his editors about the profile error. However, before he can do so, he learns that he and the newspaper are being sued by Satterfield's son, Robert (Lennix). Satterfield Jr. is angered, since it had been long known to a number of people that Champ had a lengthy history of impersonating his father. Metz derides Kernan for not having done due diligence in examining Champ's authenticity regarding his past.
Satterfield Jr. is later appeased with a proposal by Kernan to write another article retracting his mistake; and to include personal journalistic material about the elder Satterfield which he long wanted someone to articulate about. Kernan is also gratified with knowing that his young son Teddy will be proud of his father even if he does not know the famous people he once claimed to know.
- Samuel L. Jackson as Champ
- Josh Hartnett as Erik Kernan Jr.
- Kathryn Morris as Joyce Kernan
- Dakota Goyo as Teddy Kernan
- Alan Alda as Ralph Metz
- Rachel Nichols as Polly
- David Paymer as Whitely
- Teri Hatcher as Andrea Flak
- Kristen Shaw as Perlmutter
- Nick Sandow as Marciano
- Harry J. Lennix as Satterfield Jr.
- Rami Malek as Kester Moorhouse
Filming
For logistical and monetary reasons, director Lurie chose to film primarily in Calgary, Alberta. Critical exterior shots were also filmed in Denver, Colorado, where the story itself is based. For some scenes, production filmed at a real homeless shelter called The Mustard Seed, as around forty of the shelter's residents and guests were hired to stand in as film extras. Additional boxing flashbacks were filmed at the Corral Arena at the Calgary Stampede Grounds.
Music
The original motion picture soundtrack for Resurrecting the Champ, was released by the Rykodisc music label on September 25, 2007. The film score was composed and orchestrated by a number of musicians including, Larry Groupé, Blake Hazard, and Neville Ivey.
| Resurrecting the Champ | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Film score by Larry Groupé | |
| Released | 09/25/2007 |
| Length | 43:45 |
| Label | Rykodisc |
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