What techniques has Leon Gast applied to engage his audience in When E

Throughout the year I have been studying the documentary When We Were Kings based around the 1974 World Boxing backup man fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The fight was staged in Zaire, Africa and is subsequently predominantly an African influenced film, although settle down effective in delivering the story and exposition of one of the superlative sporting moments of our modern era. Through use of a complex sound track - including live sound and interviews from the past - Gast is able to entice me to continue reckon the colourful, musical and exciting documentary. Using a majority of archival footage combined with a cast of experts and witness Leon Gast captures the moment whilst providing us with the necessary background information and detail. A number of questions are asked and social issues raised providing us with a contrast of morals and ideals creating a fast moving, intriguing look at an event take in to boxing folklore as the greatest of all time. Althou gh Gast is unable to incorporate much of his craft - due to a majority of archival footage - he is still able to build tension and demonstrate importance through his shot selection, use of motifs and selection of music.When I viewed Gasts dramatic yet uplifting look at the 1974 World Heavyweight Boxing title fight in Zaire, I was engaged through his use of evocative and up-beat music. Music plays almost constantly throughout and is effective in establishing a mood of fun and excitement about the brutal bout. To begin the film Gast introduces us to the tribal rhythms of Zaire, I believe to represent the origins of both fighters and the importance of cultural links between America, Africa and the evolution of popular culture. Gast excessively employs the use of a mysterious African women - a dancer and promoter - through use of close ups and intense, tension building rhythms. She appears throughout the documentary and we are told later that a witch doctor predicted Foreman might be defeated by use of a voodoo spell involving a "woman with fluttering hands". Whether there is any element of truth to the prediction, Gasts comprehension of this native African lady is clearly to provide an element of mystery and intrigue around not only the fight in Zaire, but also Alis greatness. The tribal rhythms and traditional African music work well for Gast and are effective in portraying the mood... ...nter the armed forces during the Vietnam war- had resulted in a jail condemnation and loss of the title. This was Alis return, the greatest of all time was returning to the ring to face one of the most formidable individuals ever to step in to the square molded arena, making it a bout no red-blooded American and no self respecting sports fan worldwide could miss. Gasts subject matter - the fight itself - and people have-to doe with - namely Ali - are perhaps one of the most appealing events to be covered in sports history (with relation to real life relevance)The people confused in Gasts documentary are remarkably effective in delivering the recount of the Rumble in the Jungle combining aging experts with those who were scattered amongst the commotion that was the concert and fight in Zaire, 1974. Spike Lee appears throughout to provide a modern, filmmakers perspective while George Plimpton and Norman Mailer commentate, adding excitement and human dimension to the fight. Mailer and Plimpton covered the fight in the mid-seventies and provide us with a credible recount and are effective in providing professional detail for us helping us understand some more technical angles explored by Gast.