New film exposes the mind of the former champion
I spent an evening inside the mind of Mike Tyson…and survived! Okay, let me clarify this statement: Last night I had the opportunity to see an advance screening of the new film “Tyson” which opens this Friday. For 90 minutes, I listened to “Iron” Mike explain his behavior during several of his most infamous incidents while viewing colorful images of the former champion’s life in this documentary-style movie directed by James Toback.
In this film, you’ll get answers to questions you may have had about the controversial boxer, but be careful what you wish for! Tyson’s answers will shock you and they will awe you. If you plan to see the film and don’t want any spoilers, do NOT read any further! For those inquiring minds that are still curious about the rise, fall and self-destruction of Mike Tyson, you will not be disappointed with the movie. It is loaded with plenty of awesome fight footage from his superstar career, a reminder of the raw talent and devastating power that a younger, thinner Tyson once wielded.
And just like Tyson, the film is many things and offers many contradictions. Revealing plenty of new insight, the 42-year-old fighter talks about his early battles in and out of the ring: his life-changing relationship with Cus D’Amato, his now-hatred of Don King, and his two failed marriages. Is the movie provocative? Yes. Outrageous? Definitely yes. Sad? Check. Entertaining? Of course! After all, this is a man whose train-wreck of a life has always demanded and held world-wide attention.
The film begins with a bang as referee Mills Lane barks out, “Let’s get it on!” as Tyson sets out to decimate Trevor Berbick. You’ll hear the Muhammad Ali influence in this fight that fueled Tyson’s mission to take down Berbick. Most of his career highlights and “lowlights” are also addressed, like why after losing the bout, he tenderly wiped blood from Lennox Lewis’ cheek and why he bit Evander Holyfield’s ear not once, but TWICE!
In the film’s hour and a half, you also see extreme close-ups of an–at times–emotional Tyson who literally has to choke back tears while he discusses in length his beloved mentor D’Amato and his three years in prison for his rape conviction (which he still vehemently denies!).
And just like the heavyweight’s complex brain, the film is overloaded with the crazy things the compulsive Tyson says or thinks. But this cinematic portrait of a man in turmoil succeeds in its goal by presenting a very personal look into his life. At times, he’s exactly what you’d expect him to be: crass, crude, rude, misogynistic. But at other times, he’s thoughtful, tender, pensive, and brutally honest.
Surprised that he’s managed to stay alive this long, Tyson explains that he was constantly bullied as a fat child which scarred him for life. Throughout the film, he often says he feels scared, alone, isolated, afraid, vulnerable, stating that the only time he felt confident was inside the ropes.
From his early roots in Brooklyn, which he calls a “promiscuous” neighborhood that he grew up in, he says that his own mother was promiscuous and he was never really sure of who was his real father! He tells of his childhood love of pigeons and the heartbreaking incident with them that caused his first fist fight (which he won).
You’ll see a youthful, skinny Mike Tyson enjoy a rare sense of normalcy while having nightly dinners with D’Amato and his family. After a stint at a couple of juvenile detention centers, he met Cus and experienced acceptance for the very first time. His old trainer gave him his first (and maybe only) feeling of belonging while offering discipline, love and education. When Cus dies, Mike is once again left alone and afraid and arguably damaged forever from this loss.
During the movie, we see Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) being interviewed in a stark living room setting and also catch glimpses of the boxer alone on a beach (where he shows off two tattoos from his “rebellion” of our government). With his love of big words and famous lisp, he’s a riot to listen to. Although I would have also liked to have seen Tyson back in a gym setting or out in public to catch people’s current reaction to him. But if you love boxing or were a fan of Tyson, then you will certainly want to see this film. It may not change your opinion of the man, but it does help peel back layers of the tortured soul that is Mike Tyson.
On a personal level, questions are answered like what really happened during the strange Robin Givens interview on Barbara Walters. Mike also talks about fortunes he’s lost, his cheating ways, the pride of his six children and all the women (the countless women!) through the decades. On a professional level, he talks of being the declared the youngest heavyweight champ in history, speaks of the intense physical discomfort (caused by a female!) that he had in the Berbick bout, and remembers his first loss at the hands of Buster Douglas. While once respectful of the sport (as a youth, he religiously studied old films hundreds of times), he now candidly admits that he fought Lennox Lewis just for the money, and reconfirms that his final bout against Kevin McBride was also just for the payday!
Who could be this crazy? Whose behavior could be this outrageous? Only Mike Tyson, former undisputed champion of the world. This new film (rated R) will certainly leave you shaking your head, laughing out loud, and wondering if he’s really telling the truth or just full of B.S.! The movie does not glorify the boxer or romanticize his life in any way. It simply presents the champ himself in his own words.
“Some people want to kill him, some want to put him back in a cell, some want him to try and make amends,” said one of the ticket holders I spoke with at this exclusive Los Angeles screening. “There’s obviously mental illness, and the inability to differentiate between right and wrong,” said another. Indeed the general consensus of the group–some who waited two hours in the blazing sun to be one of the first to see “Tyson”–was a mixed bag of opinions.
Before seeing the film, most in the crowd chose to be forgiving but cautious. The audience was both men and women of ethnic diversity. One blonde, blue-eyed young man in his early twenties told me he collects vintage Tyson footage and is a huge fan. A Caucasian older male told me he knew Tyson from rehab and daily AA meetings in Hollywood. I also witnessed two 30-something African-American males sitting next to me in the theatre nod their heads, saying, “That’s tight,” when the movie ended and the audience applauded.
Under anonymity, the man who knew Tyson from his rehab days in L.A. said, “I met him during his sobriety a few years ago. At first it was kind of scary because of his reputation, his rep carries him when you realize who he is. I thought, ‘Don’t piss off this guy’–there was that hype! But I found him to be honest, decent, forthright and trying to give back to make amends. He’s a smart guy, and he had to deal with cleaning up his mess.”
During these AA meetings, there was also a chance for Tyson to be a mentor, “There were some other young boxers there (court-ordered to attend) and they would really listen to what Tyson would tell them to get them to change their behavior. I would tell them the same things…they wouldn’t listen to me, but they’d always listen to Mike!” The man laughs as he remembers this. He last saw Tyson (who now lives in Vegas) a year ago and said, “He’s still a regular person who’d give you a hug or a friendly handshake.”
One person willing to go on record was Michelle Stevenson, an African-American woman, who said, “I was a fan, not so much a fan of boxing, but a fan of Tyson. I admire him for holding his head up high while he’s trying to be the man he needs to be. He’s taking things one day at a time and he’s trying to take care of his kids.”
Stevenson, CEO of an entertainment company, sums up what the new film “Tyson” also puts across, “Take it or leave it, that’s who he is!”
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
When will I ever see this film in the Philippines? I don’t remember this film ever being shown in my country. I sure want to see it for my own curiousity. I am a fan of Mike at a certain level. He was a great specimen of RAGS TO RICHES AND BACK TO RAGS. How and why?
thank you for all of your nice compliments! i love the sport and i’m glad you all do too. and edgar does a bang-up job with the layouts, i agree 🙂
anyway, i was able to see tyson at a recent dvd event. here’s the link if you’d like to hear about it. thanks again & happy reading!
michele chong
http://myboxingfans.com/2009/08/mike-tyson-hits-hollywood/
I love your site. 🙂 Love design!!! I just came across your blog and wanted to say that I
I would really like to find a way to give my deepest sympathy for the death of his daughter. Without a doubt it is the toughest fight he has on his hands. He needs to hear from those that care. I care about him. Because when he was in the ring he was a great boxer and a great boxing entertainer. Regardless of how he has lived his life outside of the ring. I know that he deeply loved his daughter and was utterly heart broken when she died the way that she did. If you can find a way that I can convey those thoughts and let him know that not only does he have my deepest smpathy but also the remaining members of his family have the same deepest of sympathy. I would deeply appreciate any help you can give. He deserves that much.
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. 🙂 Cheers! Sandra. R.
I have just heard about the passing of your four year old daughter. Even though I do not know you personally I have watched your fights during the time when you were the champion. You were a great fighter and I know this loss is harder on you than any fight that you have lost.
I decided to write to you to give you my deepest condolences. I not only am giving you my condolences but I need you Iron MIke to give my condolences to your family. You will need to stay close to your family and let them help you through this. I hope that I do not insult you by my next sentence. If you have any type of religion then you will need to talk to the pastor at your church and draw close to your god. If you do not have any religion then please allow your closest friends and family help you through this most difficult time.
Love
Gilbert Logsdon.
I would love to see this documentary.
It will certainly be interesting and entertaining and interesting having the controversial, James Tomack, doing the film
James Tomack wrote and directed what I consider that best film on the life and self-destructive nature of a compulsive gambler with a film starting James Caan called Gambler. From what I understand, some of that was taken from Tomack’s own life about Tomack. The film must be 20 to 30 years old
For more really revealing information about Tyson and Cus D’Amato, read the great book from one who was present when as the trainer for the young Tyson, Teddy Atlas in his remarkable autobiography.
Amazon link
Tyson is a time bomb. He will have his moments of sincerity and sensitivity, but we have to remember that he is capable of exploding on the same people that he was kind and understanding with.
That hasn’t changed.
The saddest part of Tyson is when Tyson signed with Don King and the spiral downward really started. Let’s remember the fight Tyson had under Don King, where King hired some incompetent trainers and cornermen who didn’t even have inswell to take care of his cuts and swelling. They used this ice water filled balloon,
It was King who hired the attorney (who was not known as a criminal attorney), to handle Tyson’s rape case. For those who don’t remember, Tyson’s insane defense was that everyone should know that Tyson was a uncontrollable wild animal and should have expected Tyson to act as he did in the hotel room. The young woman raped was stupid not to know Tyson’s history and should have expected it. That was Tyson’s attorney’s defense.
Also King and the tandem of Robin Givens and her Mom, did a real number on Tyson. Givens and Mom helped talk Tyson into signing with Don King.
It is amazing that man who has made more money as any athlete has every made is broke. He can thank Don King and Co. for that.
Last thing, Tyson is certainly not someone to be admired and pitied.
D-Amato shielded him from all sorts of incidents that would have forced Tyson to deal with law enforcement and the daemons that have done so much damage to others and himself. Those daemons are still there and there is no one to bail him out anymore.
Also remember his testimony after the “biting” incident. he really never apologized to the public, but rationalized it. He gave a “sincere” bunch of promises to the Las Vegas boxing board that really were a bunch a lies.
Remember later when he tried to break another fighters arm and other out of control actions ?
He is very complex and can appears as a very insightful, emotional, sensitive man, which I do believe is part of him. However, the other part of him is still there as well.
Jon
I’ll go see this one when it is out! Thanks.
Comments are closed.