It may have taken two film festivals and the promise of a third, but writer-director James Toback (Bugsy) has finally sold his documentary about former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson. The buyer: recently aggressive Sony Pictures Classics, which is also in negotiations to put Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna back on the big screen in their film Rudo y Cursi. (Both Tyson and Rudo y Cursi will screen next week at the Sundance Film Festival.) Also, SPC has brought NBA player Carmelo Anthony, who founded his own film production company, on board as exec producer.
SPC’s purchase now means that you may finally get a glimpse of Toback’s portrait of Tyson, a film that focuses on a more humbled man coming to grips with the tragic mistakes that led to the downfall of his career.
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I was shocked at the lies and fabrications Mike told in this movie. 1. He said he was always an addict – 2. He was always an alcoholic – 3. He always had demons – 4. Managers Jacobs and Cayton were “slave masters” and signed him when he was underage. – It is obvious that Mike’s new manager, Harlan Werner, is just as devious as Robin Givens, Don King and Shelly Finkel. The public has forgotten that, in 1987, Mike was hired to do network TV commercials for Pepsi Cola, Ninetndo Video and Kodak Film. Not enough – he was hired by the New York City Police Department, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration to do PSA’s. The Police and FBI do not usually hire addicts or those who have demons. My entire correspondence with Werner, the film’s producers, as well as documents and photos proving Mike’s huge hero status with Cayton and Jacobs may be found at this website:
http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/news/archives/00004333.htm
Steve Lott, Tyson Assistant Manager
1985-1988