Monday, April 30, 2012

Two Sluggers at The Office


Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis Newsreels and in Training
They Were Champions (Excerpt) 1954
16mm Sound

The Film
They Were Champions, produced in 1954, follows the linear heavyweight champions from Sullivan to Marciano.   There’s little film of the actual title fights, but plenty of newsreel and rare training footage.  I’ve chosen these two segments, as Dempsey (in training for Willard) and Louis were the most ferocious punchers up to that point.  The power of these two champions is still something to behold.

The Restoration
The 16mm film I acquired is in fair to good shape.  Some of the Dempsey action ran too fast to follow the action, so I slowed that footage to a more natural speed.  A portion of this is silent.  The Louis segment runs with sound, just as it appears in the documentary.