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The best film ever made about professional boxing. — HARRY MULLAN
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FIGHTERS A Team Pictures Production. Directed by Ron Peck. Produced by Mark Ayres. With Mark Kaylor, Mark Tibbs, Dean Hollington, Roy and Jason Rowland, Bradley Stone, Jim and Joey Peters, Terry Dixon, Jimmy Flint and Jimmy Tibbs.
FIGHTERS Director Ron Peck Producer Mark Ayres Lighting Camera Carl Ross Music Adrian Carbutt Editor Ron Peck Art Direction Guy Rose C4 Commisioning Editor Alan Fountain 100 mins 1991
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A long prowling film, a mental sparring with the intractable mystery of why people love to do it and watch it. — OBSERVER
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Completed and first shown in 1991, Fighters follows the boxers being trained by Jimmy Tibbs as they take their first steps up the ladder in the hardest game of all. It also follows former British & Commonwealth Champion Mark Kaylor on the comeback trail and includes Jimmy Flint, retired boxer turned actor. The film aimed to get under the skin of the fighter and to see the sport through his eyes but also to see boxing through the eyes of the fan. On its first release the film was well received and broadcast three times by C4 Television, which commissioned it and allowed us, thanks to Alan Fountain, enormous freedom in the making of it. Over the years the film’s reputation has put it high up on several ‘Top Boxing Films’ lists and 25 years after its first screening seemed a good time to make it available again and consider making a new film about boxing today. In a joint venture, RLP Projects & Team Media Production are issuing new DVD editions of both Fighters and Real Money, complete with extras. Real Money was a follow-up to Fighters, but this time a drama, starring most of the people at the centre of Fighters. This was also shown on C4. Simultaneously a new website has been created where the films can be seen on a pay-per-view basis. The site also shows, on a free access basis, video shot for Fighters but not used in the final film, including complete interviews with those who originally took part and much else besides. More video will be added regularly. It’s an extensive record of a very big-hearted community. Please visit: www.RonPeck.com/Fighters