Murderball (film)

Murderball is a 2005 American documentary film about athletes who are physically disabled[2] who play wheelchair rugby. It centers on the rivalry between the Canadian and U.S. teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games. It was directed by Henry Alex Rubin and Dana Adam Shapiro, and produced by Jeffrey V. Mandel and Shapiro. It was nominated for Best Documentary Feature for the 78th Academy Awards.[3] Murderball was the first and only MTV film released through THINKFilm as well as Participant Media.

Murderball
Theatrical release poster
Directed byHenry Alex Rubin
Dana Adam Shapiro
Produced byJeffrey V. Mandel
Dana Adam Shapiro
StarringKeith Cavill
Andy Cohn
Scott Hogsett
Christopher Igoe
Mark Zupan
Bob Lujano
Joe Soares
Brent Poppen
Music byJamie Saft
CinematographyHenry Alex Rubin
Edited byConor O'Neill
Geoffrey Richman
Production
company
Distributed byTHINKFilm
Release date
  • July 8, 2005 (2005-07-08) (Limited)
  • July 22, 2005 (2005-07-22)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$350,000[1]
Box office$1,750,211[1]

UN screening

The film was screened at the United Nations uncut. One of its stars, Mark Zupan, winced when describing how embarrassed he was to have his mother hear his remarks on the sex lives of persons with quadriplegia.

Production

Murderball was shot on a low budget. The main camera used was a Panasonic AG-DVX100; a Sony PD150 was used to shoot some of the early interviews. The crew rigged a Sennheiser shotgun microphone to use as a boom, and relied heavily on Lavaliere wireless microphones as well. Available lighting was used almost exclusively. Additional light was provided using an inexpensive china ball. In one example of on-the-spot lighting, a flashlight was diffused using only a napkin.[4]

Reception

Murderball garnered almost universally positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes it has an approval rating of 98% based on reviews from 140 critics, and an average rating of 8.37/10.[5] This film is also #1 on the Rotten Tomatoes countdown of the top sports movies.[6] Metacritic gives an aggregated score of 87 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[7] Murderball also received positive reviews from Hollywood.com[8] and Roger Ebert, who said "This is one of those rare docs, like Hoop Dreams, where life provides a better ending than the filmmakers could have hoped for."[9]

Awards

Award Category Recipient Result
Sundance Film Festival Audience Award Best Documentary Feature Won
78th Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature Nominated
Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Audience Award Best Feature Won
Indianapolis International Film Festival Audience Award Best Feature Film Won
Best Non-Fiction Film Won

Musical score and soundtrack

Music from the Film Murderball
Soundtrack album by
ReleasedJune 28, 2005
GenreFilm score
Length48:39
LabelCommotion
CR011
ProducerDana Adam Shapiro, Tracy McKnight, Jeff Mandel, Walter Yetnikoff
Jamie Saft chronology
Astaroth: Book of Angels Volume 1
(2005)
Music from the Film Murderball
(2005)
Trouble: The Jamie Saft Trio Plays Bob Dylan
(2006)

The film score was composed and performed by Jamie Saft and the soundtrack album, which featuring selections from Saft's score along with previously released tracks by Ministry, Ween, The Polyphonic Spree, Sam Prekop, The Moldy Peaches, The Whiles, Chessie and Scratch Massive used in the documentary, was released on the Commotion label in 2005.[10] Additional music composed for the film was released on Saft's A Bag of Shells (Tzadik, 2010).

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[11]

Allmusic's James Christopher Monger said "Hearing Ministry's Alaine Jourgensen screaming "thieves, thieves & liars, murderers" over the clash of metal on metal during a wheelchair rugby match dutifully amplifies the primal nature of competition, especially when all of the players involved have overcome near-death physical (and psychological) injuries. ... The film's producers have compiled a rousing soundtrack that reflects the sport's brutality while maintaining an undercurrent of regretful stoicism. Keyboard player/composer Jamie Saft provides Murderball 's backbone, laying down an original score that boasts atmospherics which are both tender and visceral. Other highlights include the engaging "Something" from the Sea and Cake's Sam Prekop, a trippy instrumental from Ween and the Moldy Peaches "Anyone Else But You."".[11]

Track listing

All compositions by Jamie Saft except where noted

  1. Ministry: "Thieves" (Paul Barker, Al Jourgensen) – 4:59
  2. Jamie Saft: "Murderball Remix" – 4:44
  3. Ween: "The F**ked Jam" (Aaron Freeman, Michael Melchiondo) – 2:55
  4. The Polyphonic Spree: "Light & Day" (Tim DeLaughter) – 3:24
  5. Sam Prekop: "Something" (Sam Prekop) – 3:47
  6. Jamie Saft: "Robert's Theme" – 2:27
  7. "The Moldy Peaches: "Anyone Else but You" (Kimya Dawson) – 2:57
  8. "The Whiles: "Song for Jerry" (The Whiles) – 1:31
  9. Chessie: "Follow Me Home" (Chessie) – 6:51
  10. Jamie Saft: "Penultimatum" – 3:21
  11. Scratch Massive: "Keep on Workin'" (Sebastien Chenut, Maud Geffray) – 5:12
  12. Jamie Saft: "Dungeonous Warfare" – 1:27
  13. Ministry: "Waiting" (Jourgensen, Mike Scaccia, Max Brody) – 5:04

References

  1. "Murderball (2005) - Financial Information". The Numbers.
  2. "A layperson's guide to wheelchair rugby classification" (PDF). International Wheelchair Rugby Federation. Retrieved 2013-01-30.
  3. "NY Times: Murderball". NY Times. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  4. "Murderball + Monster Man". Double Feature. June 4, 2009
  5. Murderball at Rotten Tomatoes
  6. Rotten Tomatoes Top Sports Movies 18 November 2010
  7. "Murderball: Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  8. Murderball (2005) Hollywood.com
  9. Ebert, Roger (July 21, 2005). "Murderball". rogerebert.com.
  10. Soundtrack Collector: album entry accessed February 22, 2018
  11. Monger, James Christopher. Murderball – Review at AllMusic. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
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