ESPN 30 for 30: "One Night in Vegas"

Mitchell Kane · Sep 6, 2010

Television Schedule:

Premieres Tuesday Sep 7 8PM ESPN

Tuesday Sep 7 11pm ESPN 2

Thursday Sep 9 10pm ESPN Classic

Thursday Sep 30 9pm ESPN 2

Sunday Oct 24 10pm ESPN

Sunday Nov 28 3:30pm ESPN Classic

http://30for30.espn.com/film/one-night-in-vegas.html

<object width="384" height="216" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" id="ESPN_VIDEO" data="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" allowScriptAccess="always" allowNetworking="all"><param name="movie" value="http://espn.go.com/videohub/player/embed.swf" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="wmode" value="opaque"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"/><param name="flashVars" value="id=5536473"/></object>

On the evening of Sept. 7, 1996, Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, attempted to take Bruce Seldon’s WBA title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At this point in his career, Tyson’s fights had become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, where the ever present hype of the professional boxing scene would come face to face with the worlds of big business, Hollywood, and hip hop. Sitting ringside was controversial rapper Tupac Shakur. Shakur and Tyson were friends, a feeling of kinship linked them as each rose to stardom from poverty only to be thrown in prison. Following Tyson’s victory, Shakur and “Iron Mike” were to celebrate at an after party, but the rap star never arrived. Shakur was brutally gunned down later that night, and the scene in Las Vegas quickly turned from would-be celebratory revelry to ill fated and inopportune tragedy. Director Reggie Bythewood, with the full cooperation of Mike Tyson, will tell not only the story of that infamous night but of the remarkable friendship between Tyson and Tupac.

Personal Statement
September 7, 1996. Mike Tyson enters the arena of the MGM Grand. A Tupac song is booming. Amidst celebrities, sport fanatics and high-priced hookers, danger chokes the air. You can feel it.

"Oh no, Tupac with Team Tyson. Seldon was seldom scene. Iron Mike, cut his head like a guillotine..."

Mike was the epitome of hip hop—hard core through and through. Tupac, one of hip hop’s greatest rappers, threw jabs with his tongue. Both of these cats grew up poverty-stricken. Like an endangered species, they fought to survive and in so doing, became icons.

Tyson hated to lose. At this time, Buster Douglas had handed him the only loss of his career. He preferred to leave that nightmare in the past. When thoughts of failure entered his mind he used it as motivation. He was going to be on his game tonight.   

The bout was billed as Champion versus Champion. Seldon was holder of the WBA title. Tyson held the WBC title.

"Life is hard - - filled with stress. Throwing blows in this square so we can see who's best..."

This was a Mike Tyson fight. This man was far from perfect. Everyone knew that. However, boxing needed him. Everyone knew that too. Tyson entered the ring with a record of 44–1. Yet on this one night in Vegas, there were more punches thrown by Tupac in the lobby than there were in the arena. And in the end,there was more bloodshed outside of the ring than there was inside.

This is part documentary, part graphic novel. People thought of both men as superheroes. Maybe that's not so crazy. When I was a kid, Ali seemed stronger than Superman. And Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five were cooler than the X-Men. However, as heroic as Mike and Pac once seemed, we came to understand that they were mortal.

I am extremely excited that ESPN will allow me to hold a mirror up to the boxing world, a mirror up to hip hop, and ultimately, a mirror up to society.

Reggie Rock Bythewood Bio
Reggie Rock Bythewood grew up in what is often referred to as the birthplace of hip hop - - the Bronx. He graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a BFA in theater. He founded a theater company called, The Tribe and for several years he wrote and produced plays in the New York area.   

Bythewood moved to Los Angeles as one of the first members of Walt Disney’s prestigious Writer’s Fellowship Program. From there, he was hired to write on the hit NBC comedy series, “A Different World.” He went on to write for Dick Wolf’s cop show, “NY Undercover,” where he was the show’s supervising producer.

His debut as a screenwriter came with Spike Lee’s critically acclaimed drama, “Get On The Bus.” He also wrote and directed, “Dancing In September,” “Biker Boyz” and the Laila Ali documentary, “Daddy’s Girl: Daughter of The Greatest.” Bythewood also co-wrote the screenplay for the Fox Searchlight film, "Notorious" about rapper, Biggie Smalls.  

Bythewood resides in Los Angeles with his wife, director Gina Prince-Bythewood and their two children Cassius and Toussaint.
Click to expand...

Mitchell Kane · Sep 6, 2010

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/s...c-song-in-One-Night-in-Vegas-Sept-7th-on-ESPN

Unreleased Tupac song in One Night in Vegas, Sept. 7th on ESPN
By April MacIntyre Sep 3, 2010, 7:25 GMT

ESPN’s 30 for 30 film series debuts "One Night In Vegas" next week, a documentary about September 7, 1996, the fateful night when rapper Tupac watched Mike Tyson fight at MGM and was later murdered.

There is an unreleased Tupac song featured in the film.

From ESPN

On the evening of Sept. 7, 1996, Mike Tyson, the WBC heavyweight champion, attempted to take Bruce Seldon’s WBA title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. At this point in his career, Tyson’s fights had become somewhat of a cultural phenomenon, where the ever present hype of the professional boxing scene would come face to face with the worlds of big business, Hollywood, and hip hop.

Sitting ringside was controversial rapper Tupac Shakur. Shakur and Tyson were friends; a feeling of kinship linked them as each rose to stardom from poverty only to be thrown in prison. Following Tyson’s victory, Shakur and “Iron Mike” were to celebrate at an after party, but the rap star never arrived. Shakur was brutally gunned down later that night, and the scene in Las Vegas quickly turned from would-be celebratory revelry to ill fated and inopportune tragedy.

Director Reggie Bythewood, with the full cooperation of Mike Tyson, will tell not only the story of that infamous night but of the remarkable friendship between Tyson and Tupac.
Click to expand...

Irish · Sep 6, 2010

Wow this looks Brilliant.

steve_dave · Sep 6, 2010

Nice, can't wait.

cdogg187 · Sep 7, 2010

jesus, how many unreleased Tupac songs are there?? thats it, he's not dead!

Hanz · Sep 7, 2010

How much of a cut was Tupac getting out of Tyson's purse? I know Rory Holloway was getting 10% for being Tyson's "friend" and John Horne likewise was getting 10% for being Tyson's "advisor".

Dog Jones · Sep 8, 2010

On right now

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

The graphic novel approach to this documentary is annoying and kind of juvenile.

It's a shame that Bythewood couldn't just get out of the way of the story the way Brett Morgen did on the "June 17, 1994" documentary (that recapped the day in sports on the day of the O.J. chase, telling that story by interspersing video clips of everything that went on)...that was a great documentary.

Neil · Sep 8, 2010

pretty boring stuff

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

Reading Tupac lyrics ("I wonder why we take from women, why we rape our women") was an interesting choice. ::

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

Neil said: ↑

pretty boring stuff
Click to expand...

Underwhelming. Especially considering the subject matter.

Dog Jones · Sep 8, 2010

Yeah that June 17, 1994 was the best 30 for 30 I've seen, this episode pales in comparison

Ron King 702 · Sep 8, 2010

I dont think anyone can make o worse documentary with that subject matter. If you want to learn how to make a documentary, watch "Cocaine Cowboys".

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

They showed highlights of Bruno-Tyson II, why didn't they show the ringwalk for that fight?

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c0DIxLf2K_c?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c0DIxLf2K_c?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

Dog Jones said: ↑

Yeah that June 17, 1994 was the best 30 for 30 I've seen, this episode pales in comparison
Click to expand...

Yeah, IMO, one of the worst things you can do with a subject matter as indelible as Tyson's comeback up to and including the Seldon fight and the rise and death of Tupac is to talk to much over it.

The subject matter speaks for itself, you just have to let it do that, by making the effort to find as many news reports and original footage and all that as you can.

A montage of video clips and news reports, from Tyson's release and early comeback, with some brief footage of his McNeeley and Mathis Jr. fights, and then more of a focus on the Bruno rematch, that includes the ring entrance, with most of the focus (of the Tyson part of the documentary) on the week of the Seldon fight (the build up, that includes the press conference, weigh-in, news reports, with maybe some new interviews...like the one with Richard Steele, who detailed the dichotomy in the two dressing romos) would've been more than sufficient to retell the boxing side of the story.

You barely need to speak or have anyone else do so.

Erratic · Sep 8, 2010

The comic book and two poets are corny.

Disappointing episode.

The best 30 for 30 episodes I've seen have been The U (Miami football), The Two Escobars (Andres & Pablo Escobar) and Winning Time (Pacers vs. Knicks rivalry).

Mitchell Kane · Sep 8, 2010

Peter McNeeley's brother would've probably made a better documentary.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1173492/4/index.htm

My brother was working with Showtime. And the head producer of Showtime boxing was David Dinkins Jr., the former mayor of New York City's son. So [my brother] grabbed him after the fight and asked for a special tape of all the close-up angles, all of the raw footage with no commentary. And that's what I've still got today on DVD. When someone wants to see it, that's what I show them.
Click to expand...

Antwuan Maxx · Sep 9, 2010

Hanz said: ↑

How much of a cut was Tupac getting out of Tyson's purse? I know Rory Holloway was getting 10% for being Tyson's "friend" and John Horne likewise was getting 10% for being Tyson's "advisor".
Click to expand...

Log in or Sign up

ESPN 30 for 30: "One Night in Vegas"

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Irish Yuge, Beautiful

steve_dave Hard As Fuck

cdogg187 GLADYS

Hanz Roberto Duran

Dog Jones WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Neil tueur de grenouilles

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Dog Jones WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Ron King 702 Undisputed Champion

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Antwuan Maxx WBC Champion

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

ESPN 30 for 30: "One Night in Vegas"

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Irish Yuge, Beautiful

steve_dave Hard As Fuck

cdogg187 GLADYS

Hanz Roberto Duran

Dog Jones WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Neil tueur de grenouilles

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Dog Jones WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Ron King 702 Undisputed Champion

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Erratic "Twinkle Toes" McJack

Mitchell Kane WBC Silver Diamond Emeritus Champ

Antwuan Maxx WBC Champion

Share This Page

Useful Searches