The brutal and uncompromising Champion earned Kirk Douglas his first ever Oscar nomination and was a huge success for director Mark Robson (Von Ryan’s Express, Valley of the Dolls).

 

Michael “Midge” Kelly (Douglas) is a boxer whose fight to the top is unhampered by ethics or gratitude. A hero to his fans, his friends know him to be a selfish egomaniac  who allows nothing to stand in his way. After winning a fight he was supposed to throw, Mike’s life is threatened by the mob, and he is only saved through the intervention of a woman who becomes yet another pawn in his climb up the ladder. Ultimately he is forced to re-enter the ring and confront his biggest opponent… himself.

 

Fully restored and featuring gorgeous black and white cinematography by Franz Planer (Breakfast at Tiffany’s), the Master of Cinema Series is proud to present Champion on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

 

SPECIAL FEATURES

1080p presentation on Blu-ray

Optional English SDH Subtitles

Brand new audio commentary by professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney

Stills Gallery

A collector’s booklet featuring new writing on the film by critic Richard Combs; and a piece on boxing in cinema by author / screenwriter S. B. Cave