Overview: Follow Muhammad Ali's rise from Columbia Gym in Louisville, Kentucky to international fame, as he transcended his great athletic achievements to become one of the most influential Americans of his time. His once-polarizing figure ultimately became a beloved and honored national hero.

DVD Verdict: PBS has been running a series titled “In Their Own Words” and this November they have released one entitled 'Muhammad Ali'. The subject of this 56-minute “biographical portrait” is Heavyweight boxing champ Muhammed Ali. Produced and directed by the same company and using rare archival film footage with “sound bites,” as well posting the text of quotes attributed to these persons (hence the series title), "In Their Own Words" is a highly interesting new documentary series.

Though Ali is still alive (at age 73) the story ends at the point where he carried the Olympic torch in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1987. There is mention of the Parkinson’s disease which ended his boxing career but not much time is spent on it. Most of the time is spent on his boxing career and his Supreme Court case when he refused to be drafted. The latter scenario is handled evenhandedly.

The interviewees include: Bryant Gumbel; 1960s pioneer recording star Lloyd Price (“Stagger Lee”, etc) who grew up with Ali in Louisville and was at most of his fights (in his corner); Rappers LL Cool J and Common – who point out that Clay/Ali’s poems calling the round he would knock out his opponent made him the first rapper in the hip-hop culture; Former boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard; Various sports commentators, Thomas Hauser, Ali’s biographer, and two of Ali’s former wives and one of his daughters are interviewed too!

There are no bonus or special features on the DVD, but it does have the option for English subtitles; but is not close captioned. This is a Widescreen Presentation (1.85:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.