Renzo Gracie: Legacy | |
---|---|
Directed by | Gethin Aldous |
Written by | Gethin Aldous Steve Allen Adrian Miller |
Produced by | Gethin Aldous |
Starring | Renzo Gracie Robson Gracie Ryan Gracie Ralph Gracie Daniel Gracie B.J. Penn Pat Miletich Oleg Taktarov Andre Gusmão Kyra Gracie |
Cinematography | Gethin Aldous |
Edited by | Gethin Aldous |
Music by | Adrian Miller |
Release date |
|
Running time | 78 minutes |
Country | United States |
Languages | English Portuguese |
Renzo Gracie: Legacy is a 2008 documentary film about Renzo Gracie, a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner, directed by Gethin Aldous and written by Aldous, Steve Allen and Adrian Miller. [1] [2] [3] Shot over a ten-year period, it shows the origins of the sport of mixed martial arts from its bare knuckle days to the explosion of the sport in Japan and America. [1] [2] [3]
Renzo Gracie is from the third generation of Brazilian jiu-jitsu's Gracie family. [3] In 1993, his uncle Rorion Gracie joined forces with Art Davie and Bob Meyrowitz to create a martial arts promotion to endorse his family's fighting style - the Ultimate Fighting Championship. [3] The sport is now considered one of the fastest growing in the world. [4]
The film was shot, edited, produced, and directed by Gethin Aldous. [3] He followed Gracie over a 7-year period and another student of Gracie's, Alex Shum, followed him for 4 years before that. [3] The film was self-distributed.
It premiered October 25, 2008 at the United States Sports Film Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania., [1] [2] [3] [5] and was released on DVD on November 14, 2008, through its own website and Amazon.com. [2]
Paul Larkin of MMAjunkie wrote, "Gethin Aldous did a fantastic job with Legacy. He does not bore you to death with narration or beat you over the head with information.", and of the film, "...will no doubt be considered a masterpiece in the world of documentaries". [1] Elias Cepeda of Inside Fighting wrote, "Gethin Aldous’ new documentary film Renzo Gracie: Legacy should be considered an instant classic simply on the basis of its scope and breadth", and the film "...accomplishes the rare feat of being able to both satisfy the most ardent and informed sports fan’s desire for fresh, new perspective and knowledge and serve as an understandable primer for the uninitiated." [2]
(as themselves)
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a self-defence martial art and combat sport based on grappling, ground fighting, and submission holds. BJJ focuses on taking ones opponent down to the ground, gaining a dominant position, and using a number of techniques to force them into submission via joint locks or chokeholds.
Vale Tudo or vale-tudo, also known as No Holds Barred (NHB) in the United States, is an unarmed, full-contact combat sport with relatively few rules. It became popular in Brazil during the 20th century and would eventually evolve into modern Mixed martial arts (MMA). For years "Vale Tudo" was used as a synonym for MMA in Brazil, but the term fell into disuse due to the emergence of stricter rules and the influence of the media to have a more "civilized" name. It is now used to refer to an early, more rules-free stage of the modern sport.
Royce Gracie is a Brazilian retired professional mixed martial artist. Gracie gained fame for his success in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He is a member of the Gracie jiu-jitsu family, a UFC Hall of Famer, and is considered to be one of the most influential figures in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA). He also competed in PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1's MMA events, and Bellator.
Renzo Gracie is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and 7th degree coral belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner and coach. A 3rd generation member of the Gracie Family of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he is the grandson of Gracie jiu-jitsu founder Carlos Gracie, grandnephew of Helio Gracie, nephew of Carlos Gracie Jr. and the son of 9th degree red belt Robson Gracie.
Ryan Gracie was a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He was a member of the Gracie family and a grandson of Carlos Gracie.
Carlson Gracie was a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu. A member of the Gracie family, he was the eldest son of Carlos Gracie, and nephew to Hélio Gracie, founders of Gracie jiu-jitsu.
Matt Serra is an American former professional mixed martial artist and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner who competed for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the co-star of Dana White: Lookin' for a Fight and co-host of the official podcast of the UFC, UFC Unfiltered, alongside Jim Norton. Serra defeated Pete Spratt, Shonie Carter and Chris Lytle en route to becoming The Ultimate Fighter 4 Welterweight Tournament Winner. He captured the UFC Welterweight Championship immediately after. Serra also served as the head coach for The Ultimate Fighter 6 reality show opposite Matt Hughes, and he is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame. In grappling, Serra holds a Silver Medal in the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship.
The Gracie family is a family of martial artists originally from Belém, state of Pará, Brazil whose ancestors came from Paisley, Scotland. They are known for promoting the self-defense martial arts system of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, commonly known as Brazilian jiu-jitsu, originating from Kano jiu-jitsu (Judo) brought to Brazil by judoka prizefighter Mitsuyo Maeda.
Kyra Gracie Guimarães is a Brazilian submission grappler and a 4th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioner. A member of the Gracie family and a highly decorated competitor, she is a four-time World Jiu-Jitsu champion and a three-time ADCC Submission Fighting World champion.
Wagnney Silva Fabiano-Santos is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He is best known for fighting in the WEC, as well as for the Toronto Dragons of the International Fight League and is the former IFL Featherweight Champion.
Robert Lewis Drysdale is a Brazilian-American Brazilian jiu-jitsu 4th degree black belt under Léo Vieira, a retired mixed martial artist and an instructor at his own BJJ academy, "Drysdale Jiu-Jitsu". Having won multiple World Championships, he was referred to by Vice magazine as "America's jiu-jitsu superhero", regarded by BJJ Heroes as "the most accomplished American grappler of his generation" and as the best Submission Wrestler in the World by Gracie Magazine.
Daniel Simões, known professionally as Daniel Gracie, is a Brazilian former mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He is cousin to Renzo Gracie, Ralph Gracie, Charles Gracie and Ryan Gracie.
Phillipe J. Nover, is a retired American mixed martial artist. He is best known for making it to the finals of The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir. He is a former Ring of Combat lightweight champion.
Rolles Gracie is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, and professional wrestler. As the son of Rolls Gracie, he is a third generation martial arts member of the Gracie family, and a 5th degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Luis Javier Vazquez is a retired Cuban-American mixed martial artist. A professional from 1998 until 2011, he competed for the UFC, WEC, Shooto, ShoXC, EliteXC, and King of the Cage. He is the former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion.
Neiman Gracie Stambowsky is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner. A two-time Pan-American champion in coloured belts, Gracie medalled at the 2013 black belt World No-Gi Championship before transitioning to MMA competing in the Welterweight division of Bellator MMA. Gracie has also previously fought for the World Series of Fighting.
Bobby Razak is an English film director and producer, best known for his work in the genres of mixed martial arts and extreme sports. Razak is also the founder of Tapout Films.
Luta Livre, known in Brazil as Luta Livre Brasileira or Luta Livre Submission, and also Brazilian Submission Wrestling, is a Brazilian martial arts and combat sport created by Euclydes Hatem in Rio de Janeiro. Primarily a mixture of catch wrestling and kosen judo, there is also ground striking with the hands, feet, knees and elbows. Notable practitioners include Marco Ruas, Ebenezer Fontes Braga, Johil de Oliveira, Alexandre Franca Nogueira, Renato Sobral, Gesias Cavalcante, Pedro Rizzo, Darren Till and José Aldo.
Eugenio Tadeu is a Brazilian grappler, Vale Tudo and mixed martial arts fighter. Tadeu was born in 1965. He was famous as a practitioner of Luta Livre, or Brazilian Submission wrestling and was one of the last representatives of this art form.