Bruce Reisman and Kris Black of Four Legged Pictures invited me to watch Black train with the legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. To top it off, I was given the exclusive interview with Leonard to break the news to the world about his involvement in Four Legged Pictures’ film “Five Good Years.” What a great time to be in Hollywood and meet two of the most attractive guys, too.
Growing up, I was undoubtedly Daddy’s little girl. Besides going fishing, my other fond bonding moment with my dad was gathering around ye ole picture tube to watch boxing matches with family and friends. As I read back through Leonard’s amateur and professional career, I could remember seeing nearly every fight- especially in the later half of his career. An 80s gal to the core, Leonard was definitely one of my childhood heroes making this by far one of my most memorable journalistic moments to date.
Call it fate, but I have written about “Five Good Years” in prior posts, but it hasn’t seemed to get the momentum nor commitment that is garnering now. The script tells the story of a coal miner in West Virginia who has to box as a means to support his mother that is dying from a rare cancer called multiple myeloma. When Leonard received the script from “the first lady of boxing, Jackie Kallen (portrayed by Meg Ryan in “Against the Ropes”), he was won over. It was just that this was a boxing story that appealed to him, but it was the fact that he could relate to the mother’s multiple myeloma and her son’s need to turn to boxing. This was because Leonard’s own father has the same diagnosis and the story mirrored his struggle.
It’s been over 20 years since Leonard has acted. In this film, he will play the role of an ex-fighter turned promoter that is also suffering from early Parkinson’s disease. His character turns the tough-mind coal miner (portrayed by the co-writer and producer Black) into a contender.
Leonard has completely committed to this film project and even offered to train Black for his lead role of Alex Winston. Unofficially, I heard there’s also some interest from an A-list Latin celebrity and hope to break that news to you as well.
The following is my exclusive interview with Sugar Ray Leonard filmed outside of Fortune Gym in Hollywood.
Interview with Sugar Ray Leonard
Additional information about “Five Good Years” and Four Legged Pictures
The $4.5 million movie will be independently financed and is to be directed by Reisman. Reisman, who has been a writer-director-producer for close to forty years, joined Black to create FourTwoFive Films three years ago, with “The House That Jack Built” now in release, and the soon-to-be seen, “Blood Effects” which Black wrote and Reisman produced, completing their slate of low-budget horror movies.
Black formed Four Legged Pictures on his own, moving away from the “horror” genre. The current plans with Four Legged Pictures are to produce higher profile movies and not strictly horror. “Danny Boy” will follow production of “Five Good Years.” Co-written by Black and Reisman, “Danny Boy” is a cross between “Dead Man Walking” and “Kiss of the Spider Woman.” 2 complete opposites end up sharing the same cell in a high-security prison; one a hardened criminal and the other an episcopal priest, convicted of a “mercy killing.”
Behind the camera for “Five Good Years,” is cinematographer Bryan Greenberg, whose latest film, the independent “The Perfect Game,” received rave notices, especially for Greenberg’s beautiful photography.
Joining Greenberg behind-the-scenes is “legendary” editor Scott Conrad, who won an Oscar for editing the Best Picture winner, “Rocky.” The perfect editor for this story, Conrad was also drawn to the script, and of course, his experience in “cutting” the most famous boxing-theme movie of all time, made him the perfect choice for “Five Good Years.”
Other cast members, at this time, include Taryn Manning- known best for her work in “Hustle and Flow” and “8 Mile” with Eminem, and Justin Shilton who was in “Little Miss Sunshine.”
With casting of the other leading roles in process, plans are for the film to begin production before the end of this year in Detroit, Michigan, which will double for the South and various U.S. cities for the elaborate boxing sequences.
To be distributed by Synergetic, plans are to have the film ready for the Cannes Film Festival next year, with a general theatrical release planned for Fall 2011 to qualify for the Academy Awards.