| Murderball | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Henry Alex Rubin Dana Adam Shapiro |
| Produced by | Jeffrey V. Mandel Dana Adam Shapiro Jeff Sackman (executive producer) |
| Starring | Keith Cavill Andy Cohn Scott Hogsett Christopher Igoe Mark Zupan Bob Lujano Joe Soares Brent Poppen |
| Cinematography | Henry Alex Rubin |
| Edited by | Conor O'Neill Geoffrey Richman |
| Music by | Jamie Saft |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | THINKFilm |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 88 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $350,000[2] |
| Box office | $1.8 million[2] |
Murderball is a 2005 Americandocumentary film about athletes who are physically disabled[3] who playwheelchair rugby. It centers on the rivalry between the Canadian andAmerican teams leading up to the2004 Paralympic Games. It was directed byHenry Alex Rubin andDana Adam Shapiro and produced by Jeffrey V. Mandel and Shapiro. It was nominated forBest Documentary Feature for the78th Academy Awards.[4]Murderball was the first and onlyMTV film released throughTHINKFilm as well asParticipant Media.
Murderball was shot on a low budget. The main camera used was aPanasonic AG-DVX100; aSony PD150 was used to shoot some of the early interviews. The crew rigged a Sennheiser shotgun microphone to use as a boom and relied heavily on Lavaliere wireless microphones as well. Available lighting was used almost exclusively. Additional light was provided using an inexpensivechina ball. In one example of on-the-spot lighting, a flashlight was diffused using only a napkin.[5]
Murderball garnered almost universally positive reviews. OnRotten Tomatoes, it has an approval rating of 98% based on reviews from 141 critics, and an average rating of 8.37/10.[6] This film also appears on the Rotten Tomatoes countdown of the top sports movies in 14th place as of 2023.[7]Metacritic gives an aggregated score of 87 out of 100, based on 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[8]Murderball also received positive reviews fromHollywood.com[9] andRoger Ebert, who said "This is one of those rare docs, likeHoop Dreams, where life provides a better ending than the filmmakers could have hoped for."[10]
In December 2005, as part of theUnited Nations' International Day of Persons with Disabilities, theUN Department of Economic and Social Affairs screened the film at theDag Hammarskjöld Auditorium in itsNew York City headquarters. The movie was particularly celebrated for examiningsexuality after spinal cord injuries.[11]
In April 2024, it was selected by Britain'sThe Observer newspaper as one of their "20 best sports movies".[12]
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sundance Film Festival Audience Award | Best Documentary Feature | Won | |
| 78th Academy Awards | Best Documentary Feature | Nominated | |
| Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Audience Award | Best Feature | Won | |
| Indianapolis International Film Festival Audience Award | Best Feature Film | Won | |
| Best Non-Fiction Film | Won |
| Music from the Film Murderball | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by | ||||
| Released | June 28, 2005 | |||
| Genre | Film score | |||
| Length | 48:39 | |||
| Label | Commotion CR011 | |||
| Producer | Dana Adam Shapiro, Tracy McKnight, Jeff Mandel,Walter Yetnikoff | |||
| Jamie Saft chronology | ||||
| ||||
Thefilm score was composed and performed byJamie Saft and thesoundtrack album, which featured selections from Saft's score along with previously released tracks byMinistry,Ween,The Polyphonic Spree,Sam Prekop,The Moldy Peaches,The Whiles,Chessie andScratch Massive used in the documentary, was released on the Commotion label in 2005.[13] Additional music composed for the film was released on Saft'sA Bag of Shells (Tzadik, 2010).
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |    [14] |
Allmusic's James Christopher Monger said "Hearing Ministry's Alaine Jourgensen screaming "thieves, thieves & liars, murderers" over the clash of metal on metal during a wheelchair rugby match dutifully amplifies the primal nature of competition, especially when all of the players involved have overcome near-death physical (and psychological) injuries. ... The film's producers have compiled a rousing soundtrack that reflects the sport's brutality while maintaining an undercurrent of regretful stoicism. Keyboard player/composer Jamie Saft providesMurderball's backbone, laying down an original score that boasts atmospherics which are both tender and visceral. Other highlights include the engaging "Something" from the Sea and Cake's Sam Prekop, a trippy instrumental from Ween and the Moldy Peaches "Anyone Else But You."".[14]
All compositions by Jamie Saft except where noted