On this day in movie and book history - The Hurricane (1999)

The Hurricane

directed by Norman Jewison,

written by Armyan Bernstein and Dan Gordon,

was released in the United States on December 14, 1999.

Based on the books:

The Sixteenth Round by Rubin “Hurricane” Carter

and

Lazarus and the Hurricane by Sam Chaiton and Terry Swinton.

Music by Jeremy Sweet and Christopher Young.

Cast:

Denzel Washington, Vicellous Shannon, Deborah Kara Unger, Liev Schreiber, John Hannah, Dan Hedaya, Debbi Morgan, Clancy Brown, David Paymer, Harris Yulin, Rod Steiger, Badja Djola, Al Waxman, David Lansbury, Garland Whitt, Chuck Cooper, Brenda Denmark, Marcia Bennett, Beatrice Winde, Mitchell Taylor Jr., Bill Raymond, Merwin Goldsmith, John A. MacKay, Donnique Privott, Moynan King, Gary DeWitt Marshall, John Christopher Jones, Gwendolyn McCann, Richard M. Davidson, George T. Odom, Tonye Patano, Fulvio Cecere, Phillip Jarrett, Rodney ‘Bear’ Jackson, Judi Embden, Terry Claybon, Ben Hernandez Bray, Mike Justus, Kenneth McGregor, Frank Proctor, Peter Wylie, David Wm Gray, Joe Matheson, Bill Lake, Robin Ward, Harry Davis, Pippa Pearthree, Jean Daigle, Rob Evans, Scott Gibson, Ann Holloway, Bruce McFee, Conrad Bergschneider, Satori Shakoor, Zoran Radusinovic, Stephen Lee Wright, Michael Bodnar, Carson Manning, Debrah Ellen Waller, Richard Litt, Adam Large, Peter Graham, George Masswohl, Lawrence Sacco, David Frisch, Ralph Brown, Dyron Holmes, Ryan Williams, Bruce Vavrina, Brenda Braxton, Christopher Riordan, Guy Ale, Muhammad Ali, Ellen Burstyn, Kevin Carrigan, Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, Bob Dylan, Joe Frazier, Vinson German, Matt Graver, Michael Harkins, David Headon, Robert Mauzell, Alex Oliveira, Craig Snoyer, David Sparrow, Michael Stevens.

Recommended reading - The Sixteenth Round & Lazarus and the Hurricane

Both books filmed as The Hurricane (1999), directed by Norman Jewison.

The Sixteenth Round

From Number 1 Contender to Number 45472

by Rubin “Hurricane” Carter. 

First published 1974.

Published by Chicago Review Press.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 1569765677

ISBN-13: 978-1569765678

Description:

A document of life lived in the center of hell. – Sports Illustrated.

When they come to list the greatest boxers, Hurrican's name isn't likely to pop up in the Top 10. But when they come to list the greatest figures of the 20th century, he'll be alone at the peak. – Boston Globe.

A shocking, savage and brilliant indictment of racial injustice and the inhumanity of the prison. – Globe and Mail.

Carter's scorching and poetic autobiography. – Toronto Sun.

Rubin "Hurricane" Carter was riding a wave of success. The survivor of a difficult youth, he rose to become a top contender for the middleweight boxing crown. But his career crashed to a halt on May 26, 1967, when he and another man were found guilty of the murder of three white people and sentenced to three consecutive life terms. Written from prison and first published in 1974, The Sixteenth Round chronicles Hurricane's journey from the ring to solitary confinement. The book was his cry for help to the public, an attempt to set the record straight and force a new trial. Bob Dylan wrote his classic anthem "Hurricane" about his struggle, and Muhammad Ali and thousands of others took up his cause. The power of Carter's voice, as well as his ironic humor, makes this an eloquent, soul-stirring account of a remarkable life.

Lazarus and the Hurricane

The Freeing of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter

by Sam Chaiton and Terry Swinton.

First published 1991.

Published by St. Martin's Griffin.

Paperback.

ISBN-10: 0312253974

ISBN-13: 978-0312253974

Description:

A moving chronicle of the seven-year-battle to free boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter from wrongful imprisonment reveals the role of a group of Canadians in winning Carter's release.

On this day in movie history - RKO 281 (1999)

RKO 281

directed by Benjamin Ross,

written by John Logan,

based on the documentary The Battle Over Citizen Kane by Richard Ben Cramer and Thomas Lennon,

was released in the United States on November 20, 1999.

Music by John Altman.

Cast:

Liev Schreiber, James Cromwell, Melanie Griffith, John Malkovich, Brenda Blethyn, Roy Scheider, Liam Cunningham, David Suchet, Fiona Shaw, Anastasia Hille, Roger Allam, Simeon Andrews, William Armstrong, Jay Benedict, Ron Berglas, Paul Birchard, Neil Conrich, Michael Cronin, Sarah Franzl, Briony Glassco, Louis Hammond, Aaron Keeling, Joseph Long, Gareth Marks, Olivier Pierre, Roger Rose, Rolf Saxon, Adrian Schiller, Kerry Shale, Cyril Shaps, Tusse Silberg, Toby Whithouse, Tim Woodward, Angus Wright, Melissa Hartzel, Zak Shukor, Bobby Valentino, Lucy Cohu, Anthony Maddalena, Tim Packham.

On this day in movie history - Ransom (1996)

Ransom

directed by Ron Howard,

written by Richard Price and Alexander Ignon,

based on a story by Cyril Hume and Richard Maibaum,

was released in the United States on November 8, 1996.

Music by James Horner.

Cast:

Mel Gibson, Rene Russo, Brawley Nolte, Gary Sinise, Delroy Lindo, Lili Taylor, Liev Schreiber, Donnie Wahlberg, Evan Handler, Nancy Ticotin, Michael Gaston, Kevin Neil McCready, Paul Guilfoyle, Allen Bernstein, José Zúñiga, Dan Hedaya, Iraida Polanco, John Ortiz, Mike Hodge, Paul Geier, Louisa Marie, Edward Francis Joseph, A.J. Benza, Peter Anthony Tambakis, Tony Hoty, Daniel May Wong, John Short, Ed Jupp Jr., Stephen Oates, Gene Harrison, Mick O'Rourke, Henry Kingi Jr., Roy Farfel, Lex D. Geddings, Donna Hanover, Rosanna Scotto, Tony Potts, John Finnerty, Todd Hallowell, Joe Bacino, Carl S. Redding, James Georgiades, Christian Maelen, David Vadim, Addie O'Donnell, Judy Hudson, Mitzie Pratt, Lynne Redding, Michael Countryman, Chris Lopata, John Hartmann, Anton Evangelista, Richard Price, Joseph Badalucco Jr., Dell Maara, Tommy Allen, John Dorish, Brad Brewer, Darren Brown, Marvin Brown, Glenn King, Cheryl Howard, James Ritz, Anna Marie Wieder, Joan D. Lowry, Craig Castaldo, Teodorina Bello, Jane Jenkins, Lori Tan Chinn, Carl Don, Nathaniel Freeman, Phil Parolisi, Rafael Osorio, Leslie Devlin, Lewis Dodley, John Brian Rogers, Jeffrey H. Kaufman, Mark Smith, James Patrick Whalen Sr., Kim Snyder, Panicker Upendran, Eric Attio, Steve Axelrod, Carl Burrows, Glenn J. Cohen, Gregory D'Angelo, Cynthia Daddona, Brian Donahue, Jeff Eigen, Todd Ellison, Philippe Hartmann, Marshall Dancing Elk Lucas, Rawleigh Moreland, Christopher Tracy, Keith Leon Williams, Robert 'Bobby Z' Zajonc.