Murderball (2005)

A film about paraplegics who play full-contact rugby in Mad Max-style wheelchairs - overcoming unimaginable obstacles to compete in the Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Directors:

Henry Alex Rubin, Dana Adam Shapiro

Stars:

Joe Soares, Keith Cavill, Mark Zupan

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 17 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Joe Bishop	...	Himself
Keith Cavill	...	Himself
Andy Cohn	...	Himself
Scott Hogsett	...	Himself
Christopher Igoe	...	Himself
Bob Lujano	...	Himself
Kevin Orr	...	Himself
Joe Soares	...	Himself
Dave Willsie	...	Himself
Mark Zupan	...	Himself

Storyline

Quad rugby as played by the US team, between 2002 games in Sweden and the 2004 Paralympics in Athens. Young men, most with spinal injuries, play this rough and tumble sport in special chairs, seated gladiators. We get to know several and their families. They talk frankly about their injuries, feelings in public, sex lives, competitiveness, and love of the game. There's also an angry former team member gone north to coach the Canadian team, tough on everyone, including his viola-playing son. We meet a recently injured man, in rehab, at times close to despair, finding possible joy in quad rugby. After Athens, the team meets young men injured in war: the future stars of Team USA.

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Plot Keywords:

Team | Rugby | Wheelchair | Paralympics | Coach | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Sport

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and sexual content

Details

Official Sites:

ThinkFilm [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 July 2005 (USA)

Also Known As:

Gyilkos labda - A kerekesszék harcosai

Filming Locations:

Alexandria, Virginia, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$57,286 (USA) (8 July 2005)

Gross:

$1,523,883 (USA) (30 September 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, MTV Films, Participant Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

88 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The voice of Birmingham's NBC 13 anchor Mike Royer can be heard during a local news piece.

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Quotes

Reporter: Tell us about Wheelchair Rugby.
Mark Zupan: We had been calling it Murderball, but you can't market Murderball to corporate sponsors.

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Connections

Referenced in Jackass Presents: Murderball (2005)
title reference/features Mark Zupan from Murderball

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Soundtracks

"Light & Day"
Written by Tim DeLaughter
Performed by The Polyphonic Spree
Published by Blue Newton Echo Music (BMI)
Courtesy of Hollywood Records

User Reviews

Murderball Rocks ... and Rolls!

Great movie, and all involved deserve all the awards that I know are coming your way!

As an ex-murderball player of 18 years, I got to see, first hand, how this sport developed and grew internationally, along with those who play, in this huge adrenaline rush of a sport!

This movie provided me with flashbacks to how much I enjoyed playing "murderball" when I first started playing back in 1980 back when we used 55-pound hospital-style wheelchairs and steel-toed work boots to protect our feet!

This sport not only has an awesome set of athletes, but the friends and camaraderie that all develop by playing this true contact sport makes it all worthwhile. It also makes them realize that they all have the potential to go beyond their everyday abilities.

Greets to all you court rats out there and don't let anyone push you, push your freakin' chair and hit 'em if they get in your way... :)

Brian