UK: MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB HOST A CHARITY PREMIERE OF A NEW MOVIE DOCUMENTING A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE CLUB

Record ID: 390232

  • Title: UK: MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB HOST A CHARITY PREMIERE OF A NEW MOVIE DOCUMENTING A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF THE CLUB
  • Date: 12th October 2000
  • Summary: ( ** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) SV/SLV/LV PARTY SHOTS
  • Embargoed: 27th October 2000 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VARIOUS, UK
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9DWNTO5TLQD19RFSBVWSELRGF
  • Story Text: Manchester United Football club have hosted a charity premiere of a new movie documenting a year in the life of the world's most famous football club. Players in attendance at the screening in Manchester included Teddy Sheringham, Gary Neville and perhaps United's biggest star now - David Beckham - who spoke exclusively to Reuters.
    Manchester United's superstar players are all set to transfer their glittering talent from the pitch to the silver screen this week.
    Sir Alex Ferguson's footballing icons hit the cinemas this month with the release of their 'Manchester United' Beyond the Promised Land.
    It's a warts-and-all docu-style movie that goes behind the scenes at the world's most famous club.
    It's another giant step forward in the global game-plan designed to maximise United's commercial appeal throughout the world.
    The movie - shot last season - showcases the club as fans have never seen it before. American director Bob Potter and his film crew were given an Access All Areas pass to shoot Fergie and his stars at work and play.
    The result is a movie that captures the highs and lows, the laughter and the tears and all the drama of a year in the life of United.
    Fans will see skipper Roy Keane showing it's not just on the pitch where he's a supreme competitor as a team quiz before a Euro game threatens to erupt in a snarling confrontation.
    The film also takes cinema-goers behind the scenes as David Beckham shoots a Pepsi advert, the players get mobbed by wild Japanese fans at the Inter-Continental Cup in Tokyo and their dream of retaining the Champions Cup comes to grief against Real Madrid.
    The cameras also penetrate the 'off-limits' sanctuaries of the dressing room and boardroom, recording negotiations as United closed in on British football's biggest sponsorship deal - the £30million Vodafone agreement.
    It's a venture Potter predicts will captivate the audience.
    "Making the film was a compelling experience and although it is only 85 minutes long we shot 80 hours of footage," he says.
    "I've made sports films before with guys like Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras, but this was something else.
    "The fanfare those United guys get - especially Beckham - when they travel the world was like travelling with The Beatles.
    "We had full access and I have to say Alex Ferguson and his players were brilliant. The manager has this reputation of being a difficult guy, but I saw no evidence of that.
    "He's in the business of making sure United win matches."
    The sheer interest in every aspect of United staggered Potter-as well as the hatred they generate.
    He explained: "I've covered sport all over the world, but I've never come across any group of fans who are so interested in what colour shirt the players wear and its design. "New York Yankees fans wouldn't give a stuff what kind of shirt their players wear.
    "As for the feelings of hate against the club, I was amazed.
    Being on the New York subway at four in the morning is nothing compared to the fear I felt while wearing a Manchester United shirt at Leeds. It's astonishing."
    United hope the profits will be, too.
    The film is part of a long-term tie-up between the club and Unicef, with the aim of raising £1million for children.
    Fergie's boys don't often fail - and experts who've seen the movie reckon they're on a winner again.
    Potter said: "I am biased, but I reckon it's one of the best sports films ever made."
    He also revealed how certain so-called football fans pressured him into trying to portray a negative image of David Beckham.
    Potter told Reuters, "I was getting phone calls saying 'Make sure you show the ugly side of David Beckham.' And I'd be like, 'Who is this' and they'd found the hotel room and maybe that's what is important to the audience. And then even buyers of the film who hadn't seen anything in it would say 'You know what the people want to see? They want to see Beckham because everyone is so jealous of his life.' It was like that's not what I'm here to do.' So how did David Beckham, despite his ostentatious image, in a reality a retiring man, cope with yet more attention? "Well I think they were very discreet which to a lot of the lads we were very happy with that," Beckham told Reuters, refering to Potter's film crews.
    " We do get a lot of attention inside and outside of football and you know we didn't really want the film crew following us everywhere but then again they've done well I haven't seen the film so it will be interesting what has come of it."
    So what did Mrs Beckham - POsh Spice - make of her husband featuring in his own movie? "Well as long as I wasn't starring in it and looking silly she'll be fine!"
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