Product Details

• Actors: Gracie, Hayes, Kimura, Rickson Gracie, Robert Goodman (Director)
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Palm Pictures / Umvd
• VHS Release Date: February 23, 1999
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (64 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6305297231
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #239,919 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This exquisite piece of work is far more professional than any of the American pro wrestling mega-event videos produced recently. The often-gory fights are well handled and only play a small role; this video is not solely about fighting. Done in documentary style, Choke takes an introspective look at the men--their goals, their dreams, and their families--who become the ultimate fighting machines in the ring at the 1995 Vale Tudo World Fighting Championship in Tokyo.

Delving into the life of the undefeated and undisputed world freestyle fighting champion, Rickson Gracie, a 30-year-old jujitsu expert from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this video displays a side that you rarely see in sports: the articulate, intelligent family man who turns his training into the art of movement and athleticism--not violence. It also explores the world of two men expected to offer a serious challenge to Gracie: American heavyweight kickboxer Todd "Hollywood" Hays and Japanese shootfighting heavyweight champion Koichiro Kimura. These two men provide some of the more uplifting moments in the documentary. Hays, who is also a member of the U.S. Olympic bobsled team, explains how he will use his performance money to fund his dream of buying a bobsled that will allow him to be a driver in the 1998 Winter Games. Kimura completes his training but then has to ask the permission of his elderly parents to compete. The big man bluffs his way through with a warm smile and a respectful manner.

Choke is an insightful look at a full-contact, controversial sport. The only warning it should carry is that some of the scenes are graphically violent and some of the language is X-rated. --Gordie Sholtys

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unique Masterpiece, November 30, 2003

By 

therosen "therosen" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Rickson Gracie: Choke (DVD)

Rickson Gracie "Choke" is more than just a fight video - it captures the anxiety, preparation, and visceral intensity behind the competitors as they prepare for competition. View at the Ultimate Fighting Championship with a much deeper background.

The video captures the preparation for, and competition in Vale Tudo Japan 1995, a mixed martial arts competition where almost anything goes. ("Vale Tudo" is Portuguese for "Anything Goes", but the rules are not quite that extreme.)

The video takes an in depth look at 3 of the participants.
1 - Todd Hays is an all around gifted athlete, with a background in kickboxing. His mixture and fear are apparent as he attempts to use this event to pay for his Olympic bobsleading dreams.
2 - Koichiro Kimura is a Japanese amateur shootfighting champion, who wants nothing more than to test himself against the best. You get to meet his parents, who are affraid he'll die in the ring.
3 - Rickson Gracie is the defending champion, as well as the best of the famous Gracie family. It's no suprise that he gets the lion's share of the publicity.

In addition to the gritty reality of the fighting, you're introduced to some humorous back scene footage: Rickson's desire for a belt in addition to a trophy brings some chuckles, as does his last minute desire to hit the restroom. A near blind Yuki Nakai is both valiant and funny when he screams, "Rickson, I'm coming for you!"

If you're looking for a technique video, this is not it. If you're looking for 2 hours of fighting from the best guys out there today, again this is not the video. If you're looking to understand the mind of the fighter, in the context of the ring, this is the only DVD out there. I was rivited from start to finish.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an outstanding inside look at a great human being., September 20, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Rickson Gracie: Choke [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This documentary is about a man who is by far the classiest, humbliest human being in the NHB fighting business. Rickson Gracie is a true artist as he states in this video. He is not about hurting anyone, which he makes clear in the championship fight at the end. He is about artistic combatism and he is the greatest of them all.

This video is a must see for anyone who is a student of life and enjoys participating in sports and wants to better him or herself.

As a student of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu (Torrance Academy) I recommend this video to all.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Important Work in the Development of MMA, January 21, 2006

By 

C. K. Mccracken "Jiu Jitsu Guy and One Time P... (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rickson Gracie: Choke (DVD)

This movie has become a classic in the mixed martial arts. It covers Rickson Gracie's training for for the Vale Tudo Japan tournament of 1995. This tournament paved the way for tounaments such as Pride in Japan, just as the UFC improved the sport's popularity in the US.

Rickson's presence at the tournament was important as the Brazilians had developed single combat to a fine art. The Gracies were (and are) the epitome of development of the style and Rickson was the family champion.

The outcome of the tournament is not hard to predict. What is useful to see, here, is the training for the tournament. The training his hard but precise and the story shows that Gracie is a family man and all-round good guy outside the ring.

Rickson is analytical and understands that what he does isn't violence as his intent is to win in competition, not necessarily to injure his opponent. That is the take home lesson of competitive martial arts.

This is a must see.