Really like The Fighter? How about Warrior? Well, maybe you should get a taste of the real deal, some of the most brutal battles the sport of boxing has to offer – bare-knuckle fighting.
A while back, Ian Palmer was asked to film Michael Quinn McDonagh’s wedding. While there, he ran into Michael’s brother, James, and was asked to film another family function – one of James’ fights. Little did Palmer know, this wasn’t just any fight, it was a bare-knuckle fight that wasn’t just rooted in athleticism; these were battles for family pride. Before long, Palmer was just as hooked as the Quinn McDonaghs and practically became part of the family.
Even though the film is absolutely brimming with brutality, the fight for the family name is rather infectious and the same goes for James as a person who, even after dishing out some harsh beat downs, earns your respect from beginning to end. Lucky for me, because sitting down at a table with this guy who must be about four times my size could have been rather intimidating, but it turns out Palmer not only has an eye for engaging material, but for nice guys to work with, too. In honor of Knuckles’ December 9th limited release, both James and Palmer sat down to talk about the film’s conception, the process of becoming part of the world to the point at which the community embraced Palmer’s camera, Palmer’s expectations for his final product and much more. Check it all out for yourself in the video interview below.
