14 years ago

Knuckle. 

For more than a decade, first time Irish filmmaker Ian Palmer followed a long-running grudge between the Joyce and Quinn families, a grudge that had its origin from a 1992 brawl outside a London pub between two different Traveller clan members. The brawl ended in the death of one and a manslaughter conviction for the other. The filmmaker really shows us the brutal and secretive world of Irish Traveler bare-knuckle fighting. But is that really what it’s about? The families are always making provocative videos challenging each other to a fight; then two unfit-looking, tubby guys emerge and square up: their training does not, clearly, include work on their abs. The resulting videos are shown in the back of vans; copies are sold in pubs, fuelling the queasy macho mythology. The loser returns to his camp site and nurses resentment and a desire for vengeance: another challenge is recorded and so it goes on. Basically A black comedy without the comedy. Still an interesting Doc, cause their World is far far away from yours! To view the film through Itunes click here.