Feathered Warrior (Film)

Feathered Warrior

  •  Ben Zickafoose with Gene DuBey and Bill Hatton
  •  1973
  • Color IconColor
  •  12:15
  •  16 mm film
Film Description
Feathered Warrior portrays the widely practiced, but illegal, sport of cockfighting. The film opens with a slow motion sequence of a fight accompanied by a traditional tune played on a saw. Troy Muncie, a seasoned cock breeder and fighter who has won over 65 percent of his fights, outlines the rules of the game, describes the breeding techniques and fighting skills needed to win, and talks about why people enjoy the sport. Muncie is shown preparing a prize rooster for combat, and placing the rooster in the ring against its opponent. There the gaffs are installed, the two roosters face each other for the tease — and the fight begins.

Screenings & Festivals
  • American Folklife on Film, University of Delaware
  • Conference on Visual Anthropology, Temple University
  • Film Festival Rotterdam
  • Sinking Creek Film Celebration


This film was preserved by Appalshop Archive with support from the National Film Preservation Foundation. To support the work of preserving and safeguarding the collections, please consider designating a donation to Appalshop Archive.


Reviews

“An excellent on-site view of an event few of us will ever see in the flesh.” — University of Cincinnati