Viva La Raza
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/08
Featured Talent
Batista, John Cena, Michael Cole, Edge, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Chavo Guerrero Sr., Vickie Guerrero, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Chris Jericho, Jerry Lawler, John Bradshaw Layfield, Jim Ross
The Good
The Cheating Death, Stealing Life documentary is a sound production by the WWE and one that compliments this DVD set nicely. This one is of the matches-with-commentary DVDs, but instead of the featured star talking, it is the opponents, family and friends of the star. While one could definitely make a case for numerous matches that are not on this one (many of significance are on the aforementioned DVD), this three-disc set includes a great variety. In a set like this, there needs to be a story of a star's career through a series of matches and this does that fairly well. Luckily, there is so much fascinating family footage that is able to spice things up in a way that WWE documentaries often lack. It seems that much attention was given to showing Eddie Guerrero's greatest strengths as a worker. Basically, he could do it all. This has everything but lucha libre from Mexico, but it has plenty of lucha-rific stuff with Rey Mysterio Jr., Psychosis, Juventud Guerrera and Ultimo Dragon. It throws in an awesome match with Shinjiro Otani to demonstrate Guerrero's ability to work the Japanese style and puts over that style in a way you may not expect to hear on a WWE DVD. The key is getting over Eddie's worldly experience and then tying that to his WCW run as a cruiserweight and ultimately his WWF/WWE run where he worked a wide variety of opponents doing matches with more backstory and gimmicks. While the pay-per-view matches are often the ones with the time to be of better quality, there are eleven TV matches featured on this that a great additions to a collection.
The Bad
While this seemed like a distinct and strong DVD output, it was not without some flaws. So much of Eddie Guerrero's heritage is lucha libre and for there to only be a tidbits of a single lucha match (the 5-star Los Gringos Locos-Hijo Del Santo/Octogon match of legend) is a travesty. That aside, the matches used on this are acceptable choices, although some of his best are not on this particular DVD set. The lack of Chris Benoit in the story is sad, but not surprising. It is just so bizarre because of how dramatically Guerrero's death affected Chris Benoit and that close friendship is simply brushed under the rug. Members of Eddie's family have some good input, although Chavo Sr. seems to ramble and be almost nonsensical at times. Then there is Jerry Lawler talking about “uncle” Hector, who is actually Eddie's older brother. But that's a laughable error on par with all the audio snippets of Steve “Mongo” McMichael from the Nitro days.
The Rating: ****

The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 9/08
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Eric Bischoff, Nick Bockwinkel, Wade Boggs [friend/baseball legend], Edge, Gerald Brisco, Ric Flair, Greg Gagne, Tony Garea, Bret Hart, Michael Hayes, Bobby Heenan, Larry Hennig, Leonisse Hennig (widow), Joe Hennig (son), Hulk Hogan, Chris Jericho, Jerry Lawler, Brock Lesnar, Steve Lombardi, Shawn Michaels, Gene Okerland, Bruce Pritchard, Harley Race, William Regal, Brad Rheingans, Dusty Rhodes, Kerwin Slifies (WWF Director), Joey Styles, Triple H
The Good
Curt Hennig was one of the most respected pro-wrestlers amongst his peers and for the WWE to release a DVD with a documentary dedicated to him was a bit of a surprise. Like the excellent Brian Pillman DVD, Hennig's life story and his pro-wrestling career have fascinating twists and turns for a story. His legacy as a great athlete and technical workhorse in the ring and a fun-loving ribber outside of the ring is highlighted wonderfully here. It has a light-heartedness to the story that is fitting his personality. The commentary by Greg Gagne, Larry Hennig and Wade Boggs brings this alive and add a dimension to this that makes this similar to the Pillman DVD. The matches on this are also excellent and it is a fair look at a great career that peaked with the unforgettable Mr. Perfect characer.
The Bad
As a WWE production, this has the typical WWE slant to it. It makes WWF history look like Mr. Perfect was a given this huge push and was a top guy. He was pushed, he was given a great gimmick and he had some tremendous matches, but other than a house show run with Hulk Hogan, Curt Hennig was always a upper midcarder. The WWF gave the big pushes to the Ultimate Warrior, Sid Justice and other roided up monsters and it was people like Hennig who had to put them over and make them look good. His WCW run mirrored that legacy and then he came back. When Curt Hennig returned in the Royal Rumble, he looked poised to be a top guy. He could have been and probably should have been, but he was not and this fact is not exactly discussed. The drug issues are mentioned briefly, but Hennig was a notorious for his partying. It is not surprising all these factors are omitted. Some of the minor faults are the absence of Bobby Heenan, Lanny Poffo and some of Hennig's AWA peers and the reoccurring presence of Jerry Brisco, Steve Lombardi and even “Mr. Kayfabe” Arn Anderson, which seems to detract more than it adds. If you expect more than a light piece, then look elsewhere because the WWE does not really do heavy material.
The Rating: ****1/2

Nature Boy Ric Flair: The Definitive Collection
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 7/08
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, Batista, Tully Blanchard, Nick Bockwinkel, Jack Brisco, Jim Brunzell, John Cena, Jim Cornette, David Crockett, J.J. Dillon, Edge, Ric Flair, Ashley Fleihr (daughter), David Fleihr (son), Megan Fleihr (daughter), Reid Fleihr (son), Tiffany Fleihr (wife), Dory Funk Jr., Greg Gagne, Michael Hayes, Bobby Heenan, Shawn Michaels, Gene Okerland, Bob Orton Jr., Randy Orton, Bruce Pritchard, Harley Race, Baron Von Raschke, Dusty Rhodes, Jim Ross, Triple H, Greg Valentine, Kevin Von Erich
The Good
Generally speaking, the WWE’s documentaries on legendary pro-wrestlers have been good. They usually have the footage, interviews and a version of the story that is a worthwhile watch - at least once. This documentary, while a good retrospect of Ric Flair’s legendary career, lacks the depth that his excellent autobiography did. It is positive though and many people want to see those highlights and hear those stories. In that sense, it delivers. This was a big step-up production-wise as it featured some really fun graphics (depicting the NWA’s control over the US, Flair’s touring and title defenses), it also had some good lighting and presentation for the newer interviews and it really captured the past in a nostalgic way (as opposed to low-rent way). It was fun to hear Flair and some of his running buddies talk about his early days and peak when he was living the high life. There was a lot of focus on big feuds and rivalries, which has gone over well in recent WWE Legend documentaries. There really were no surprises here and it was basically a feel-good type documentary, which one has to expect. As always there were some great interviewees: Harley Race, Jim Cornette and David Corckett were all great and brought so much to this piece.
The Bad
As with almost all WWE documentaries, this lacked depth. It was missing that critical side that even Flair’s autobiography had. His financial woes, his lackluster WWF run and his burial in WCW are largely glossed over. There is no Eric Bischoff, Hulk Hogan or Mick Foley to offer some criticism, heck, Ricky Steamboat is not even on this! Although the list of interviews is solid, there were definitely some MIAs that could have added insight. Terry Funk really jumps out, but he is yet to appear on a WWE documentary. There also is some due criticism of the WWF/WWE that is sadly missing. His `91-`93 run is deemed a success, although it is acknowledged that not booking he and Hulk Hogan in a pay-per-view match was strange. While he had a good showing and had some great matches, he was not the larger than life character that he had been in JCP and was another legendary NWA champion reduced to something far less than he deserved to be like “King” Harley Race, Hoss (Dory) Funk and “The Common Man” Dusty Rhodes before him. As for his return after WCW died, well, it is clear that with the exception of a few instances, Ric Flair was not utilized well. One of the greatest interviews of all-time was seldom left to cut his money promos, a figure who could draw in the older fans was over-used and jobbed out and that final run that should have carried him into his final match was pathetically executed. All of these facts are swept aside, so we can hear him talk about the few things that were done right. While one has to expect that in a WWE production that does not mean that it is okay and the credibility of this documentary takes a hit as result. As for the matches, let's just say they did an average job complimenting the previously released "Ultimate Ric Flair Collection."
The Rating: ****1/2

Twist of Fate: The Matt and Jeff Hardy Story
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 4/08
Featured Talent
Edge, Jeff Hardy, Matt Hardy, Michael Hayes, Gregory "Shane" Helms, Mr. Kennedy, John Bradshaw Layfield, Lita, Shawn Michaels, Shannon Moore, Rey Mysterio, Bruce Pritchard, Jim Ross
The Good
Although I find the autobiographies and documentaries of current stars unusual, they can tell a good story sometimes. Matt Hardy and Jeff Hardy are very different and distinct personalities and this format of doing two separate documentaries is a sound approach. Matt Hardy was the driving force behind the Hardy Boyz and Team Xtreme and his story is filled with all the passion and dedication that makes him the babyface that can never be buried by poor booking. This does a good job detailing that motivation and the innovations that he brought in to make the Hardy Boyz something special. Then it delves into his "Mattitude" character, his saga with Lita and Edge, the reuniting of the Hardy Boyz and the feud with MVP. Jeff Hardy, the enigma, is presented in a fair way. He was always into uniqueness, cool moves, big bumps and being an artist. The part about "Imagination" is bizarre to say the least, but it touches upon the character that bleeds out and gets fans behind him. Presenting his poetry, sculptures, music, paintings, body art and motocross helps explain why he has never quite become top star that people have always said he could become.
The Bad
Exist 2 Inspire was a decent book, but the story of the Hardy Boyz was not yet over. This documentary is of the same vein and it leaves you wonder why this was really made. Is it just to make some money? Is it a way of measuring their drawing power? The label of potential world champion is interesting and perhaps even irrelevant. The questions are - "Can Matt be pushed properly and become a top star?" and "Can Jeff stay motivated and focused enough to become a top star?" Both of the Hardy Boyz have the potential, but there are other factors, outside factors, that have more influence on whether or not they will be moved into top slots. Both of these stories seem to lack that capping moment that a story like this needs, which was an issue with their book as well. This seems like a premature documentary, but it probably sold well.
The Rating: ***1/2

King of Kings: There is Only One
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 3/08
Featured Talent
There is only one - Triple H
The Good
It seems like this familiar “best of” series is going to continue after the successes of DVD sets by Ric Flair, The Undertaker and Steve Austin. Instead of putting together a time-consuming documentary, a handful of excellent matches can be paired up with an interview or two by the featured superstar to produce something that can sell. Triple H talks about his career, highlighted by explaining his relationship with Shawn Michaels, the success of Evolution and Batista and lastly his rivalry with John Cena and Edge.
The Bad
Triple H, complete with his lame leather jacket, is the only one talking here and that provides a perspective that is not without baggage. Much of Triple H's career is filled with great angles and great matches, but it is not perfect. Although Evolution was mostly successful with getting Batista over, the same angle done with Randy Orton earlier was rushed and unsuccessful. Triple H talks about putting Batista over for months, which seems like his way of saying how generous he is. Next is his feud with Ric Flair, which was not as great as Triple H would make it seem like. There is also the discussion whether or not Triple H is past his prime and whether or not he will pass the torch gracefully.
The Rating: ***1/4

Heartbreak and Triumph
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 2/08
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, Nathan Benaviydez (Bible student), Tully Blanchard, Jerry Brisco, Bruce Cannon (football coach), John Cena, Michael Cole, Ted Dibiase, Mick Foley, Philip Fortenberry (church colleague), Greg Gagne, Rudy Gonzalez, John Hagee (pastor), Matthew Hagee (pastor), Carol Hickenbottom (mother), Dick Hickenbottom (father), Rebecca "Whisper" Hickenbottom (wife), Marty Jannetty, Chris Jericho, Kenny Kent (friend), Sherri Martel, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Joshua Moore (Bible student), Pat Patterson, Bruce Pritchard, James Ramos (Bible student), Jim Ross, Kerwin Silfies (WWE TV Director), Triple H
The Good
If you are buying the collection and do not have the From the Vault DVD, but that along with this. This compliments that in terms of matches with a few harder-to-acquire matches like older ones, TV matches amd so on. The quality of them is good, but this does not feature Shaewn Michaels' greatest hits. The documenraty, ironically, is largely told through Michaels' matches as opposed to feuds. The childhood pictures are great, the explanation of his almost innate working ability is fitting and his travels from `84 to `89 are covered well. This documentary though weaves his story through matches - Rose/Somers, Anderson/Blanchard, Bret Hart, Diesel, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Vince McMahon, Hulk Hogan and up to John Cena. The enigma of Shawn Michaels is that his drug problems, personal problems, attitude problems and injury problems are typically non-factors when he is in the ring being, perhaps, the greatest worker of all-time. This shows how he was so good that he simply had to be elevated and the part about his early singles career is excellent. Then it covers the formation of the Kilq and the turmoil they caused or continued. The in-ring successes he had between `94 and `96 are featured, despite the fact that the WWF was really struggling at that time. The story of retribution will appeal to many as Michaels found religion, inner peace and his desire to work again. Since his return, he has put an exclamation point on his legacy. This is a strong story that is pretty well done. The "extras" take a fitting approach by discussing issues that simply did not fit in cleanly and help this package overall. AS with every WWE documebntary, there is someone who stands out and in this one it was the very honest and insightful Pat Patterson.
The Bad
Although they used a nice variety of talent as well as friends and family, this documentary, more than any other was missing people. While Kevin Nash and Kurt Angle were under contract elsewhere, Scott Hall, Sean Waltman, Joanie Lauer, Justin Credible, Sycho Sid and Bret Hart could have all been interviewed for this one. More strangely, Jose Lothario and even Buddy Rose were left off this, which was unfortunate because both were key to Michaels' career. This also had some strange omissions such as his feud with Sid, the Midnight Rockers copying of the numerous young and exciting rock-n-roll tag teams of the early 1980s and how he was the champion during the company's weakest period. Not surprisingly the Bret Hart situation came out making Bret look bad and unprofessional as did the program with Hulk Hogan, but both parts seemed one-sided and unfair attacks. Most notable however is the putting over of DX as innovative and important in the larger scheme of pro-wrestling. It is debatable. Yes, their Jerry Springer-inspired trashy and obsene contributions helped swing the tide back to the WWF, but they were a piece and others could have likely filled that spot, in fact the post-HBK DX was more over. Putting over the later incarnation of DX is simply sad and misguided. This documentary seems to take more liberties with rewriting history in terms of what is successful and what works than any other done on an individual wrestler. The matches included are okay, but others could have certainly made it on.
The Rating: ****

The Legacy of Stone Cold Steve Austin
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 2/08
Featured Talent
Steve Austin...that's it.
The Good
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is one of the greatest pro-wrestlers that the sport has ever seen. He was a transformative character whose legacy cannot be understated. While people were acting like him before, wrestling like him before and being the anti-hero/top babyface before, he put it all together in a way that with the WWF machine behind...magic happened. This disc, like the Ric Flair and The Undertaker collections, tries to tell Steve Austin's story through his matches. Some people's wrestling, like Austin's, are probably more interesting than a standard WWE documentary would be. Steve Williams' life story could certain play well in a well-done documentary, but past efforts by the WWE and even A&E have not exactly probed deeply. This collection features 20 matches that are largely excellent, some great and some only good. There are six matches that are probably **** or better and another four or five that are close. The addition of TV matches and Clash of the Champions matches were good and all but two were worthwhile. A few matches that were surprising to see, but were certainly not unwelcome were the strap match with Savio Vega, a `97 match with Shawn Michaels and the lesser known but excellent Bret Hart match. The match quality on this is exeptional.
The Bad
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin is a legend. That said, this three disc "legacy" collection is gross disappointment. It has no documentary, no special commentary, no easter eggs even (!), just Austin giving input on some of the matches and angles throughout his career. The WWE has released numerous Stone Cold videos, but this could have been so much more. It basically runs through his career and contains 20 matches and a lot of clips and comments in between each. It left out some of his best matches and included some of the most unnecessary. The ECW stuff seems overblown in terms of the impact in his career and seeing he and Chris Adams or even some Dangerous Alliance era stuff would be preferrable. The Owen Hart match where he broke his neck was important, but does not make the cut. The two Kane matches were totally unwanted. The Triple H match with the car-crane BS was just bad for workers of that caliber. The Eddy Guerrero squash was stupid and only the fact that the two legendary Austin-Beonit matches could not be included seems to justify its inclusion. Although another DVD or two of matches that were omitted could be made, a few that jump out for WWF matches are: his KOTR battle with Marc Mero, a heel-versus-heel match he and Hunter had at an In Your House in late `96 and one they had at No Mercy `99.
The Extras
The extras on this were like the matches - a mixed bag. A "match" Austin-Yokozuna is pointless, a bit about McMahon is fine, the Redneck Triatholon is what it is, but the Austin angle with Terry Funk is tremendous. That last bit gets a huge thumbs up.
The Rating: ***1/4

The Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 12/07
Featured Talent
Skandor Akbar, Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Dory Funk Jr., Verne Gagne, Jimmy Garvin, Gary Hart, Michael Hayes, Bill Irwin, Jerry Lawler, Bill Mercer, Shawn Michaels, Dusty Rhodes, Buddy Roberts, Jim Ross, Triple H, Kevin Von Erich
The Good
When the WWE bought the rights to the World Class library many feared the highly regarded Heroes of World Class documentary would be kept under wraps. It was not and in fact the WWE created a complimentary documentary with the comments of different talent and with some different approaches. This one did a comparable job in covering the rise and fall of World Class, but the period in between is not as dense or thorough. The crux of the rise was the Von Erich/Freebird feud, which looking at the cover and knowing the influence of Michael Hayes should come as no surprise. This facet was well built and covered, if only it had given so much time to other parts of the World Class legacy. The discussion about David Von Erich's death was interesting, people's thoughts on Kerry Von Erich's consequential NWA title win and the the coverage of Gino Hernandez's death were strong additions. What this has over Heroes are the parts about Ken Mantell, whose influence is undeniable and the bluntness in talking about the failure of the WCWA World title. WWE's documentaries have no problems with negativity and it added something that Heroes may have lacked. As with Heroes, Gary Hart was the highlight interview here and it did not seem redundant.
The Bad
Did you know the success of World Class essentially rode on the shoulders of the Freebirds? Michael Hayes will let you know throughout this documentary. They were the most innovative, the most heat-garnering and they were as important (perhaps more so) than the Von Erich boys. That B.S. aside, this documentary was not as offensively bad as it could have been. Gary Hart stated after this release that he felt the fascinating history of pro-wrestling in Dallas was downplayed by both documentaries and numerous personalities were left out. This was certainly done here as Bruiser Brody, Mark Lewin, Kamala, Kabuki, Abdullah the Butcher and others were only mentioned in passing. The trend seems that all heels other than the Freebirds and Gino Hernandez were not given much play. These omissions always happen due to the time constraints, talent involved and so on, but it is still unfortunate. This also featured the typical moments that were included and perhaps should have been left on the cutting room floor - Triple H railing against "hardcore," Bill Irwin adamant view that David Von Erich died due to an eating disorder and Bill Mercer's kayfabe are all standout examples.
The Extras
This DVD set has a nice second disk with twelve matches of varying levels of quality and importance. There is a Duke Keomuka/Ricky Starr match that is totally detached, but an interesting inclusion nonetheless. The rest are from `82-`86 and they feature all the top stars and several who weren't really addressed. Two feature commentary with Todd Grisham (why?) and Kevin Von Erich, which is always a cool feature.
The Rating: ****1/4

The History of TNA: Year 1
Producer: Bill Banks & Bryan Edwards
Distributor: TNA Home Video
Released: 11/07
Featured Talent
Jeremy Borash, Dixie Carter, Rudy Charles, Christopher Daniels, Chris Harris, B.G. James, Jeff Jarrett, Raven, Bob Ryder, Elix Skipper, James Storm, AJ Styles, Mike Tenay, Andrew Thomas, Don West
The Good
The story of the company now known as TNA is fascinating. There have been numerous attempts by groups of individuals with moneymarks behind them who tried to get a pro-wrestling company going. The failures of the XWF, WWA, MLW and other groups are the typical; TNA was the exception. This documentary tries to tell the story of TNA made it past that first hurdle that those companies could not. This is fascinating to see because it shows how much luck it took along with all the effort. When they lost their moneymark, HealthSouth (one of the largest healthcare services providers in the country), they were blessed by getting picked up by Panda Energy. After surviving that first year, NWA-TNA apparently was primed to greatness. That romanticism aside, this documentary had some funny anecdotes and a frankness from the interviewees that made it unique. The second disc features five matches and they are all in the good to great range.
The Bad
While this is an interesting story, it seemed lost or at least distorted in this format. There is a reason why Vince McMahon has never done a documentary about how his early time could have made him or broke him. However, the massive entity that the WWE is today is far from what TNA is current, yet they played it as if that was not the case. This had a fair amount of WWE bashing (without naming them), but played up the innovative cruiserweight division from WCW, the ravenous fans of ECW and the longstanding legacy of the NWA. In doing so, they undermined much of their uniqueness. That sort of poor production made this seem so low-rent compared to WWE’s documentaries. The negativity, the ramling, the excess kayfabe, the poor interview spaces (one room has an echo and people walking by and another has the TNA logo butchered for some reason) - those things which should have been left on the cutting room floor are in this. Another qualm was all the face time people received. Do I need to see Christopher Daniels in his makeup, yet out of character talking about things they are not showing clips or stills of? This is the first TNA Home Video production I have seen and I was so underwhelmed I fell asleep twice trying to sit through it.
The Extras
The Rating: ***1/4

Ric Flair and the Four Horsemen
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 4/07
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Eric Bischoff, Tully Blanchard, J.J. Dillon, Paul Ellering, Ric Flair, Michael Hayes, Jerry Lawler, Theodore Long, Dean Malenko, Shawn Michels, Gene Okerland, Dusty Rhodes, Paul Roma, Jim Ross, Ricky Steamboat, Triple H, Barry Windham, Kendall Windham
The Good
When you look at the original Four Horsemen stable (Ric Flair, Arn Anderson, Ole Anderson, Tully Blanchard and J.J. Dillon) you see five of the best promos in pro-wrestling and this pair of DVD is packed with top notch promos. I remember Meltzer discribing his mixed feelings about this release because it is an age of promos that will seemingly never return and how sad that is because that is such a magical part of pro-wrestling. Past that bittersweet realization, this documentary is one of the better WWE products that tells its story in a frank way that is not overly romanticized. They were a groundbreaking stable and this documentary captures their accomplishments, their legacy as well as their inability to recapture their fame in the 1990s. I felt the discussion of the personality conflicts really took this to another level. Flair was unafraid of ripping on a number of people, which made for some interesting parts. The discussion of Paul Roma though takes the cake in that department though. The explaination of several key events: the sale of WCW from Crockett to Turner, the feud between Flair and Eric Bischoff and the decline of Tully Blanchard's career were all well done.
The Bad
The biggest problem with WWE's documentaries is typically their skewing of history, where events and personalities are either romanticized or buried. Often people turn down projects or are left out projects and find themselves on the bad end of WWE's version of pro-wrestling history. Ole Anderson turned them down and he was marginalized, Sid turned them down and was buried and a number of key people were not included. Sting is obviously part of a rival company, Lex Luger has been blackballed and a number of others were simply left out and that always deters from the quality of the story. Arn Anderson kayfabed a bit and the story of the double-stabbing between he and Sid was at least mentioned, but definitely its impact was not discussed. This has several issues, but on the whole is a fair documentary as far as the WWE products go.
The Extras
The interviews and discussion of interviews is a real gem on these two discs. There are seven matches and a couple are excellent, but they are not the selection many people may have selected. There are bits and pieces after 1988, which are good in and of themselves, but the focus was really placed on the correct time period.
The Rating: ****

Heroes of World Class Championship Wrestling
Director: Brian Harrison
Distributor: Big Vision Entertainment
Released: 12/06
Featured Talent
Chris Adams, Skandor Akbar, Baby Doll (Nikla Roberts), Mickey Grant, Gary Hart, Marc Lowrance, David Manning, Johnny Mantell, Bill Mercer, Kevin Von Erich
The Good
This is regarded by many the definitive pro-wrestling documentary. While others have some great qualities, this one was a revelation. It told the story of World Class in a way that was open, honest and highly detailed. Brian Harrison dug deeply here and found some great stories to include in the larger story of World Class. This company grew quickly and it was not because of any one reason, but a combination of factors that are accurately tackled here. The booking was great, the talent was young and capable and often overlooked is the genius of Mickey Grant. WCCW went from a standard rasslin' show to something cool with the look and sound that Grant directed. This documentary also goes into a lot of depth with the various characters and angles that made the Sportatorium rock-n-roll in the early 1980s. Gary Hart is the star of the interviewees, but Kevin Von Erich's honesty cannot be overlooked. To top it off, they venture through the Sportatorium before it was destroyed. This is just tremendous documentary-making.
The Bad
The people featured in this documentary are fine, but it makes you wonder who could have been interviewed that was not? Obviously, there are many who are long dead, some who are recluses and others under contract to the WWE. While that may hurt the credibility of this documentary for some and they point to the WWE's World Class piece as being superior in that area, the quality of this should hush those judgements. The WWE had seventeen people, four are in both, but only really eight in the WWE's were World Class wrestlers that were good inclusions. Heroes does not have the video quality or editing of the WWE deal, which makes this look run-of-the-mill.
The Extras
This has some great stuff from deleted scenes to a number of interviews, including one with Jim Cornette. It can be difficult to include a few gems when your product is so good and while they could not do matches, they could do this and it is a nice addition.
The Rating: *****

The Spectacular Legacy of the AWA
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/06
Featured Talent
Eric Bischoff, Nick Bockwinkel, Jim Brunzell, Mike Chapman, Al Derusha, Greg Gagne, Verne Gagne, "Superstar" Billy Graham, Mike Graham, Michael Hayes, Bobby Heenan, Larry Hennig, Hulk Hogan, Blackjack Lanza, Jerry Lawler, Sherri Martel, Vince McMahon, Blackjack Mulligan, Gene Okerland, Dusty Rhodes, Jim Ross, Ricky Steamboat, Baron Von Raschke
The Good
The AWA is remembered for many things both good and bad and when it is on the WWE editing floor the results are unique. The company's history is rich as it is directly tied to NWA power broker, Tony Stecher; the man who first took TV wrestling national, Fred Kohler; and one of the greatest right-hand men, Wally Karbo. Although that history is touched upon, Karbo is the only one who is credited, although rightly so because he was so vital to AWA's developmental, growth and success. The formula for the AWA's success - gaining and using TV time, capturing and running major cities, securing and building top talent and doing all effectively. Sound like the winning formula of the WWF in the 1980s? That statement is never stated, but those aspect are at least presented. However, when it was the WWF using that strategy, it is overtly said and hammered in as is how the AWA buckled under the pressure. That slow and painful death is covered in great detail, but the statements are fair. They did hold on to tradition in many ways, their roster was too old or too young and they did make some poor decisions in the late 1980s and those facts are detailed here. This documentary like all WWE products has one person whose insight and comments is a highlight and here it was Greg Gagne, although his statements do not all go without some lifted eyebrows.
The Bad
WWE's documentaries always feature some foolish commentaries and here Vince McMahon's arrogance, Verne Gagne's kayfabing and Greg Gagne's burial of several notables pre-AWA careers are what this one features. These are also revisionist history pieces by the WWE with a real hack job on the AWA's thirty year history. The take some bits from Mike Chapman, Jim Ross and toss in some cheesy graphics to set things up. Next they give a highly limited overview of the 1960s and 1970s by focusing on select talent. This is not bad in and of itself, but it has numerous gross omissions. Amongst those not mentioned were: Gene Kiniski, Dr. X (Dick Beyer), Dick the Bruiser, Red Bastien, Bill Miller and the tag team of Harley Race and Larry Hennig. The history before the mid-70s is just fuzzy and with no good reason. This also has a fair amount of dumping on Verne Gagne that may or may not be justified. This was his baby and he deserves a world of credit for much of its success, but his portayal seems almost too humanizing. One of the true legends of pro-wrestling is made to look like a tired old man who is best remembered for riding his company into the ground. There is some truth to that, but it should not be the most remembered feature of the Verne Gagne legacy. Whether by choice or by design, this documentary again puts over the greatness of the WWF/WWE by showing a company that was good, but unable to compete when the showdown came. That approach seems to becoming a pattern for these "rise and fall" documentaries.
The Extras
The second disc to this set has a mixed bag of matches from 1971-1988. Of course, they could have included better quality matches and more historical matches. The problem with WWE's DVDs is that as time passes they try to avoid repeats, which is not always good. The key seems to be featuring talent, which is detrimental to many. Mad Dog Vachon, Ray Stevens, The Crusher and even Verne Gagne were past their primes by the time these matches occured and it is unfortunate that they did not or could not show matches from the 1960s or at least more from the 1970s. The AWA's product was just so much better than the dated material shown here. Even a disc of promos would have sufficed because the AWA was loaded with personalities. It really seems like making the AWA sync up with the dated and out-of-touch label that it was given in the 1980s was as much a goal here as showing off their biggest stars.
The Rating: ****

Born to Controversy
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/06
Featured Talent
Gerald Brisco, John Carpenter (director), John Cena, Bill Cunningham (radio host), Ric Flair, Mick Foley, Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Steve Keirn, Jerry Lawler, Mikey (Mondo), Johnny Nitro, Gene Okerland, Paul Orndorff, Bob Orton Jr., Randy Orton, Roddy Piper, Bruce Pritchard, Jim Ross, Sgt. Slaughter, Jimmy Snuka, Ricky Steamboat, Matt Striker, Anastasia Toombs (daughter), Ariel Toombs (daughter), Colt Toombs (son), Falon Toombs (daughter), Kitty Toombs (wife), Greg Valentine
The Good
Everyone had to have high hopes for this because Roddy Piper is such an interesting character with great soundbytes and is generally liked and well regarded by his peers. This did deliver in those two departments. It talked a lot about the importance of the Piper's Pit segment and how it was important in the WWF's boom of the 1980s. While not explaining this, it demonstrates the specialness of unscripted promos done with people with quick minds and, in Piper's case, great wit. The early years are mentioned, but are largely reduced to a few interesting segments on feuding with Chavo Sr. in L.A., his love of Portland promoter Don Owen and his Dog Collar match with Greg Valentine at the first Starrcade. It does talk a lot about the Roddy Pipepr character and how he said controversial things and generated great heat as a result. This made him the top heel to rival Hulk Hogan in vehicles like "The War to Settle the Score" and "Wrestlemania." The various lives that he has lived as an actor, color commentator, family man and how those played into his freshness. Hell, there is even comments from John Carpenter and clips from "They Live" (although none from its stellar fight scene of great fame). Although it was mostly crapped on, his `94 feud with Jerry Lawler is featured as his `96 deal with Goldust, which both had their strengths and weaknesses. The highlight of his WCW run (the first 3 months) are covered pretty well and the drawing power of that rivalry with he and Hogan is discussed thoroughly. Shockingly, the HBO Special is shown and talked about, which was important, but atypical of a WWE documentary. All and all, this gives a nice little overview of Piper's career, particularly his first run in the WWF, which is the crux of his legacy. As always there is a star interviewee and that person is Bruce Pritchard, whose admiration of Roddy and understanding of his madness helps hold this together where Piper had nothing worthwhile to say. Typically the fanboy comments are pointless, but they are well used here. In addition to the documentary, there are sixteen matches. They have a couple with Buddy Rose in Portland, despite their poor quality, one with Jack Brisco in Mid-Atlantic, the Dog Collar match and his Starrcade `96 match with Hogan and twelve WWF matches that are what you'd expect to see. Then there is a disc that is all Piper's Pits - 25 all together - great stuff for any collection.
The Bad
Like In the Pit with Piper, this is such a limited presentation of such a complex and fascinating personality. This documentary is saturated with unnecessary kayfabe, a lack of scope, some startingly omissions and some poor editing in terms of comments included (Jerry Brisco needs to be forever stricken from WWE Home Video productions). Vagueness is the rampant in the first leg of this. It condenses Piper's childhood to a few anecdotes and the first fifteen years (over half of his active career) to a few angles and feuds. All the great stuff they could have mentioned - he and Buddy Rose in Portland, him saving Gordon Solie from Don Muraco in Georgia, his tag run with Rick Martel and the best matches of his career were definitely before his WWF run. But alas, it is left out. While much of the "bad" in the WWF/WWE is shown, his four-year off and on WCW run, which was largely legacy-spoiling, is reduced to three months in a five-to-ten minute segment. One unfortunate bit is that it makes his recent Piper's Pits seem special, which they are not. They helped catapult him to the top heel spot, but once he was there they only kept the heat on him because there was no higher point to reach. While they were good after he got over, other than the Wrestlemania V one, there has not been a good Piper's Pit since his initial retirement in 1987. They allude to how influential those segments were, but never completely show just how much that defined the WWF/WWE product. He certainly was not the first, but he had a distinct approach that clicked when he started. This formula has never quite worked as well since. Perhaps only Brother Love (Bruce Pritchard, Piper's biggest fan) had near the success, while other great talkers like Shawn Michaels, Chris Jericho and Edge have not been able to capture a similar magic. This is largely a booking error because Piper's Pit elevated Roddy Piper from a loud-mouth manager to a top heel and those aforementioned personalities are already pretty well over. The issue that could have and perhaps should have been addressed in further detail was the controversial material that Piper used. All the stuff is included from he and Bob Orton sadistically shaving the Haiti Kid's head, to his racially charged comments about Mr. T wearing chains despite not being slave, his taunting of Puerto Rican Frankie Williams, the infamous black paint deal with Bad News Brown and on and on. Jim Ross touches upon it, but this approach is very rarely used in the WWE anymore and it seems like this was a time to address that issue and how that was an old rasslin' schtick that they no longer employ. Regardless, they at least include that and allow the viewer to make that synopsis. That sums up this dcoumentary, it had the potential to dig deeper and really show how creative, innovative and influential Roddy Piper was, but they simply did not put the effort in.
The Rating: ***1/2

Loose Cannon: Brian Pillman
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 9/06
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Animal, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Eric Bischoff, Angie Chamberlain [sister], Bill Cunningham [radio host], Mick Foley, Don Gay [friend], John Gould [friend], Paul Heyman, Teddy Long, Dean Malenko, Gene Okerland, Alexis Pillman [daughter], Brian Pillman Jr. [son], Brittney Pillman [daughter], Linda Pillman [sister], Melanie Pillman [widow], Bruce Pritchard, William Regal, Rick Robisch [friend], Jim Ross, Dustin Rhodes, Dusty Rhodes, Ricky Steamboat, Joey Styles, Les Thatcher, Kim Wood [Bengals' Strength Coach]
The Good
When I was given this as a Christmas present, I was surprised that the WWE had even created a video for a star who died of drug problems nearly a decade prior and was only a WWE talent for a couple years (and some would say his worst). This documentary however was excellent and arguably the best about a single person the WWE has done. They really reached out and brought in Pillman's friends and family (11 non-wrestling personalities) to help tell his story and that really added greatly. Brian Pillman's story is so basic that it would be hard to mess up. He was met with hardship after hardship at every level of his life and he always perservered until a drug overdose finally claimed his life. This delves into his childhood health problems and his challenges at every level of football in a manner that is concisely told and builds the story. When it gets into the pro-wrestling, things grow muddled, but they are still interesting. The role of Japanese pro-wrestling and how it influenced Pillman is described and it really makes you want to see Pillman work. Steve Austin is perhaps the most featured wrestler on this as the story of the Hollywood Blondes and the Austin-Pillman feud in the WWF are highlights. The other person who is featured quite a bit is Kim Wood who is fascinating to listen to, although his crediblity and knowledge often seem questionable. The role of family in Pillman's later life is mentioned, but they try to avoid the dimensions of his relationship with his first wife that could come across as exploitive if detailed. While this lacked in parts and the overall story of overcoming adversity gets away from itself by the end, this documentary is one of the best that the company has put together. Then to top that off - the matches included are largely excellent. From the young highflyer to the solid ring general to the deranged "time bomb" character, this set features them all.
The Bad
There is not a lot that can be pointed to in this documentary that all WWE documentaries are not guilty of including. The graphics, specifically those depicting his polyps, look low budget and out-of-place. Arn Anderson is featured, so we get some kayfabe nonsense. Les Thatcher is included, but ever so briefly. Those who have heard interviews with Thatcher know that he is an insightful and delightful storyteller, regardless of the length of his stories. It seems like his anecdotes were too long for this, which is tragic because empty comments by Teedy Long and Dustin Rhodes were tacked into this. We could debate about the matches, personal favorites of mine such as the Pillman-Windham Taped Fist match, Pillman/Zenk versus the Midnight Express at Capital Combat, Pillman and Zenk had a great match against one another and Pillman carrying both Alex Wright and Johnny B. Badd to 4-star matches in `95. That aside, this is a great DVD offering from the WWE.
The Rating: ****1/2

The American Dream
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 6/06
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Shelton Benjamin, Tully Blanchard, Jerry Brisco, John Cena, Simon Dean, Ted Dibiase, Ric Flair, Tony Garea, Mike Graham, Superstar Billy Graham, Michael Hayes, Bobby Heenan, Jerry Lawler, Chris Masters, Vince McMahon, Trevor Murdoch, Gene Okerland, Pat Patterson, Roddy Piper, Bruce Pritchard, Harley Race, William Regal, Dusty Rhodes, Michelle Rhodes, Dustin Runnels, Sgt. Slaughter, Joey Styles, Triple H
The Good
Dusty Rhodes is one of those once-in-a-lifetime personalities that comes along and despite hardships and limitations, they have that special something that makes them a legend. Dusty Rhodes story as the son of plumber in Austin, Texas is true, so telling it is very easy. There are great photographs and some fitting music that compliment the distinct voice and vernacular of the man. Like numerous other biographical documentaries by the WWE, the personality of the performer carries much of the quality of the piece. Although he's no Billy Graham, Dusty Rhodes can talk well and keep the viewer engaged with his storytelling. The legacy of the Texas Outlaws (Rhodes and Dick Murdoch) is appropriately explained, but there is definitely more to that story. The Florida territory is succinctly and accurately described in a way that helps the modern fan understand how it worked and why it worked. Eddie Graham is put over and it connects to Dusty's own promotional acumen. Luckily they address some of Dusty's faults as well because he certainly has some that cannot fairly be left unsaid. Ultimately though it explains how Dusty Rhodes simply had a gift for getting things over, namely himself. He got over as a bad ass heel, he got over as a flamboyant jive-talking average Joe babyface and he even got over in his yellow polka dots. The tales of that last part are particularly funny. While you can grasp some of his excellence on the mic, it does not come across as strongly as in the Superstar Graham DVD. The real highlight of this is the story of the Dusty and Dustin Rhodes. They genuinely try to explain the hardships that being a pro-wrestler have on a family and how difficult it is for a son to follow his father when that father is a huge star. Dustin Rhodes brings a lot of emotion and honesty to this and it makes this more than a run-of-the-mill documentary about a pro-wrestling legend. The extras are all good from okay matches to great promos and vignettes.
The Bad
Dusty Rhodes' legacy within the WWF is very different than his time spent elsewhere. He had a great feud with Superstar Graham in the late 70s and a run in the late 80s that many believe ruined his legacy. Although he was moderately successful in that ridiculous role and it was fun for everybody, it did his career no favors. The character of Sapphire and the racial baggage that comes with it is not even addressed (no surprise there), but she stands out as an example of the underlying bigotry that existed in the WWF worldview at that time. The final sticking point is that Dusty Rhodes does not seem to really take much of the heat for the death of Jim Crockett Promotions. He admits he usually catches the blame, but by no means admits his guilt. He was not alone, but he was certainly complacent as JCP spent its way into the ground.
The Rating: ****1/4

World's Greatest Wrestling Managers
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 6/06
Featured Talent
Captain Lou Albano, Steve Austin, Shelton Benjamin, Gerald Brisco, John Cena, Michael Cole, Bob Costas, Ted Dibiase, Danny Doring, Howard Finkel, Mick Foley, Todd Grisham, Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Hulk Hogan, Iron Shiek, Ken Kennedy, Jerry Lawler, Steve Lombardi, Theodore Long, Chris Masters, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon, Shawn Michaels, Gene Okerland, Bob Orton Jr., Pat Patterson, Roddy Piper, Bruce Pritchard, William Regal, Road Warrior Animal, The Rock, Jim Ross, Terri Runnels, Sharmell, Arnold Skaaland, Sgt. Slaughter, Trish Stratus, Joey Styles, Tazz, Triple H, Nikolai Volkoff, Harvey Whippleman
The Good
The WWE's expansive pro-wrestling library is something that are always trying to market. Who can forget all those Coliseum Video releases from back in the 80s with some pretty strange themes. This is a takeoff on that tradition and it is not without the campiness of those releases from over twenty years ago. Vince McMahon has the sharpest and best insight in this and it is one that is so often missing from his comments on WWE documentaries. He concisely explains a manager's job and is pretty blunt about the strengths and weaknesses of the managers covered here. It seemed not-so-surprising that female managers/valets are put over strongly as that is the norm in the WWE nowadays. The argument against female managers has been that it is not so easy when it is time for them to get their comeuppance and there is simply not the big payoff in the end. Although that argument is not stated here, it is certainly demonstrated and it should make a fan watching scratch their heads about current WWE “managers”. Particular highlights were demonstrating the mic skills of numerous managers, including Freddie Blassie, Bobby Heenan and Jim Cornette. It was also curious that the legacy of Sunny was fairly covered. The Paul Bearer transformation from Percy Pringle is also great to see because it is so unique. There are some neat questions posed, whether or not a manager needs to be/have been a worker, being the best one. This DVD pretty much delivers what you'd expect and it is fine, well-edited piece.
The Bad
The title is grossly misleading because this does not exactly cover non-WWF/WWE managers and worse yet it ignores the past of many of them. A short list of great managers who are not mentioned or even shown here - Saul Weingeroff, Gary Hart, Skandor Akbar, Sir Oliver Humperdink, Dr. Ken Ramey, Lord Alfred Hayes, J.C. Dykes, Professor Boris Malenko, Eddie Creatchman, Precious, George “Crybaby” Cannon and Robert Fuller. Now several of those people they simply don't have footage of, but others are just sad omissions. If they wanted to keep this purely WWWF/WWF/WWE managers than they should have done that. The idea that Freddie Blassie was the “first” manager is laughably ignorant because there were some legends (see above) that predated him. Seriously, they included Arnold Skaaland (a road agent) and left out even people like Slick, Mr. Fuji and Harvey Whippleman who while not the best were certainly superior to Skaaland. The commentaries from talent are largely good, although there is the usual kayfabe and Jerry Brisco nonsense and some horrendous decisions on what to wear for taped interviews. Todd Grisham, the host, only detracts from this and is given some stupid material to segue between segments. For extras, they have some matches that are largely dull and some promos and angles that are largely great. This may sound like a scathing or nit-picky review, but this DVD certainly has its flaws and a follow-up seems unlikely, which is sad. Hopefully Greg Oliver and Stephen Johnston have a PWHOF Managers book in the wings.
The Rating: ***1/2

Icons of Wrestling: Abdullah the Butcher
Director: n/a
Distributor: TWC (The Wrestling Channel)
Released: 1/06
Featured Talent
Abdullah the Butcher, Jim Melby, Antonio Inoki, Martha Shreeve
The Good
The "Icons of Wrestling" series from TWC in Britain does some cool short documentaries on some legendary figures. This one of Abby is better than others I have seen because he is a more recent star, so they had more quality footage (including he and Hulk Hogan in New Japan, although they overplay the impact of that match). Seeing the house where he grew up, hearing from his mother and his restaurant in Atlanta made this unique. However, his views and stories about his family made this a real human story.
The Bad
At twenty-two minutes, it is difficult to really capture a career like Abdullah's. This has a long and unnecessary part about World War II, which adds something in other shows, but not this one. The lack of commentary from people keeps the scope of this narrow. The worst part however is when they call Bruiser Brody "Tug Taylor" and Carlos Colon "Calos Stalone." Despite these gross errors, they do not detract greatly from the story.
The Rating: ***

Icons of Wrestling: Pepper Gomez
Director: Dale & Claude Barnes
Distributor: TWC (The Wrestling Channel)
Released: 1/06
Featured Talent
Bonnie Gomez, Pepper Gomez, Dr. Mike Lano, Jim Melby, Paul Vachon, Jimmy Valiant,
The Good
This series selected an interesting variety of talent to feature and Pepper Gomez is one of those curiosities. A top babyface in several territories with a great look, decent talent and great fire, Gomez is one of those legends who are certainly overlooked for some reason. This mini-documentary focuses largely on his life story with the pro-wrestling being part of the story. It talks about his childhood, the “Pepper” nickname, his time in the US Navy and how he broke in to pro-wrestling in the first part of this. Then it delves into his wives and family and eventually his health problems. The real strength of this is Mike Lano and Jim Melby explaining his strengths as a performer and essentially his legacy in pro-wrestling.
The Bad
This series loves to do convoluted historical tie-ins and here we have the development of the talkie and how that was the time when Pepper Gomez was b orn. It is a strange setup. The real flaw of this is two-fold it lacks a strong explanation of Gomez’s legacy and it only features two matches to showcase his ringwork. One match is a tag match from his prime, which is okay, but the other is a battle with Dick the Bruiser when he was nearing retirement due to physical ailments. This featurette is not wholly bad, but it is perhaps the least interesting from the “Icons” series.
The Rating: **3/4

Icons of Wrestling: Lou Thesz
Director: Dale & Claude Barnes
Distributor: TWC (The Wrestling Channel)
Released: 1/06
Featured Talent
Pampero Firpo, Hard Boiled Haggerty, Antonio Inoki, Charlie Thesz, Lou Thesz
The Good
If you have never seen any footage of Lou Thesz, this is a neat little featurette about him. It offers a lot of photos, video and comments that gives some insight into why many have considered him the greatest pro-wrestler ever. This gives a very brief overview of a long and full career breaking up the story into two halves. First are the early years with him cutting his teeth and being managed by “Strangler” Lewis. Then after explaining his hand-to-hand combat training during World War II, it covers the post-war period. This second part features the advent of television and focuses on his time in California. There is quiet a bit of footage of him and his family on the beach, hosting a party and playing on his ranch. Then fast-forward to the mid-70s when he is working periodically in Japan as a legend and meeting his third wife Charlie. It is difficult to cover such a career and this is about as good as one would expect to get in less than thirty minutes. Lou Thesz is pretty candid and there is a semblance of order to the story.
The Bad
While this came out a few years ago, since the advent of youtube, something like this seems dull. While there is only a fraction of Lou Thesz’s matches saved on video, most of it is him as a balding forty year old man. He was a great athlete, a great performer and a great champion, but it is difficult to dress up this footage and get that idea across. Things just look so different and he looks so old that some explanation is required to pull out the positive aspects and that is not really done here. Another issue is that everything that Lou Thesz said had a reason behind it, whether it was to put someone over, protect his own legacy or whatever. It is part kayfabe, part fuzzy memories, but it adds up to a not-so-honest version of history. While Hooker is a great book, it has that dimension to it and so does this. Lastly, if you want to memorialize someone, spell their name correctly.
The Rating: ***

Twenty Years Too Soon
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 1/06
Featured Talent
Brad Baker (pastor), Freddie Blassie, Gerald Brisco, John Cena, Christian, Valerie Coleman (Billy Graham's wife), Ric Flair, Jimmy Hart, Bobby Heenan, Hulk Hogan, Superstar Billy Graham, Steve Lombardi, Shawn Michaels, Gene Okerland, Randy Orton, Bruce Pritchard, Dusty Rhodes, Jim Ross, Triple H
The Good
“Superstar” Billy Graham is a unique brand of pro-wrestler whose packaged presentation changed the sport as much as anyone else. Although his autobiography is one of, if not the best released by the WWE. However, the Superstar's jive-talkin' rap and his distinctly colorful appearance lends itself best to a production such as this. Aside from that he is such a great talker and storyteller that just himself and the clips is enough to make this top notch. Then there is the issue of his religious side, which comes across more vividly as well. The approach to some contemporaries of Billy Graham from Bruno Sammartino and Bob Backlund to Hulk Hogan and Jesse Ventura is largely fair although all have spotty histories with Vince McMahon. A lot of credit is given to Superstar's innovations, which is nice to see because old-timers do not always get the credit they deserve in this regard. Not surprisingly much focus is given to his fall. His drug abuse is depicted honestly, the discussion of steroids is interesting (although questionable in its fairness and accuracy), the burial of his later martial arts character is necessary and his grudge against Vince is handled much the way you would expect it to be. In the end, Billy Graham says bluntly, “I would do it again!” and believes the reward was worth the countless physical problems he's faced. All of that content aside, the production of this is excellent. WWE always puts out a decent product, but this has exceptionally good music and this neat reoccurring visual with images of Superstar Graham on a TV from that era. This is inarguably one of the WWE's few successes in that regard.
The Bad
This documentary has the usual flaws - missing footage, missing personalities, missing interviews and a skewed version of history. Coming from a humble background, Graham's early life is limited to a handful of photographs. Unfortunately they are shown over and over again with these scrolling shots that grow obnoxious. There are similar limitations with his career before his AWA run because there is no footage shown and often later footage or photos are shown in lieu of more time-appropriate material. While many people are mentioned, many are not, or they are but in only as a passing detail. From Dr. Jerry Graham and Wahoo McDaniel early in his career to the Grand Wizard, Ivan Koloff, Chief Jay Strongbow and Ivan Putski later in his career, there are a number of people who get little mention, needless to say being interviewed. While its no surprise that Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund and even Jesse Ventura are not interviewed, why could they not get Pat Patterson? As for the historical inadequacies, there are several of note. The footage shown really makes Superstar Graham's in-ring work look good, although he was (by his own admission) a limited worker. Vince McMahon is put over strongly in this as a really nice guy who was taken to court by the Federal Government in a trial that was a sham, but it is widely known that Vince has a reputation as a tough businessman who rewards bodies that are often built with steroids. This documentary is too limited to scope to be considered “great,” but it is very good for what it is.
The Rating: ****3/4

The Best There Is, The Best There Was, The Best There Ever Will Be
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/05
Featured Talent
Animal, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Jerry Brisco, Christian, Bret Hart, Jimmy Hart, Steve Lombardi, Vince McMahon, Gene Okerland, Roddy Piper, Bruce Pritchard, Jim Ross
The Good
The Bret Hart story is one of the most fascinating in pro-wrestling and this WWE production with Hart's close involvement does a respectable job. His early years are covered in pretty good depth, which is not often the case in these documentaries. It talks about his amateur background, his legendary father and shows more Stampede than you would expect. Although it is in highlight form (Stampede's library is limited), it focuses on his greatest rivals, which are consequential some under appreciated talents like the Kiwis (later known as the Bushwackers), Bad News Allen, The Stomp, David Schultz and it shows plenty of the Dynamite Kid. Then his legendary thirteen year run with the WWF is covered in great depth. From his early days as a near jobber and later half of the extremely talented Hart Foundation, his abilities as a young worker and heel are displayed. Then his singles days as the “excellent” Intercontinental Champion workhorse, the unlikely World Champion and then the superstar in his prime. This climbing-the-ladder story is a simple and frequently used one on the WWE documentaries, but it plays well here because it is a drawn out story. After he reached the pinnacle, it discusses the many hardships that befell him - unexpected hatred from the American fans, the Montreal screwjob, his pathetic WCW run, the death of Owen Hart, his sudden retirement and his stroke in 2002. The documentary stays away from the numerous deaths that Bret experienced over the last ten years and that prevents this from becoming too morbid, although the DVD Extras has a nice piece about Bret's dead colleagues. This a well put together DVD package and it has many great matches to boot. The star commentary here is from, not surprisingly, Bret Hart himself and the DVD Extras add some of the bits that couldn't neatly fit into the documentary.
The Bad
In these WWE documentaries there is often a lack of duality to the commentary. Bret Hart really believes in his legacy and he is the overwhelming presence here and not many other views squeak into the story. Vince McMahon and Jim Ross provide some good perspective, but they are not exactly critics of Bret Hart. This is not surprising because it was a tricky operation to put this DVD package together. There is a shocking lack of diversity to the commentators though, which is tragic. None of his family members are featured, most notably Jim Neidhart, there is a lack of Stampede personalities and even old veterans (Nick Bockwinkel, Harley Race, etc.) who could have been interviewed. There is plenty of Ed Whalen in the Stampede highlights, which is unfortunate because it makes the product seem so farm league. Otherwise, this is a solid documentary and a great DVD package.
The Rating: *****

Lipstick and Dynamite
Directors: Ruth Leitman
Distributor: Koch Lorber Films
Released: 9/05
Featured Talent
Mary Aquaviva (fan), Rita Cortez-Lee, Penny Banner, Marie Bernardi, Cathy Branch, Karin Dromo, The Fabulous Moolah, Gladys “Killem” Gillem, Judy Grable, Joyce Grable, Sylvia Hackney, Joe Hamilton [The Assassin], Karl Lauer (promoter), Marie Laverne, Sara Lee, Ida May Martinez, Jim Melby (referee/magazine publisher), Sputnik Monroe, Sandy Parker, Anthony Piazza (fan & collector), Stu Schwartz (referee), Millie Stafford, Ella Waldek, Johnny Wall Jr. (Gladys Gillem's son), Bonnie Watson, “The Great” Mae Young
The Good
This may very well be the greatest documentary ever made about pro-wrestling. It has the shocking moments like Beyond the Mat, it has the scope of Heroes of World Class, it has production value better than all of the WWE's documentaries and it succinctly investigates one dimension of pro-wrestling. The overall feel of this is fantastic with a post-war art deco and rockabilly combination that adds greatly. It should also be noted that much of the music is provided by Memphis-based surf rockers Los Straightjackets who are known for wearing luchador masks. The stories and anecdotes are tremendous and only add to the overall package, although it seems likely that some great ones were left on the cutting room floor. The stories of political maneuvering, sexual promiscuity and bitterness between the stars adds a lot of zest to this effort. Furthermore, the openness of the ladies featured is incredible and the perfume is practically radiating through the camera lens. The overall story is simple. Women's wrestling went from the carnivals to arenas through the manipulation of seedy men like Jack Pfefer and Billy Wolfe, but eventually the Fabulous Moolah seized control and helped transition the control to the McMahon family where it is today. It is interesting to hear linkage from the carnies to Vince McMahon. There are numerous morsels of intrigue to this from the Fabulous Moolah's disturbing relationship with “girl midget wrestler” Diamond Lil to Penny Banner describing her abusive relationship with legendary babyface Johnny Weaver. This documentary is exactly what it aims to be and it ends up being one of, if not the best documentary of its kind.
The Bad
While any documentary on pro-wrestling has its flaws, this one has very few. Clearly, it only takes a small portion of pro-wrestling (women's wrestling) and is mostly limited to a certain time period (1940s-1980s), although it talks about the time before and after. There is a level of kayfabe from some of the ladies that you expect from old-schoolers. Yes, they had tough matches and yes, sometime people took liberties or went into business on their own, but there is a feeling that there was a level of shooting going on that seems implausible. The other facet that bothers me is burying the “divas” of today, specifically those in the WWE. One is led to believe that the women's wrestlers of today are purely sex objects with no athletic ability, but that is simply untrue. While sex is perhaps the strongest part of the package, it is only a part and demeaning the athleticism (as opposed to the working ability) of current female pro-wrestlers is unnecessary. The cult of Japanese women's wrestling is never acknowledged, although it was more successful and arguably better than the generation of wrestling featured here, but you can always check out Gaea Girls for that. Overall this documentary is excellent and an example for any that follow it.
The Rating: *****

Road Warriors: The Life and Death of the Most Dominant Tag-Team in Wrestling History
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 6/05
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Animal, Eric Bischoff, Booker T., Jerry Brisco, Jim Cornette, Barry Darsow (Smash), Darren "Droz" Drozdov, Edge, Paul Ellering, Ric Flair, Michael Hayes, Steve Keirn, Johnny "Ace" Laurenitis, Jerry Lawler, Steve Lombardi, Jim Ross
The Good
The WWE had not really put a lot into their documentaries, but this was one of the first that was really a step up. This did an excellent job at detailing the career, qualities and successes of the legendary Road Warriors. Animal, proved to be a good storyteller and that really helped this considerably. The barbells and bouncing past of the Roadies was detailed and it built up how they were a jacked up and aggressive pair that when transformed, they just clicked. They were groundbreaking and influential and that aspect was explained here. From their distinct look to their one-of-a-kind promos (which are included on the DVD extras), the Road Warrior package made them a top draw when tag teams were not usually big draws. It covers the many teams they worked, rightly focusing on the Midnight Express and the legendary scaffold match. Not surprisingly, Cornette is excellent in this. Perhaps the most interesting aspect was the role of Paul Ellering, who truly was their manager, helping them learn the ropes, make their shots and manage their money. However, the Road Warrior story wouldn't be complete without the nagging substance abuse and personality of Mike "Hawk" Hegstrand and that component is a focal point through out and essentially their inability to return to prominence again after their `92 break-up is explained. Since the LOD was not known for their workrate, including their best matches was not hard to do. Instead, the focus is on variety and that works well. Seeing them in the AWA, Georgia, Jim Crockett Promotions, the WWF, WCW and even in Japan is what this largely needed.
The Bad
One of the real flaws of WWE documentaries is, like VH1's Behind the Music, they tend to be formulaic in their rise-fall-retribution approach. This has that perhaps more than any documentary since. Instead of digging deeper, Hawk's substance abuse problems are put totally on him and not at all credited to the hellacious schedule, grueling physical demands and personal strain that, one might argue, leads many down this self-destructive path. The WWF's desire to take the edgy and unique Road Warriors and try to WWF-ify them in the early 90s is not touched upon. They changed their name to the Legion of Doom, made their outfits more professional-looking, did not bring in Paul Ellering until later on and even gave them Rocco (remember that dummy?). Although the Roadies were way over in the WWF, the company certainly did not always do the best things for them. They do touch upon the WWF's repacking attempts in the late 90s with LOD 2000, Road Warrior Puke and the Hawk the abuser storyline, but none are really addressed as poor creative decisions. Lastly, there is the issue of Japan. The Road Warriors were huge in Japan in the 1980s and it would have been nice to see Jumbo Tsuruta on a WWF DVD. Secondly, Animal seems to bury Kensuke Sasaki. The fact is by the time he was teaming with Hawk, Sasaki was already well-established as Riki Choshu's protégé. Aside from those small details and broader issues, this documentary and DVD set are among the better ones the WWE has put out.
The Rating: ****1/2

The Rise and Fall of Extreme Championship Wrestling
Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/04
Featured Talent
Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, Eric Bischoff, Ron Buffone (ECW TV Director), Dawn Marie, Tommy Dreamer, Bubba Ray Dudley, D-Von Dudley, Spike Dudley, Mick Foley, Eddy Guerrero, Paul Heyman, Chris Jericho, Jerry Lawler, Vince McMahon, Nunzio (Little Guido), Rhino, Stevie Richards, Al Snow, Lance Storm, Tazz, Rob Van Dam
The Good
Perhaps no WWE documentary has and will have the impact that this one did. This seemed like a way to get some ECW library footage out there and gauge whether or not to release more. The highlight though is a lengthy documentary that discusses the legacy of the eight-year company known as Extreme Championship Wrestling. Paul Heyman is he superstar here, his passion, vision and sorrow all come across. The first part shows ECW's development from just another indy to one with unique personalities, hardcore wrestling, highly involved fans and great booking. Then it shows how it really shocked the system. Although the violence and controversial angles are what it became known for, ECW featured excellent straight wrestling, international stars, international styles and an avenue for talent to expose their real abilities. From superstars like Steve Austin and Mick Foley to guys with a lot left in the tank like Bam Bam Bigelow and Sid, ECW provided a place to show their wares in a way that helped them get bigger gigs. Heyman's ability to accentuate positives and mask negatives is covered and demonstrated quite a bit. That really shows the recent flaws of the WWE, it is too scripted and too neat to allow for the spontaneity that pro-wrestling thrives upon. It also tells how their success - getting onto syndication, pay-per-view and finally primetime television were so vital to their survival and success. Unfortunately, Heyman could not manage the books and it led to the eventual death. This offers a fair look at the legacy of ECW and while Heyman and former stars sing its praises, Eric Bischoff and even Vince McMahon are there to prevent it from being too overblown. ECW never was and probably never could have been the #2 pro-wrestling company, they had a niche audience and probably lacked mainstream appeal, yet they unquestionably changed the landscape of pro-wrestling in the US. This DVD ended up being so popular that it spawned a "One Night Stand" pay-per-view and later an ECW brand.
The Bad
Like any rise and fall story, this has some doses of bitterness, nostalgic sentiments and fuzzy memories. Paul Heyman, Tommy Dreamer and several others genuinely loved ECW and everything it was and provided them. There are some inaccuracies that are glaring. One is that ECW was this complete split from the old, which it certainly was not. If anything, it was a return to the old. It used blood and brawling like pro-wrestling in the late 60s and 70s had to combat the style of TV pro-wrestling from the 1950s. However, there was still plenty of excellent wrestling featured and even veteran talent, specifically Terry Funk. Second issue is the romanticizing of ECW. This company, like any company, put out some garbage, but often dressed it up. Their first pay-per-view, Barely Legal, was not very good, yet it was so well hyped, so well remembered and so important that its lack of quality is overlooked. That illustrates the biggest problem with this documentary. One feels as if they are hearing half of the story. Since they only used WWE contracted talent (other than Ron Buffone), the contributions of people like Raven, Shane Douglas, The Sandman, Sabu and even Terry Funk are not fully appreciated. Others, like Steve Corino, Justin Credible, Jerry Lynn and even Tajiri are basically left out of the ECW story. For those perspectives, there is the documentary Forever Hardcore, which is excellent at filling in some of the gaps left by this WWE effort.
The Rating: ****1/2

Hard Knocks
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 7/04
Featured Talent
Arn Anderson, Laurie Benoit (sister), Margaret Benoit (mother), Michael Benoit (father), Nancy Benoit, Francoise Berry (aunt), Booker T, Ric Flair, Mike Fuschetto (friend), Eddy Guerrero, Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko, Vicki O'Neill (teacher), Don Turlock (football coach)
The Good
When this was originally released in 2004, this was perhaps the best documentary and collection of matches that the WWE had put out. Looking back at it and looking past the events of 2007, this is still a top notch product. That being said, the Chris Benoit story is incomplete without its end and that has tainted this product to the point that fans of Chris Benoit probably cannot bare to watch or sell this for profit. However, this documentary as an artifact is something unique to be sure. The emotional instability, the history of isolation, dependency on others' friendship, the struggles with the politics of pro-wrestling, the fact that this was coming off what was unquestionably Chris Benoit's career peak and the series of matches and clips that demonstrate how he destroyed his brain are all glaring in lieu of June 2007. Benoit matter of factly states at the beginning of this documentary - "wrestling has consumed my life." Looking at some of the specific content that is good is certainly the inclusion of his time in Stampede and New Japan, which thoroughly shaped the man. The parts about his relationship with Kevin Sullivan are interesting, but incomplete. Some of his feuds in ECW, WCW and WWF are detailed in a way that is appropriate to such an in-ring-based performer. As for the matches featured - this DVD set a standard that may never be topped. In fifteen matches, Benoit's career is pretty well displayed and it f eatures both the best and the most important in his career. Furthermore, they have audio commentary tracks for the three Japanese matches which is a nice inclusion that WWE DVDs tend not to included.
The Bad
When this first came out it had a uniqueness because the Chris Benoit story was so inspiring. Here is a man who knew what he wanted to do and strived through much adversity to do it and reached a pinnacle that can be credited entirely to his hard work. Unfortunately that same story is rendered null when one realized the toll he paid and how it ended for him and his family. It is almost as if he made a deal with the devil to go from a quiet skinny kid in Edmonton to winning the World Championship at a Wrestlemania in manner that only a handful will experience. Before 2007, this documentary did present some uncomfortable realities. Chris Benoit unquestionably had used steroids and although he was one of this most highly regarded pro-wrestlers in the world, his freakishly muscular build and even the physical changes to his face hits the viewer over the head in this DVD. Furthermore, he is exceptionally emotional for a "tough guy" pro-wrestler. Benoit broke down a few times in the interviews for this documentary and had some others shown via clips and matches. We now know he was quite literally losing his mind. Lastly, it is just so clear that he was obessive about pro-wrestling and to such an extent that it seems like it may have been detrimental to his ability to deal with reality. This is a well-done DVD package, sadly its focal point is the most infamous pro-wrestler who is portayed here as having noble qualities and being an inspiration to others. Some of the specific weaknesses of this documentary are the vagueness of his time in New Japan, the overplaying of ECW and and there are parts that should have probably been edited better because they are unclear or poorly explained. The matches chosen were great, a few that might have been included - his TV matches in Calgary and Edmonton against Steve Austin, he and Jericho against Triple H and Austin, one of his stellar WCW matches against Dean Malenko, his famous match with Villano III and probably one of his numerous matches against Chris Jericho. Sadly, we shall never see these compiled and perhaps never even released. The documentary ends with the lyric, "If I traded it all, just for one thing..." and the unimaginable peak that Chris Benoit reached has certainly been forever tarnished by the way his life ended a few years later.
The Rating: ****1/2

This is My Yard
Director: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWF Home Video
Released: 9/01
Featured Talent
Kurt Angle, Brooklyn Brawler, Edge, Howard Finkel, Matt Hardy, Paul Heyman, Hardcore Holly, Chris Jericho, Kane, Lita, Diamond Dallas Page, Pat Patterson, Jim Ross, The Undertaker, X-Pac
The Good
The Undertaker is probably the best character the WWF ever created. While Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin and The Rock were arguably bigger stars and stronger draws, they were not the type of "character" that Mark Calloway has created and portrayed. This is a decent bio before the WWF/WWE really began putting a lot of effort into their documentaries. The Undertaker was just wrapping up a decade in the WWF and this look back was nostalgic, but foward looking. He talks about his time in WCW, his entrance into the WWF, his learning under Jake Roberts and the original dimensions of his character. Then it delves into how The Undertaker character had tranformed over the years, focusing largely on the original and the Ministry version. Since he was the "American Bad Ass" character when this was released, it mainly focuses on that, which is close to his true self. His tattoos and bikes are covered, which is very "WWF Confidential," but fine documentary filler as they always have. The comments by his peers about how he is a lockeroom leader and how hard he works is one of the strengths of this documentary. That is the aspect of The Undertaker that is not exactly displayed on TV (although it is widely known), so having it explained is appropriate.
The Bad
By jumping right to "Mean" Mark, this documentary leaves out his time in Texas, the Spoiler and his development in Memphis, which are all more pivotal and important than his short stint in the New Skyscrapers. The WWF did not own the rights to World Class or the USWA at that point, so those omissions are understandable. The story jumps around a bit and certainly focuses too much on the character he had when this was produced. His forgettable feuds in 2000-2001 with Kurt Angle, Triple H and Steve Austin are overplayed and make this look weird a few years after the fact. His rivalries with Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels and various freaks and giants should have gotten more time. The presense of a masked Kane, semi-kayfabing, is really lame. The over-the-top nature of their feud and the fact they are kayfabe brothers really made this weird in spots. As strange as that was, featuring Sara (his now ex-wife), really dates this documentary. Perhaps the most disappointing was the lack of star power being interviewed on this. The WWE will definitely do a documentary in the future and hopefully they can use pieces from this to generate a more deserving product.
The Rating: ***1/2

Wrestling Gold Collection
Director: n/a
Distributor: Kit Parker Films
Released: ?/01
Featured Talent
Jim Cornette & Dave Meltzer
The Good
This five disc collection features approximately sixty matches from various territories with material that is predominately from the 1980s. There are matches from Memphis, Detroit, San Antonio and several companies. Without the commentary a lot of this action would be boring, however the insight from Cornette and Meltzer make this material more meaningful. Rather than calling the matches in kayfabe (which Cornette could do brilliantly), they use the matches as talking points as two of pro-wrestling's greatest minds explain the history and psychology of the sport. Cornette's humor and personality adds greatly as Meltzer is a journalist, not an entertainer. I purchased these tapes at a good price and really enjoy their content. Although you can turn off the commentary, most of the announcers (except for Lance Russell) add little to the quality of the matches. There really are some gems in here: Randy Savage, Jerry Lawler, Bobby Heenan, Rock-N-Roll Express and the Dynamic Duo (Gino Hernandez & Tully Blanchard) are all in their primes. There are also appearances by stars like Shawn Michaels, The Road Warriors, Rick Rude, Magnum TA and the Von Erichs before their primes. Finally, there is a long list of legends featured: The Sheik, Harley Race, Nick Bockwinkel, Dick the Bruiser, The Crusher, Bruno Sammartino, Ernie Ladd, Bruiser Brody and the Funks, amongst others. This is a nice hodge-podge of pro-wrestling.
The Bad
Due to the WWE owning the rights to most major pro-wrestling company's libraries, there was limited footage from which to pull matches. Furthermore, many matches were clearly chosen for the names involved, rather than the quality of the action. If you have never seen the likes of Bob Sweetan, Ox Baker, Tiger Jeet Singh and Ivan Putski - this is a chance to see them (like it or not!). There are plenty of ugly-looking moves, matches and men, but there is enough humor and quality to keep Wrestling Gold from being Wrestling Garbage.
The Extras
None to speak of, this simply has the matches listed and the special commentary.
The Rating: ***3/4

Beyond the Mat
Director: Barry Blaustein
Distributor: Universal Studios
Released: 9/00 [DVD Release]
Featured Talent
Afa, Roland Alexander, Ed Beckley (Indy Promoter), Jim Bell (Sr. VP of Marketing), Debbie Bonnanzio (VP of Creative Services), Chyna, Justin Credible, Shane Douglas, Spike Dudley, Colette Foley (Mick Foley's wife), Jack Foley (Mick Foley's father), Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Paul Heyman, Tony Jones, Vince McMahon, Dave Meltzer, Mike Modest, New Jack, Jake Roberts, The Rock, Jim Ross, Brandy Smith (Jake Roberts' daughter), Grizzly Smith, Al Snow, Dennis Stamp, Jesse Ventura, Koko B. Ware, Danny Zucker (Mick Foley's childhood friend)
The Good
When this big time documentary came out in 1999, it was one of the most comprehensive and raw glimpses behind the curtain of pro-wrestling that had ever been done. There are a few that are comparable to this, but it was truly a trendsetter. It opens with Barry Blaustein asking the question, "Who are these guys?" In just under two hours, he looks at the people in pro-wrestling from performers young and old to promoters big and small. While this features numerous stars and many were not included during the two years it took to produce this, Blaustein focus hinges on three men - Terry Funk, Mick Foley and Jake Roberts. He has little bits on Darren Drozdov with the "he's gonna puke!" scene of infamy, New Jack going to Hollywood and so fourth, but that is largely filler. The strength of the story is in how Funk, Foley and Roberts have been transformed by pro-wrestling and how it has impacted their family life. Funk is a worn down, but still tender to his family, beloved by the fans and still crazy. Foley was at his professional peak and height of self-destruction, but he has a soft side that shines through. Jake Roberts came from a broken home and substance abuse and the demands of the road led him to creating a broken home. His story is dark and he is perhaps the heel of this documentary by Blaustein's design. Jake's daughter Brandy provides some of the best insight into her father and while the viewer is made to feel for Mick Foley's family as they see him abused, it is Brandy whose trauma is the deepest and most tragic. Aside from those personal stories, the look behind the scenes is really great. Hearing the banter between people during a dark match; watching the sets and rings being constructed; seeing the different dressing rooms, yet the same scenes no matter what size they are, and witnessing the camaraderie between stars (Mick Foley and his family meeting up with The Rock and Steve Austin is particularly surreal) all builds up the matches as any good pro-wrestling production does.
The Bad
This documentary is excellent, but it is not without some manipulation of material. Jake Roberts has repeatedly stated that Blaustein took advantage of his situation, his problems and his family by what he depicted. It does not seem like a stretch. Any good pro-wrestling show needs a bad guy and in something aiming to be real, you need someone who is not being real. Jake, drugged out and bitter, is still acting as his daughter states. Whether you side with Jake or not, this certainly does not paint him in a positive light and probably tarnished his legacy more than anything that he actually did. Roland Alexander, owner of APW, is also made out as a heel. A fat shyster who sometimes does not pay his wrestlers, gets a cut of his performers contracts and tells wanna-bes to take care of themselves physically despite his own girth. Then there is Dennis Stamp. A veteran of the Amarillo territory who had a fine career is made to look like a bitter old fool, refusing to attend Terry Funk's retirement show and jumping around on a trampoline in his trunks. While pro-wrestling always needs its heels, Blaustein undoubtedly made these three out as real-life heels to appear opposite Terry Funk and Mick Foley.
The Extras
The DVD release of this has two standout - audio commentary by Barry Blaustein and Terry Funk, which is enjotyable, and a sit-down chat with Mick Foley and Jesse Ventura that is interesting.
The Rating: *****

Faded Glory
Director: Rusty Baker
Distributor: n/a
Released: ?/99
Featured Talent
Bill Mercer (narrator), Kevin Von Erich, Fritz Von Erich
The Good
The Von Erich story is fascinating and people have wanted to and tried to get at it, but the truth is elusive and perhaps impossible to capture. This attempt by Rusty Baker is interesting in that it is somewhat of an unfiltered presentation with lots of raw footage from home videos to World Class television. Kevin Von Erich's comments add something, even if they are kayfabed. However, his views on his wife and children gives an insight into how he survived and his brothers did not. Fritz's are more kayfabed and add little. Bill Mercer's, however, save this even if they are at times over the top. The rise of Kevin, David and Kerry is fair. The deaths are what one would expect. If there was ever a documentary done about the Von Erichs, this would mean more, but after the release of Heroes of World Class, this seems amateurish.
The Bad
Any time words are coming out of a Von Erich mouth, you have to take what is said with a grain of salt. Not that they are liars, but they lived in a bubble that seems to have distorted their view of the pro-wrestling world. Unlike Heroes of World Class, this piece gives them an uncontested platform. This is bubbling over with romanticization and the true contributions of the Von Erichs are not really addressed because the overblown ones are focused upon. The stories of Mike and Chris are tragedies, but they it never seems like the full story is presented. The death of David in all its mystery is omitted, which is sad.
The Rating: **1/2

Wrestling
Directors: Michel Brault, Marcel Carreiere, Claude Fournier, Claude Jutra
Distributor: National Film Board of Canada
Released: 1961 (reaired 2004)
Featured Talent
Wild Red Berry, Eduord Carpentier, Al Costello, Dominic Denucci, Ivan Kalimikoff, Tony Lanza, Yvon Robert
The Good
The simple fact is there is not much quality pro-wrestling footage out there prior to the 1980s, so when some gems like this are avaliable, it is important to enjoy them. This brief documentary shows some great insight into the "Golden Age" of pro-wrestling. That sport that has a lot of tongue-in-cheek comedy, simple characters and more white hot heat than anything you see on TV today. This documentary focuses on pro-wrestling in Canada, specifically Quebec. It shows legendary trainer Tony Lanza working with some of his students. It has a lengthy highlight reel of sorts from the card being featured. Seeing these nondescript wrestlers go through moves on black and white film and the action being set to Bach is fascinating to see. It is at times whimiscal, at times artsy and it even borders on beautiful a few times. The main event is Eduoard Carpentier and Dominic Denucci against Al Costello and Ivan Kalimikoff. These are four men who were top stars in the 60s, but receive little, if any, fanfare today. To see Carpentier is amazing - a thickly muscled, charismatic babyface who flips around and works the crowd to perfection. Denucci, known now mostly as Mick Foley's mentor, shows why he was a top draw in Australia as he sells a pounding that drives the Italians in the crowd wild. Costello and Kalimikoff, two master tag wrestlers, heel it up and they generate that heat you just don't see these days. Also it should be mentioned Wild Red Berry cuts a promo at the end that along with Kalimikoff shows how simple it is.
The Bad
I have few complaints about this. Thirty minutes was way too short to satisfy me, although I loved seeing this action. They didn't name the undercard matches or wrestlers, so I didn't know who was who is all the black trunks and black boots. While some may say a lot of this looked fake, this is from near fifty years ago! Sure, parts of this don't compare to today's action, but the heat is just amazing to experience. I wouldn't call this a must-see for everyone, but if you are into pro-wrestling history this captures much of what made the television era so great.
The Rating: ****

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