Original Title: Wrestling Documentaries
Original Date Sent: October 8th, 2012
Sent to: Pretty much anyone who had ever said the words "professional" and "wrestling" to me in the same sentence.
Context: Explained in the first paragraph. However, it's worth adding that this was sent a couple hours before CM Punk back-fisted a fan on live TV in front of his boss.
Hello All,
It's been a little while since I bothered everyone with an email, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Tomorrow, CM Punk's WWE DVD will be released. The centerpiece documentary is already getting the kind of buzz usually reserved for Palme D'Or winners (well, within the wrestling community anyway). You can see the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K9nH42bIro The set will feature extensive footage from Punk's days on the indies (including his most famous feuds in IWA and ROH) along with his honest thoughts on his time in WWE. It should be a fascinating look at a guy in whom I have felt personally invested for well over a decade. In fact, during his rise to prominence I wrote this email: http://emailsihavesent.blogspot.com/2011/08/cm-punk-email.html
But even if the documentary is as good as it's being made out to be, it doesn't mean that it will automatically be the best one ever produced. There is actually a surprising amount of competition for that distinction. Luckily, almost all of them are easily available on Instant Netflix. Both WWE and independently produced films are represented. Here is a list of the ones that I think stand above the rest. These are in no particular order and some are better than others. I also decided to cap it at fifteen. I'll try to keep each one brief, but no promises.
Beyond the Mat (1999) - Unquestionably the best of the list as a film. Give a real director an interesting subject and a classic pops out...funny how that happens. Beyond the Mat looks at all levels of the wrestling industry from the young and hopeful (Droz), to the prime of one's career at the top of the world (Mankind), to the sadly washed up (Jake "The Snake" Roberts). This is the epitome of a movie you should see even if you're not a wrestling fan.
Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling (2007) - The "No Country for Old Men" of wrestling documentaries. This one takes a look at the Dallas-based WCCW and the Von Erich family. To give you a preview, Fritz Von Erich had six sons. Five died young. The "Tragedy" portion of the title could not be more appropriate. Also includes tons of great footage from one of the forgotten titans of wrestling in the 1980's.
It's been a little while since I bothered everyone with an email, so I thought this would be the perfect opportunity. Tomorrow, CM Punk's WWE DVD will be released. The centerpiece documentary is already getting the kind of buzz usually reserved for Palme D'Or winners (well, within the wrestling community anyway). You can see the trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5K9nH42bIro The set will feature extensive footage from Punk's days on the indies (including his most famous feuds in IWA and ROH) along with his honest thoughts on his time in WWE. It should be a fascinating look at a guy in whom I have felt personally invested for well over a decade. In fact, during his rise to prominence I wrote this email: http://emailsihavesent.blogspot.com/2011/08/cm-punk-email.html
But even if the documentary is as good as it's being made out to be, it doesn't mean that it will automatically be the best one ever produced. There is actually a surprising amount of competition for that distinction. Luckily, almost all of them are easily available on Instant Netflix. Both WWE and independently produced films are represented. Here is a list of the ones that I think stand above the rest. These are in no particular order and some are better than others. I also decided to cap it at fifteen. I'll try to keep each one brief, but no promises.
Beyond the Mat (1999) - Unquestionably the best of the list as a film. Give a real director an interesting subject and a classic pops out...funny how that happens. Beyond the Mat looks at all levels of the wrestling industry from the young and hopeful (Droz), to the prime of one's career at the top of the world (Mankind), to the sadly washed up (Jake "The Snake" Roberts). This is the epitome of a movie you should see even if you're not a wrestling fan.
Triumph and Tragedy of World Class Championship Wrestling (2007) - The "No Country for Old Men" of wrestling documentaries. This one takes a look at the Dallas-based WCCW and the Von Erich family. To give you a preview, Fritz Von Erich had six sons. Five died young. The "Tragedy" portion of the title could not be more appropriate. Also includes tons of great footage from one of the forgotten titans of wrestling in the 1980's.
Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998) - This was originally supposed to be a puff piece for A&E that dealt with Bret Hart's life in what looked to be the final phase of his career. But as the filming schedule began to wind down, so did Hart's contract with the WWF. Now the documentary had a legitimate conflict and is interesting just for its first hand look at the backstage politics of the time. The crew stuck around for what was to be Bret's penultimate show: Survivor Series 1997 (with Raw the following night his last scheduled date before leaving for WCW). What happened that night is one of the most fascinating events to ever occur in wrestling. This is the famous Montreal Screwjob that led to bad blood between Bret Hart and WWF/E owner Vince McMahon for well over a decade (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal_Screwjob). This documentary covers all the fallout that night including the real life fist fights that occurred in the back.
WWE's Greatest Rivalries: Michaels vs. Hart (2011) - The Montreal Screwjob also served as a fitting climax for the rocky personal relationship between two of the biggest stars of that era, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. This set chronicles their rivalry both in and out of the ring. It doesn't shy away from any of the causes of resentment between the two. Both guys shed tears during the sit down interview segment over their behavior in the past. It comes off as two hours of honesty in a business literally built upon lies, misdirection, and stagecraft. Quite simply, this is about two men coming to grips with how many years they wasted on hatred for each other.
Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology (2010) - More Bret Hart but mostly about the family. The Hart Dungeon is one of the most famous training facilities in of all time (producing dozens of top wrestlers throughout the world including the likes of Chris Jericho, The British Bulldog, and Jushin "Thunder" Liger) and the movie isn't shy about that fact. This is better than the solo documentary WWE did on Hart upon his return mostly because the family as a whole is much more interesting than Bret as an individual. Plus, it's probably the closest we'll ever got to an Owen Hart documentary.
The Shawn Michaels Story (2007) - To round out this Montreal Screwjob arc, we have the story from the villain's perspective. And to his credit, Shawn acknowledged the part he played in the whole incident. This retrospective covers a whole lot more than that but the theme of Shawn as the bad guy never really goes away. From his torpedoing of other wrestlers to his fake injuries to his substance abuse issues, Shawn comes off pretty badly here. It's all part of the Christian retribution thing he has going on, but that doesn't mean that he's not genuine in taking responsibility for his past.
The Rise and Fall of WCW (2009) - Oh man, this might be the best one they've ever put out. Not only is it a great look back at all the things that set WCW apart as a company, but it's also hilarious. WCW was famous for its inefficiency and made more news for its epic failures than for anything it did right. The nWo was great, but WCW managed to drive it into the ground. Goldberg got them a lot of buzz, and they made sure to derail his popularity just as it was about to hit its peak. They alienated and marginalized a generation of wrestlers who would then go on to see incredible success in WWE. The best part is seeing the genuine relish which people use to badmouth the management of the company leading to the feeling that this is something like an out-and-out roast of WCW.
The Rise and Fall of ECW (2004) - This is the polar opposite of the WCW documentary and deservedly so. Everyone interviewed seemed to love their time there, even if the checks bounced on occasion. ECW is one of the most beloved institutions among wrestling fans because of its brash style, its violent matches, and its acceptance of guys who were well outside the mainstream. It embraced the emergence of both grunge culture and urban culture to produce a brand of wrestling that felt fresh and unique. A lot of the stuff in the ring doesn't really hold up today, but the attitude of the company still lives on.
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time (2011) - Maybe the best documentary on an individual wrestler produced by WWE to date. This owes largely to the fact that Austin was a guy who had failed numerous times before finally catching fire and becoming the biggest wrestler in the world. Other guys who reached that level (The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, etc) had a much more linear rise to the top. But Austin had to scrape and claw for his place at the top. The Attitude-era is obviously excellent as well.
Card Subject to Change (2011) - Documentary on independent wrestling and all its trappings. Necrobutcher gets interviewed for this, which immediately and automatically makes it worth your time. The real standout for me was Trent Acid (who died of a drug overdose in the middle of filming). Acid was a guy that I was a huge fan of when I first got into the independent scene. I would buy CZW shows just to see his matches (both individually and as one half of the Backseat Boys). Looking back, he's certainly not the best guy of that era. But he should always be considered the epitome of Indy Scum, almost like one of the self-destructive figures from the early days of punk. I wouldn't go so far as to compare him to Sid Vicious, but he could at least be considered the Darby Crash of indy wrestling. I still think that some WWE tag team should steal the Dream Sequence. Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel, I'm looking at you.
The Big Show: A Giant's World (2011) - Surprisingly good and the best example of how WWE has got the formula down for making interesting documentaries on guys who are not necessarily interesting in the ring. The "sad Big Show gets demoted to the minors" music is probably my favorite piece of WWE stock music. That mediocre sax solo just screams, "Poor Big Show! He got too much too soon!"
Breaking the Code: Chris Jericho (2010) - Just as WWE's cookie cutter framework for these documentaries can make me care about the likes of The Big Show, it also provides room for a guy with something to say and an interesting story to tell to do so. Jericho certainly qualifies as one of those guys. Like Austin, Jericho's success was far from assured. Despite a standout career in Mexico, Japan, and ECW, WCW managed to erect a glass ceiling right over Jericho's head and he encountered similar issues at the beginning of his WWE run. Jericho also offers a unique perspective on his success in the business and why it's not the be-all-end-all that people think.
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (2010) - Heenan was the best manager of all time and arguably the funniest person ever associated with pro wrestling not named Andy Kaufman. This doesn't offer much deep introspection or anything, but it's a lot of fun. Why WWE didn't slap a ridiculous title on the one documentary that deserves it is beyond me.
Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (2004) - This is sad to begin with. It pulls no punches in looking at Eddie Guerrero's substance issues and how they nearly derailed his career, his marriage, and his life. Hell, I remember when Eddie got fired from WWE and was working matches with CM Punk at high school gyms in Indiana in front of fifty people (pretty sure I own that match on a bootleg VHS somewhere). But he battled back and eventually became WWE Chamion and had this DVD celebrating his career and redemption. Then Eddie died of the all too common "Wrestling Related Heart Failure" shortly thereafter. I haven't re-watched this since Eddie's death. But "bittersweet" isn't nearly strong enough a word given the circumstances.
The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect (2008) - Curt Hennig was never a guy who became an international superstar. He was AWA World Champion and WWF Intercontinental Champion, sure. But his career was never as accomplished as one would expect from the subject of one of these WWE DVD sets. What set Mr. Perfect apart was just how fucking awesome he was. The towel throw, the gum catching, the cocky attitude. The introduction vignettes of him being perfect at everything he did are still the best character videos that WWE has ever produced. He's also tremendously influential and one can see echoes of him in many wrestlers today (especially Dolph Ziggler). I suppose that makes him a little like The Velvet Underground ("not many people bought that album, but everyone who did started a band..." or however the supposed Brian Eno quote goes). Among those who give their thoughts on the late, great, Mr. Perfect is Wade Boggs, of all people.
That's enough for now. Happy watching.
WWE's Greatest Rivalries: Michaels vs. Hart (2011) - The Montreal Screwjob also served as a fitting climax for the rocky personal relationship between two of the biggest stars of that era, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels. This set chronicles their rivalry both in and out of the ring. It doesn't shy away from any of the causes of resentment between the two. Both guys shed tears during the sit down interview segment over their behavior in the past. It comes off as two hours of honesty in a business literally built upon lies, misdirection, and stagecraft. Quite simply, this is about two men coming to grips with how many years they wasted on hatred for each other.
Hart & Soul: The Hart Family Anthology (2010) - More Bret Hart but mostly about the family. The Hart Dungeon is one of the most famous training facilities in of all time (producing dozens of top wrestlers throughout the world including the likes of Chris Jericho, The British Bulldog, and Jushin "Thunder" Liger) and the movie isn't shy about that fact. This is better than the solo documentary WWE did on Hart upon his return mostly because the family as a whole is much more interesting than Bret as an individual. Plus, it's probably the closest we'll ever got to an Owen Hart documentary.
The Shawn Michaels Story (2007) - To round out this Montreal Screwjob arc, we have the story from the villain's perspective. And to his credit, Shawn acknowledged the part he played in the whole incident. This retrospective covers a whole lot more than that but the theme of Shawn as the bad guy never really goes away. From his torpedoing of other wrestlers to his fake injuries to his substance abuse issues, Shawn comes off pretty badly here. It's all part of the Christian retribution thing he has going on, but that doesn't mean that he's not genuine in taking responsibility for his past.
The Rise and Fall of WCW (2009) - Oh man, this might be the best one they've ever put out. Not only is it a great look back at all the things that set WCW apart as a company, but it's also hilarious. WCW was famous for its inefficiency and made more news for its epic failures than for anything it did right. The nWo was great, but WCW managed to drive it into the ground. Goldberg got them a lot of buzz, and they made sure to derail his popularity just as it was about to hit its peak. They alienated and marginalized a generation of wrestlers who would then go on to see incredible success in WWE. The best part is seeing the genuine relish which people use to badmouth the management of the company leading to the feeling that this is something like an out-and-out roast of WCW.
The Rise and Fall of ECW (2004) - This is the polar opposite of the WCW documentary and deservedly so. Everyone interviewed seemed to love their time there, even if the checks bounced on occasion. ECW is one of the most beloved institutions among wrestling fans because of its brash style, its violent matches, and its acceptance of guys who were well outside the mainstream. It embraced the emergence of both grunge culture and urban culture to produce a brand of wrestling that felt fresh and unique. A lot of the stuff in the ring doesn't really hold up today, but the attitude of the company still lives on.
Stone Cold Steve Austin: The Bottom Line on the Most Popular Superstar of All Time (2011) - Maybe the best documentary on an individual wrestler produced by WWE to date. This owes largely to the fact that Austin was a guy who had failed numerous times before finally catching fire and becoming the biggest wrestler in the world. Other guys who reached that level (The Rock, Shawn Michaels, Randy Orton, etc) had a much more linear rise to the top. But Austin had to scrape and claw for his place at the top. The Attitude-era is obviously excellent as well.
Card Subject to Change (2011) - Documentary on independent wrestling and all its trappings. Necrobutcher gets interviewed for this, which immediately and automatically makes it worth your time. The real standout for me was Trent Acid (who died of a drug overdose in the middle of filming). Acid was a guy that I was a huge fan of when I first got into the independent scene. I would buy CZW shows just to see his matches (both individually and as one half of the Backseat Boys). Looking back, he's certainly not the best guy of that era. But he should always be considered the epitome of Indy Scum, almost like one of the self-destructive figures from the early days of punk. I wouldn't go so far as to compare him to Sid Vicious, but he could at least be considered the Darby Crash of indy wrestling. I still think that some WWE tag team should steal the Dream Sequence. Tyson Kidd and Justin Gabriel, I'm looking at you.
The Big Show: A Giant's World (2011) - Surprisingly good and the best example of how WWE has got the formula down for making interesting documentaries on guys who are not necessarily interesting in the ring. The "sad Big Show gets demoted to the minors" music is probably my favorite piece of WWE stock music. That mediocre sax solo just screams, "Poor Big Show! He got too much too soon!"
Breaking the Code: Chris Jericho (2010) - Just as WWE's cookie cutter framework for these documentaries can make me care about the likes of The Big Show, it also provides room for a guy with something to say and an interesting story to tell to do so. Jericho certainly qualifies as one of those guys. Like Austin, Jericho's success was far from assured. Despite a standout career in Mexico, Japan, and ECW, WCW managed to erect a glass ceiling right over Jericho's head and he encountered similar issues at the beginning of his WWE run. Jericho also offers a unique perspective on his success in the business and why it's not the be-all-end-all that people think.
Bobby "The Brain" Heenan (2010) - Heenan was the best manager of all time and arguably the funniest person ever associated with pro wrestling not named Andy Kaufman. This doesn't offer much deep introspection or anything, but it's a lot of fun. Why WWE didn't slap a ridiculous title on the one documentary that deserves it is beyond me.
Cheating Death, Stealing Life: The Eddie Guerrero Story (2004) - This is sad to begin with. It pulls no punches in looking at Eddie Guerrero's substance issues and how they nearly derailed his career, his marriage, and his life. Hell, I remember when Eddie got fired from WWE and was working matches with CM Punk at high school gyms in Indiana in front of fifty people (pretty sure I own that match on a bootleg VHS somewhere). But he battled back and eventually became WWE Chamion and had this DVD celebrating his career and redemption. Then Eddie died of the all too common "Wrestling Related Heart Failure" shortly thereafter. I haven't re-watched this since Eddie's death. But "bittersweet" isn't nearly strong enough a word given the circumstances.
The Life and Times of Mr. Perfect (2008) - Curt Hennig was never a guy who became an international superstar. He was AWA World Champion and WWF Intercontinental Champion, sure. But his career was never as accomplished as one would expect from the subject of one of these WWE DVD sets. What set Mr. Perfect apart was just how fucking awesome he was. The towel throw, the gum catching, the cocky attitude. The introduction vignettes of him being perfect at everything he did are still the best character videos that WWE has ever produced. He's also tremendously influential and one can see echoes of him in many wrestlers today (especially Dolph Ziggler). I suppose that makes him a little like The Velvet Underground ("not many people bought that album, but everyone who did started a band..." or however the supposed Brian Eno quote goes). Among those who give their thoughts on the late, great, Mr. Perfect is Wade Boggs, of all people.
That's enough for now. Happy watching.
