The Most Powerful Families in Wrestling


Directors: Kevin Dunn
Distributor: WWE Home Video
Released: 11/08
Featured Talent
Afa, Animal, Steve Austin, Chris Benoit, Eric Bischoff, Nick Bockwinkel, Jerry Brisco, Jim Brunzell, Carlito, John Cena, Mike Chapman, Christian, Deuce, Tommy Dreamer, Ric Flair, Dory Funk Jr., Greg Gagne, Verne Gagne, Billy Graham, Mike Graham, Chavo Guerrero Jr., Chavo Guerrero Sr., Cuqui Guerrero, Eddie Guerrero, Hector Guerrero, Herlindo Guerrero, Linda Guerrero, Mando Guerrero, Chris Jericho, Ata Johnson, Rocky Johnson, Jeff Hardy, Stu Hart, Larry Hennig, Hulk Hogan, Jerry Lawler, Steve Lombardi, Lia Maivia, Dean Malenko, Sherri Martel, Stephanie McMahon, Vince McMahon, Blackjack Mulligan, Rey Mysterio, Gene Okerland, Bob Orton Sr., Bob Orton Jr., Randy Orton, Pat Patterson, Roddy Piper, Bruce Pritchard, William Regal, Dusty Rhodes, Rikishi, Jake Roberts, The Rock, Jim Ross, Mike Rotundo, Samu, Sika, Davey Boy Smith, Diana Smith, Ricky Steamboat, Joey Styles, Triple H, Barry Windham, Kendall Windham, Greg Valentine, Val Venis, Kevin Von Erich, Baron Von Raschke

The Good
The title of this DVD is quite specific and makes someone interested in pro-wrestling history want to see it.  If we add a few qualifiers than we can perhaps deal with what we're really getting here.  “The Most Powerful Families (who have had at least a member under WWF/WWE contract) in Pro-Wrestling (of the past 25 years)”.  The first family featured, the Ortons, is really fascinating and comprehensive, which certainly gives a lot of hope to the quality of this.  Not every family featured is as good, but overall this is a strong product.  The sheer number of people interviewed and the variety to those people adds greatly to this.  You get everyone from Vince McMahon himself (whose insight is often wonderful) and Hulk Hogan to Gory Guerrero and Peter Maivia's wife and daughters.  This is great overview of some of the most prominent pro-wrestling families.  If you can set aside the reality of this being a WWE history recreation attempt, this is very good.

The Bad
Shockingly, this is hosted by a WWE underachiever and son of a legend in one small market.  No its not Brian Christopher, Robert Fuller or Rene Dupree, although all three would've been preferable.  It's Carlito (Colon) whose hosting is campy and adds nothing to this DVD.  His lines are not funny, his only positive contributions are in the interview portions, it forever dates this DVD and his ties to Carlos Colon have never really been part of his persona.  That aside, this “historical” DVD is quite lacking in accordance to its lofty title.  If we're talking about families who were “powerful” in terms of having stroke, then it seems like you need to include some of those promoter/wrestler families.  The Welch/Fuller/Fields/Golden clan is certainly pro-wrestling's most prolific family with early twenty members who promoted, wrestled and refereed throughout Tennessee, Alabama and elsewhere.  Other families like: the Cormiers, the Duseks, the Farhats, the Garibaldis, the Poffos, the Scotts and the Smiths (Grizzly, Jake Roberts, etc.) all had families with promoters, bookers and/or top stars yet none of them were featured or even mentioned here.  If we're talking about “powerful” families as in having physical strength, then it seems like the Steinborns (father Milo was a legendary strongman, while Dick was a top hand and booker) should be mentioned.  There is definitely some gaps in the history, but we've come to expect that from WWE Home Video.

The Rating: ****1/4