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
