Gentlemen's Choice





Director: Mickey Grant
Distributor: Mickey Grant Productions
Released: 12/08

Talent Featured
Chris Adams, Jean & Cyril Adams, Jeanie Adams, Julia Adams, Karen Adams, Neil Adams, Shea Adams, Tyler Adams, Balon "Booray" Bradley, Nathan Bickerstaff, Killer Brooks, Billy "L.A. Steele" Cole, Sky "Lacey" Cole, Bill Colville, Rev. Tommy Drumm, Mickey Grant, Gary Hart, Pam Hernandez, Laurie Knight, Tom Lance, Martin Leyko, David Manning, Bill Mercer, Brent Parnell,Dorothy Parnell, Trinka Porrata, J.D. Reed, Dr. Rock, Emily Urban, Kevin Von Erich, Tony "Banger" Walsh, Earnest Wilkinson, John "Raven" Wymer, Roland Zamarano

The Good
I had this documentary for many months before the circumstances were right to watch it. I expected a lot of violence, vulgarity and tales of substance abuse that does not make for a fun evening movie with the family. This certainly had plenty of that and more. Toss in a few doped up and burnt out strippers, pro-wrestlers and buddies, vindictive indy performers and crabby old ladies and you've got the total package. The cast of characters in this was truly amazing and perhaps the greatest strength of this film. Yes, there were some people missing (mostly former peers in pro-wrestling, although many of them are dead or became estranged from Chris Adams), but it included practically every direct family member he had, a variety of friends and associates as well as some of the people who spent time with him for only a passing phase of his high-speed life. The quality of this was acceptable, it seemed almost jokingly low-rent at times because many of Chris's colleagues were kind of lower class people. There was definitely a tragically interesting story here and Mickey Grant did not try to gloss things over. Little pieces in this, such as comparing Chris Adams' to the infamous gunslinger Doc Holliday (who he apparently admired and dressed like during his fourth wedding), having him explain to a camera how his children are his world as his daughter behind him throws sand until it gets in her eyes and revealing that Chris had put a hit out on an indy valet to that very valet on camera, provided this shocking insight into the type of man Chris Adams was. If anyone thinks Mickey Grant wanted to put Chris Adams over (so to speak), they'd be wrong. This is a fair investigation in the life of man who had so much, but seemed hellbent on self-destruction.

The Bad
This documentary is about a pro-wrestler, but it's not about pro-wrestling per say. Chris Adams' fame was derived from pro-wrestling, specifically his time wrestling in World Class in the mid-1980s. He, like many of the young stars of World Class, were given so much, so quickly that they turned into some of the most deplorably immoral folks in the business. Some notable characters died, many of them survived, but none left Dallas untouched by the culture there. Chris Adams, could have gone elsewhere and been successful, but he chose to stay in Dallas and try to sustain his wild lifestyle. He went from a young and promising talent who loved fast cars, blondes and the nightlife to a broken down drug addict who was abusive, cruel and unable (or unwilling) to save himself. This is an extreme case, but one that mirrors the decline of many former pro-wrestlers. If some people disliked "The Wrestler" for its portrayal of pro-wrestlers, then you certainly will not like this.

The Rating: ****1/2



  

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: *****

Chris Adams [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Chris Adams is personable type who carries himself well in interviews such as these.  His negative qualities are easily swept behind the guise of the "gentleman," which almost makes you understand how a cocky, violent drug addict was able to do so well for himself for such a long period of time.  He seems quite straightforward with his opinions and while he does not knock too many people, he comes across as being someone whose reflected on his past mistakes and understands the abilities he truly had.

The Bad
Chris Adams has one of the worst reputations in pro-wrestling and that is probably not because people simply hated his accent.  He has been called too stiff, too arrogant, too messed up, too everything and there is probably truth to all of it.  In this format, he is able to downplay those negatives and you don't come away with a negative picture of him.  However, he surely had a dark side.  He's unwilling to do much more than hint at or briefly talk about all the bizarre situations (his wife having an affair with Kerry Von Erich, later Brian Christopher and another wife leaving him for Steve Austin), legal problems (arrests for headbutting an airline pilot and wifebeating) and drug problems (his myriad problems with street drugs, most notably GHB, and how they took a toll on him).

The Rating: ****