The Gangstas [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
A brutally honest shoot interview with both of the Gangstas. Both New Jack and Mustafa are basically retired, so they are a little more reflective and not so hung up on current events as can happen with active wrestlers. As with any New Jack project, this was entertaining in its own way. Jack talked his usual sh*t and acted the way he usually does. I know there are people out there who love that and I can say those people will probably enjoy this. Mustafa however, who I'd never heard before, made a good showing. He came across as a straight-up guy with integrity as well as a loyalty to New Jack as the team's mouthpiece. I thought he tempered New Jack's rambling well and it was a different kind of New Jack shoot.

The Bad
I don't really care for New Jack shoot interviews. He is repetitive, rambling and ridiculous. This lacked depth because not many questions were posed. New Jack talked and did his schtick, Mustafa put in his two cents when he could. This meant the answers to those few questions were actually vague and lacking insight despite the length of the "answer." Typical New Jack stuff. If you like that, you might actual think Mustafa's serious presence takes away from the New Jack show. About what I expected, but disappointing considering New Jack has been heard before and Mustafa did not get a great deal of talking time.

The Rating: ***

Barbed Wire City: The Unauthorized Story of ECW

Directors: Kevin Kiernan & John Philopavage

Released: 4/13

Talent

Don E. Allen, Angel, Bob Artese (Announcer / staff), John “Hat Guy” Bailey (fan), Blue Meanie, Charlie Bruzzese (production), Billy Corgan, Steve Corino, Tony DeVito, Danny Doring, Shane Douglas, Sign Guy Dudley, John Finnegan (referee), Kathy Fitzpatrick (staff), Joel Gertner, Tod Gordon, Johnny Grunge, Missy Hyatt, Mike Johnson (PWInsider), Mark Keenan, Wade Keller (PWTorch), Dan Kowal (staff), Ronnie Lang (security), Tony Lewis (fan), Jerry Lynn, Balls Mahoney, Dave Meltzer, Bruce Mitchell (PWTorch), New Jack, Nova, Jason Powell (Prowrestling.net), Dave Scherer (PWInsider), Raven, Rhino, Stevie Richards, Rocco Rock, Axl Rotten, The Sandman, Gabe Sapolsky, Frank Talent (Penn. Athletic Commission), Michael Tearson (radio show host), Mikey Whipwreck, Joe Wilchak (security), Ed Zohn (staff)

The Good

ECW is simply one of the most fascinating movements that pro-wrestling has ever seen.  Despite its short run, limited audience and niche product, it has this massive legacy that people are still cashing in on years later.  Curiously, the period between ECW’s death and the release of this documentary is greater than the period in which ECW existed.  That should indicate something about the influence of ECW, but also the scope of this doc.  When the WWE released the “Rise and Fall of ECW,” it was a huge success to the point that it led them to do the One Night Stand shows and eventually create an ECW brand.  The “Hardcore Forever” documentary that was released around the same time was a nice compliment, it had a different group of people, but it lacked footage.  This production is, simply put, amazing in many ways, but I will highlight three.  First, it maximized resources amazingly.  These interviews were shot over a long period of time, the footage was RF Video Fan Cam footage, the footage from panel / fanfest events, the still photos were animated and this will perhaps be the first in a long line of crowdfunded docs about pro-wrestling.  Second, the scope of perspectives is incredible.  The WWE production had a number of people who were never involved, this had wrestlers and personnel, it also had security, fans and journalists.  Although one could argue that it lacked many key voices, it told a story masterfully with the voices it had.  Third, it did not purely romanticize ECW.  This is a common trap and this doc explored the positives and tackled the negatives.  In showing a balance, this really gave itself credibility that the WWE documentaries seem to lack.  Whether you liked ECW or not, this documentary is worth checking out because it is so well done.

The Bad

The obvious knock on this documentary would be the talent that is not interviewed.  It is a substantial number of key people, but most of them gave their perspectives in the “Rise and Fall of ECW” or the “Forever Hardcore” documentaries.  I am curious why they did not tap into shoot interviews that are already out there.  It seems like since they worked with RF Video to use the Fan Cam footage, they could have also dipped into their vast collection of extensive shoot interviews.  They did a great job using Fanfest footage of Paul Heyman to give him a more active role in this, but it seems like they might have done that for others.  I have also heard the complaint that they relied on journalists too much, although if you think about it, those people tend to provide the most objective and coherent perspective.  Their tying this to the Extreme Reunion/Rising promotion seems to date it.  However, they are trying to convey ECW’s unusual legacy and a reunion more than a decade later seems to demonstrate that fact.  When you look at this and recognize its limitations, it seems like a documentary that, like the company it is exploring, was fighting an uphill battle and trying to simply produce something for the fans even if there is little money made.  This is a labor of love.

The Rating: *****

Terry Funk [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Conducted in 1998, not too long after Terry Funk's WWF run, Terry Funk delivers what was perhaps the best RF Video shoot at this point in time. He is a natural storyteller and this was at a great point in his career for him to look back. Before his autobiography, his numerous interviews and coverage in "Beyond the Mat," this was an amazing piece of pro-wrestling history. Several parts of this such as looking at Amarillo, his NWA Championship run and the early days of ECW were interesting, but have been covered in greater detail in various places (including in future shoots by Funk himself). I felt the highlights of this, which stand up are the details concerning his time with All Japan and relationship with FMW head Atsushi Onita. Stories of Japan are not uncommon in shoot interviews, but Terry Funk's experiences are distinctly different as he worked in the All Japan office, saw many changes and worked with many of the top wrestlers (like Onita) when they were "young boys." This is also back in the day of matches being integrated into RF Video shoots, so you can catch some great (and not-so-great) action from Terry Funk's career.

The Bad
Although this was the first Terry Funk shoot I heard and was, at the time, one of my favorites, this seemed so old and limited looking back. I don't think RF Video really started delivering quality shoot interviews for another five years, but they sure secured some great names, did longer interviews and had one of the only forums for shoot interviews. I've since heard Terry Funk partnered with all kinds of people from Harley Race and Bob Backlund to Shane Douglas and Steve Corino. I have to say, I've preferred those. His interaction with others and that necessarily limiting structure just work so well for a rambler who has seen so much. This "was" amazing nearly fifteen years ago, but it is not as great today.

The Rating: ****1/4

Tommy Rich [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
An early RF Video shoot that features the legendary Tommy Rich at the start of his ECW run. Obviously, he'd had a great career and had great stories to share. I'd not heard him prior to this, so I was intrigued. His whole Tommy Rich act is really great the first time you hear it. I'm still not sure why he doesn't get more shoots (other than he largely seems humble and positive about things) because he is quite a character. He uses "Mama & the Babies," "wild-eyed southern boy," "cornbread" and other great phrases to explain his desire to stay off the road, his roguish attitude and his countryboy appeal. It seems so funny to hear this and than think about the goofy faux-Italian he played in ECW. This had its moments as Tommy Rich just seems like an affable and honest ol' boy.

The Bad
Did I say this was an early RF Video shoot? Needless to say the questions were passable, but their scope was atrocious. They did call-in questions, which are never good and thankfully they stopped doing. That was a pointless segment. Tommy Rich totally shilled ECW, which is understandable, but still obnoxious. I personally like Tommy Rich's character and find his shoots to be enjoyable, but I'm sure many would not like them. He does not bury people, he watches his language and he does not go into a lot of depth. Thankfully Gary Cubeta had him on a few times and showed how to get a really good interview out of "Wildfire."

The Rating: ***1/4

Bam Bam Bigelow [Wrestling Universe Shoot Interview]

The Good
One in the Wrestling Universe's series that is definitely a standout. Bam Bam Bigelow, who passed away in 2007, conducted this in 2002, so he was on the comeback trail after severe burns (from saving some kids from a fire) put him on the shelf. He seemed like such a friendly guy who had many good stories and a really good memory. Bigelow's tales of breaking in were about what you'd expect, but the parts about Japan (which started early on for him) were fascinating. Here is a guy who traveled over there many times and worked for four of the top companies and he had some thoughtful and honest comments. He had no problem burying Akira Maeda for his unprofessionalism, FMW for its second-rate status or Genichiro Tenryu for subpar booking decisions. At the same time, he put over the talent, the culture, the learning experience and the style. Puroresu fans should enjoy that aspect of this shoot. There was plenty of time talking about his runs in the WWF (2), WCW (3) and ECW (2), which were filled with great successes and some unfortunate situations. Bigelow seems to have everything in a proper perspective that he can address the good and bad of each. I've heard him put over strongly by Sid (as the greatest ring general he ever worked) and buried by Lanny Poffo (as someone that no one would ever pay to see), but I tend to think the majority of his peers liked him and respected his work. From this shoot interview, you can kind of understand why.

The Bad
Although I found Bigelow to be pretty straightforward, he was not as professionally self-effacing as I might have expected. While he never put himself over as strongly as many people do in shoot interviews (certainly not personally as he seemed quite humble and down-to-Earth), I expected him to perhaps reflect upon his unfulfilled potential, drug problems and inconsistent pushes over the years. He admitted to not being a complete package (good body, good interviews, good work), but felt he had the third category for sure. I wouldn't argue that point, but it seems like he might have been a little more reflective as to why someone of his in-ring ability never got the consistent shove that so many expected time and time again. He seems to blame injuries, politics and poor booking more than I care to believe. My other issue is his mellowness. Bam Bam Bigelow seems like an intense individual who would speak his mind and have no problem burying people, but here, he is relatively reserved in his comments on Big Van Vader, Andre the Giant and even the Kliq. He always seemed to temper a negative comment about someone being a "pain in the ass" or whatever by putting over their hard work, status or something. Regardless of those concerns, I felt this was a good look at pro-wrestling from 1985-2001 with some detailed inclusion of Japan and even Mexico.

The Rating: ****1/2

KayFabe Commentaries' Guest Booker with Gabe Sapolsky

The Good

Gabe Sapolsky is not the most charismatic interview, but he gets his points across and when paired with Sean Oliver, it all clicks together pretty well.  Here, Gabe rebooks the early stages of the ECW rebirth under the WWE banner.  I have to say, while many Guest Bookers get pretty wild and crazy, Gabe's approach is very doable and convinced me that he could actually contribute significantly to the WWE product…if he was ever given the chance.  He is pragmatic about which talent he can use, what he can get away with, what he can do to make the brand stand out and seems to book a nice few months of TV and builds up a pay-per-view nicely.  Sure, it is not a dream card, but it is something notably better than the WWE's attempts at the time even with Paul Heyman at the helm…kind of.  Gabe explains his logic, explains his approaches and reveals his abilities as a booker.  The goal of the series is to do those things, so I would consider this a success.

The Bad

Gabe is certainly an acquired taste.  He has a good mind, but is so do Kevin Sullivan and Gary Hart and their shoots are decidedly more enjoyable.  Instead of getting caught up in anecdotes, even from his own ECW days, Gabe focuses on the task at hand.  I think that sort of detracts from this in a way.  While the goal is achieved, this is not particularly exciting and you don't have those moments where you feel like you getting a glimpse at a genius.  JJ Dillion is certainly not the most entertaining and I found his Guest Booker to be much more fascinating.  I guess the difference between Gabe and all those other aforementioned talents is that he has never been an on-air talent himself.  Perhaps if people like Dave Lagana, Court Bauer and other former WWF writers get their own Guest Booker shoots, we'll see if this is a trend or not.  


The Rating: ****

Terry Funk: More than Just Hardcore


Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Terry Funk, Scott Williams
Publisher: ECW Press
Released: 3/05

The Good
One of the most storied careers that reaches into more facets of pro-wrestling than perhaps anyone is that of Terry Funk. A second-generation pro-wrestler who grew up learning from the old-timers only a generation removed from the carnival hookers, Funk’s respect for pro-wrestling’s history is strong without being overly romantic. He criticizes Lou Thesz’s selfishness and the bitterness of old codgers who think the current product has nothing to do with pro-wrestling. Funk’s glory days in the US territories and All Japan are filled with funny anecdotes, astute observations and sound explanations. He is self-effacing without undermining his legacy and he gives candid comments without apology. Terry Funk seems like a man genuinely satisfied with his accomplishments and the bitterness just does not ruin his autobiography as it does others. Although he had his share of personal, physical and career-related problems, Funk does not excessively detail them. He gives pro-wrestling fans a book they want. Scott Williams channeled the Bill Watts’ story into an excellent book, but I would argue that this is better. What it lacks in booking psychology it makes up for in sharp insight into cutting promos, business shifts and stylistic changes.

The Bad
The only complaints I could make about this are the limited length. Obviously, Terry Funk’s in-ring career has spanned four decades and that could supply substantial material for a lengthy book. Heck, Mick Foley produced to bulky opuses with a career that was half that length. Funk also grew up in the business and has been involved as an owner and booker in addition to his in-ring experience. Terry Funk’s career seemed like something so massive and daunting that it could never fully be encapsulated in a average length autobiography. Scott Williams does a tremendous job, but will it satiate everyone’s appetites for territorial wrestling, hardcore wrestling and modern sports entertainment? The paying fans and pending reviews will be the best barometer of Williams’ achievement.

The Rating: ****1/2

       

Lance Storm [RF Video Shoot Interview `99]

The Good

These early RF Video shoots were largely a mixed bag of poorly executed interviews with big names who could talk well and interviews that are "better" executed with ECW stars.  Here, Lance Storm sits in the chair and talk about his first decade in the business.  Lance is a tremendous talker in this atmosphere as he is thoughtful, respectful and is able to really dig deep on topics.  This is why his involvement with Bryan Alvarez and the Figure-Four Daily has been so great.  Although this predates his WCW and WWF runs as well as his post-retirement activities, he has plenty of time to talk about his various experiences in Germany and Japan that probably would go undiscussed if a comparable first interview was done today.  I particularly found his reflections on Germany to be great because few people have talked about it much, but he was able to put over Fit Finley and Danny Collins while talking frankly about Otto Wanz, Dave Taylor and others.  Others might find his comments on Japan to be more interesting as he discussed Jushin Liger, Shinjiro Otani, Atsushi Onita, Genichiro Tenryu, Yuji Yasuroaka and many others.  Lance also talks about breaking in with the Harts, his experiences working for Jim Cornette in Smoky Mountain as well as getting into ECW and moving up the ladder there.  If you've never heard Lance Storm, I'd highly recommend his shoots, co-hosting gigs and so on.

The Bad

The obvious digs on this would be, who is Lance Storm to have the opinions he has here?  This is slippery slope because while he had almost ten years in the business and was well-traveled, he was still relatively young and didn't have experience compared to people like, say, Jim Duggan, who were kind of negative about Lance.  In any event, Storm is a very intelligent and principled person who delivers an interview like few others because of those factors.  Some people might not have been crazy about his work, his personality or find him the most enjoyable to listen to, but I would put him in the upper echelon of shoot interviews.

The Rating: ****1/4

Terry Gordy [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Shot about a year before his death in 2001, this is one of RF Video's earlier shoots and while I am happy it exists, I'm saddened that it is so poor. This was back when RF Video would have a shoot and tack on some matches and I'll just say the Japanese matches they included certainly saved this from being an utter failure. Terry Gordy's sharpness had been altered by a drug-induced coma in 1993 and you can tell it here. He does however have some worthwhile stories and thoughts to share that are made more important by the fact this is the only shoot interview that he did (that I know of) before his untimely death.  Doug Gentry really saves the questioning side of things (although "saves" might be a bit strong) by having a working knowledge of All Japan Pro-Wrestling, so that part is not left out completely.

The Bad
Everybody is a "good guy," every match was "easy" and every negative "do you think he…?" is answered with a "yeah, he sure was." It is maddening. Although Terry was not exactly talkative and did not have stories springing to mind, this was such a barrage of vague questions, closed comments and loaded inquiries that anyone would have struggled. After ten minutes, they've already covered breaking in, partnering up with Michael Hayes, forming the Freebirds trio and blinding the Junkyard Dog. They spend more time of his ECW run than that initial Mid-South run!! I can say that RF Video's quality has improved across the board, but not by the leaps and bounds I would have hoped for.

The Rating: **3/4

2 Cold Scorpio [Straight Shootin' Shoot Interview]

The Good
A shockingly great shoot interview that has all the honesty, humor and dirt that many people want without the bitter rage, mental instability and delusions of grandeur that you don't want. Whether you liked him and his work or not, 2 Cold Scorpio was something special. He was perhaps premier highflyer in the States throughout the 1990s (I think Rey Mysterio or Juventud Guerrera would be the only two who could touch him) and was almost ahead of his time to the point that maybe it was detrimental. Scorpio also was able to get into the New Japan Dojo alongside Chris Benoit and many of the greats of the future, so he could work. The other upside of his extensive Japanese experience, is his ability to share his perspectives as he worked not only for New Japan, but later All Japan and NOAH with varying levels of success. His opinions on those companies, the politics, the talent and everything else is hard to come by in shoot interviews. Scorpio has so much personality and I don't think that ever fully came out. He has a million little turn-of-phrase comments, he has hilarious gaffes (Ricky "The Steamboat" Dragon is something out of the Iron Sheik's lexicon) and his wacky vocabulary (he frequently mentions having "hellified" matches). What I found particularly strange was his personalized messages to everyone from Arn Anderson and Missy Hyatt to Tommy Dreamer and Mr. Hughes, where he would address them directly in a jovial manner and close it with a "peace out." I don't know that I've ever seen that in a shoot before. Scorpio was very upfront about his chronic use of, well, chronic as he constantly referred to himself as "Big Smoke" and went into a hilarious tirade about the rampant drug use in ECW. He also talked about his crack-cocaine problems that probably ruined his WWF run. Scorpio also talks about his infidelities on the road, but didn't name any names and was pretty matter-of-fact about that part of the business. As for the juiciest parts, everybody loves to hear fight stories and burials of people and 2 Cold Scorpio delivers on both. He goes into detail about his altercations with Road Warrior Hawk and Mr. Hughes, which are pretty wild, but it is his detailed description of the scissorfight between Arn Anderson and Sid Vicious that is beyond belief. He talks about people like his former partner Marcus Alexander Bagwell and why their team did not quite reach their full potential, he talks about having heat with Brian Pillman, Sting, Shawn Michaels and his long-time friendship with Vader (who got him into every company he worked except ECW). This is an awesome shoot that delivers most everything you could want.

The Bad
I cannot see that anyone would have really high expectations going into this shoot and be grossly disappointed. Although he had his strengths, 2 Cold Scorpio was not known for being a charismatic talker. He did have his moments, his departure from ECW being a highlight, but Scorpio mainly let his work and his dancing tell the tale. I can imagine some people would see Scorpio as a never-was, who had a few shots, but never lived up to his potential. I can imagine some people would want him to talk more in-depth about Japan and his experiences over there. I'm sure others would have other parts of his career that they would prefer to hear much more about, but there seemed to be a decent balance here. While I really liked and would highly recommend this, it does not quite stack up to the best shoots with people like Bill Watts, Jim Cornette, Gary Hart and so on.


The Rating: ****1/2

Raven [RF Video Shoot Interview - 2003]

The Good
Raven is always a very good interview and although he rambles and goes into seemingly unrelated rants. In this one, he looks at his career up to his ECW run (although he was in NWA-TNA at this point). If you've never heard him before, you will probably like this. He talks about growing up as a fan, breaking in with Larry Sharpe and working Memphis, Portland and Florida in his early days. Raven loves to get nostalgic about angles he was in and, I dare say, over-analyze them. In talking about his feud with Rex King that involved a few valets, you begin to think that this was probably turning the area around, when in fact that was not the case. He always makes his angles, companies and such come across as more innovative, more groundbreaking and more popular than it really was, which I think is a charming quality to his storytelling. The one thing I really liked about this was him getting into his drug issues and explaining how messed up he was during his original ECW run as Raven. It seemed to humanize this can-do-no-wrong character. I like listening to Raven, but you've got to recognize that he talks a great game and his delivery has never been as amazing as you'd think or expect.

The Bad
If you've heard Raven a dozen times (like I have), you probably know the score and may even find this redundant. He is a boaster, he is blabbermouth, he is a braggart, but it is plainly obvious. After hearing him in the "Secrets of the Ring" series, I think I prefer to hear Raven talk about pro-wrestling psychology than just reflect upon his career. I was happy that they didn't try to cram in everything in, but the flipside is they should've allowed for more time talking about Memphis, Florida and even Portland. He is such a hilariously entertaining storyteller that it is shame to just let his tales (true or not) go unsaid.

The Rating: ****

Jack Victory [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
One of the early RF Video shoot interviews as Jack Victory on the shelf during his ECW run talks about his early years in Mid-South and World Class, his peak years in the UWF, his time in WCW and finally his return with ECW. It is your standard RF Video shoot, but because it is an early on it seems less formulaic and more open. When Jack shares a couple Von Erich stories, they egg him on to tell more! This is likely the start of RF's fascination with the erratic behavior of the Von Erichs. Tales of murdering cats, openly abusing drugs, no-showing small towns and other shenanigans are all detailed by Jack Victory more than a decade ago. Jack has endless road stories about Missy Hyatt, Buddy Roberts, the Samoan Swat Team and John Tatum. I don't really know a lot about the timeline of RF Video shoot interviews, but this seems to really be early on and sets some standards of wanting to hear about road stories and ribs. Jack Victory seems to have them right at his fingertips and is a shockingly good storyteller, so this is a success in many ways.

The Bad
I guess if you know the RF Video formula than you can pretty much expect the linear discussion that happens. What's worse is this is back when they used to have call-in questions that were just awful because they had often just gone over those things in question. Jack is funny and has a million stories, but there is not much depth to this and it seems to set RF Video shoots on the wrong path. Road stories and ribs are entertaining, but once you've heard them, that's all there is. Discussions about psychology, the inner workings of the business and how people developed is always a preferable narrative. That is why the shoots with Bill Watts, Jim Cornette, Raven and even Lanny Poffo are great and interviews with WWF midcarders who just answer questions one-by-one are not great.

The Rating: ***1/2

Face Off 8 - Midnight Madness - Raven & Jim Mitchell



The Good

Another RF Video Face-Off starring Raven. This time he is joined by Jim Mitchell and the two of them have just returned from the late Chris Kanyon's wake. Obviously, they spend plenty of time recollecting their memories of Kanyon, his coming out, his battles with depression and his generosity. It is a nice little tribute in that way. Then, they get off onto promos, psychology and the current product. It is hit-or-miss in those parts. I think if you generally like listening to Raven, were an ECW fan or whatever, you can enjoy this for sure. These two have distinct personalities and in all their tales of debauchery and such, there is a friendship here that comes out. A fun little FaceOff, although maybe not the best.

The Bad
Raven, who I love listening to, seems to be off a bit and while he and "Vandy" have some chemistry, this does not work like previous Raven FaceOffs. Mitchell, while a great promo and an interesting fellow, is totally all over the page here. This seems like two guys chatting and it is such disorganized stream of consciousness discussion that it can hardly be considered a shoot interview. I guess Rob can just throw in a few questions, offer up some chocolate wine and pizza along with how much ever money and we'll get an interesting shoot. For what I expected, this was grossly disappointing.

The Rating: ***1/2

Lita: A Less Traveled R.O.A.D. (audiobook)

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Amy Dumas, Michael Krugman
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Released: 7/04

The Good
Amy Dumas's life story is an interesting one and her character has connected with so many young women and this is the WWE trying to capitalize on all that. Her pre-wrestling life as a punk rock stripper is unique and this audiobook brings that to life. The pro-wrestling stuff is good lip service and most Lita fans will enjoy it for what it is.

The Bad
Lita's story is interesting. This book breaks down into three basic sections: life before pro-wrestling, the pro-wrestling life and her comeback from a broken neck. The first part is glazed over and could definitely be fascinating, but doesn't do what it could. The second part is her running down her four year career from Mexico to indies to ECW to the WWF. It's all very rushed and lacks both depth and the quality anecdotes to make up for that. The third part is her doing the Dark Angel TV show, breaking her neck, the saga afterwards and the surgery and recovery. This has a lot of real emotion and saves this book from being terrible. Then the comeback...oh wait, it doesn't happen. Due to her never really having a quality in-ring comeback, her character never regaining its footing and the hasty release of this book, this story seems so incomplete. It has the potential and maybe future additions can make it a full story, but for now it is just disappointment. This audiobook version probably detracts from the first two parts and adds to the third with mixed results.

The Rating: **

Rob Van Dam (2000 Shoot Interview)

The Good
This was a very comprehensive shoot interview that covered Rob Van Dam's career (and life practically!) from growing up in Battle Creek to being the top star in ECW.  RVD is a good storyteller and is able to both put himself over as a great talent and come across as a likable dude, which takes talent in and of itself.  His martial arts background is covered, his acting "career" is mentioned and his various experiences on the indies, in Japan, WCW and elsewhere is well explored.  While this seems to predate his top years (in terms of mainstream fame), Rob Van Dam does not seem burnt out or bitter, which is ideal.  He is blunt (no pun intended) about his issues with various people in the business, but does not seem negative.  Interesting to catch his thoughts before ECW's demise and his up-and-down run with the WWF.

The Bad
I could really see someone loathing this.  If you don't like Rob Van Dam, if you think he's overrated, if you think ECW is overrated, if you find him arrogant or any have any number of little pro-wrestling pet peeves, this might seem like garbage to you.  While the scope is good, it could be deemed to much time for someone on the cusp of his prime.  While the answers are thorough, they could be seen as long-winded.  I liked this for what it was, but can appreciate the fact many people would not.

The Rating: ****
             

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: ****


      

Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks

Author, Ghost Writer, Editor: Mick Foley
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Released: 10/00

The Good
This was the book that started it all. Realistically, the success of this well-written autobiography opened the flood gates as pro-wrestling fans had long been considered illiterate rednecks. This has the wit and wisdom to make it better than almost all the WWF/WWE books that have followed because it had a degree of freedom those books have not. Foley covers not only the bulk of his career in great detail, but much of his private life as well. Obviously it covers a longer stretch of time including his runs in Territories/Indies, Japan, WCW, ECW and his first two WWF years. That covers a lot with the best stories and probably a wider range of personalities.

The Bad
Mick Foley's private life has mixed ramifications. His youth gets tedious because you want a book to have a strong and interesting intro and his is not unlikely many of our own as life-long wrestling fans. Obviously late-coming fans will not enjoy this as much as fans who've liked Foley forever, but that's what his second book is for. Like most autobiographies he shows bias towards and against people that have undoubtedly altered fans views of notable stars. There's not many negatives I can point about this book.

The Rating: ****3/4

        

A Lion's Tale: Around the World in Spandex

Author: Chris Jericho, Peter Thomas Fornatale
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Released: 10/07 


The Good
When it was revealed that Chris Jericho was releasing an autobiography at the age of 36, it seemed strange. Although he had so far had an impressive career, Jericho had never reached that top echelon that everyone thought he would when he jumped to the WWF in 1999. This book attempted to be not a memoir of a storied career, but rather a “dreams come true” story. In that sense, it fulfilled its goal. Jericho had many obstacles to overcome throughout his career and when made his highly touted debut in the WWF, his dream came true and that’s where this book ends. So, if you’re a WWF/WWE fan, you’re going to have to wait. This book talks about his world travels and does so in the most humorous and entertaining manner that a pro-wrestling autobiography has ever done. Jericho did not intend this to be solely for pro-wrestling fans and certainly not WWF/WWE fans, but it certainly helps the enjoyment if you are the former. He breaks it up into several parts: his childhood and years on the Canadian indies, Mexico, Germany, Smoky Mountain, Japan, ECW and WCW. This comprehensive career being captured makes this a great resource. And if you know people like Dr. Luther, Drew McDonald, El Dandy and Bruiser Bedlam, this book has a different level of enjoyment. Personally, this was very enjoyable. I grew up listening to the same music, loving hockey and, of course, marking out for all things pro-wrestling, so Jericho’s references to these in jokes made this a classic for me. This was a fast and addictive read that was well composed, well edited and well organized. This is inarguably a new must-have for pro-wrestling fans.


The Bad
Jericho’s decisions to omit his WWF/WWE run, leave in kind words and photos with Chris Benoit and seek out a non-WWE publisher could all be strikes against this. Ending at August 1999, leaves this open for a follow-up that could be published by the WWE, but the issue of his partnership/rivalry with Chris Benoit is a huge stumbling block to overcome if he decides to write that book. The jokes and references may not harm this, but it certainly caters to a small crowd. Although he has stated this is not just for pro-wrestling fans, it does not seem like a book that non-fans would necessarily enjoy. Perhaps, but this is definitely not as non-fan-friendly as other books. As with any autobiography, Chris Jericho could be knocked for having a big ego or being bitter about some things, but in comparison to some of his peers, he seems like Mr. Positive. Other than those few relatively mild knocks, this book is hard to fault.


The Rating: *****

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

KC Guest Booker - Jim Cornette "Re-booking the Invasion"

The Guest Booker series is really hit-or-miss. The goal of Kayfabe Commentaries is to expose the creative mind of the booker. Some do well, some do not. While the scenarios are getting better, the pool is theoretically diminishing.

Jim Cornette is a shoot interview god. He is vulgur, he is honest, he is funny, he is insightful, he flings mud, he gives great compliments to his peers and that is why this one was a must-see. He rants and raves, but really gets at the core of several issues. One is booking vs. writing. One is the "funny doesn't draw money" concept. Another is the idea of building young talent and long-term vision in a company. Unlike other guest bookers, Corny did some homework. He did enough to make a good showing, but not so much that his thought process is not on display.

Cornette, along with J.J. Dillon, Raven, Bill Watts and a select few others is one of those shoot interviews that I want to never end.

This is the proverbial "lightning in a bottle."

Rating: *****