Bob Orton Jr. [RF Video Shoot Interview]
The Good
A second-generation star who was a top-notch worker, worked all over and was a key player in the WWF's national expansion and now is the father to one of the WWE's top stars, few have had a career quite as successful as Bob Orton Jr. Here, he sits down with RF Video for about 100 minutes and goes through a virtual who's who of pro-wrestling. He talks about growing up in the business, his father's career and how he broke in rather quickly. Then they zip through the next ten years of his career and all the amazing characters, great personalities and talented workers that he rubbed shoulders with. Orton was really positive about most everyone and everywhere, which can be a nice change of pace from the often bitter shoots you hear from old-timers. If you watch Highspots preview of his "American Bad Ass" shoot, you can get a flavor of this, although this was not quite that great. Bob Orton's distinctive voice and cackle are pretty enjoyable, so that makes this at least a decent shoot.
The Bad
In this early RF Video shoot, Bob Orton Jr. delivers a really disappointing shoot interview. If you've seen the Highspots one, this is like a poor version as he watches his language, does not share his best stories, chooses to give many political answers and buries almost no one. Like the Jimmy Snuka shoot of infamy, he spends so much time saying this guy was a great guy, this guy seemed really nice or this guy was a helluva worker. Unfortunately, the questions bounce all over, there are the typical lack of knowledge issues and there is so much territory left uncovered. This might be worth a one-time watch, but it's a sad offering that lacks the depth, personality and intrigue you'd want out of an interview with a true legend like Bob Orton Jr.
The Rating: ***1/4
Showing posts with label Orton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Orton. Show all posts
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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
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
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