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: *****
Showing posts with label skandor akbar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skandor akbar. Show all posts
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Skandor Akbar [57Talk Shoot Interview]
The Good
An excellent three-part series conducted by Gary Cubeta that focuses on World Class (in part 1), Tri-State, Mid-South and the UWF (amongst other things in part 2) and everything else (in part 3). I enjoy how Gary narrow focuses his interviews and pumps in questions that are both pertinent and personally interesting throughout the interviews. Despite some technical difficulties, he and Skandor seem to have a good rapport that leads to an honest and insightful interview. They talk extensively about the demise of World Class, the sale of the UWF and fall of Jim Crockett Promotions and even get into some areas I'd not heard Skandor discuss much. Gary is quick to jump on Amarillo (in its last days under Dick Murdoch and Blackjack Mulligan), Australia (under Skandor's cousin Frankie Caine) and his brief runs in Florida and the WWWF. Skandor is just a torrent of memories and Cubeta is able to direct him into some great aspects that RF Video simply could not do.
The Bad
I feel like this is the tip of the iceberg. Skandor Akbar is a fascinating interview and I always enjoy him, but I always feel like there's a stone that's been unturned. Gary Cubeta uncovers some of the parts that RF did not, but some are not really delved into deeply. I think his experiences in Tri-State, which is so unexplored, and post-Barnett Australia would be excellent if given the time. Skandor is never at a loss for words and has a sharp memory, but basically sticks to the interviewer's questions. As great as this was I still want more.
The Rating: ****1/4
The Good
An excellent three-part series conducted by Gary Cubeta that focuses on World Class (in part 1), Tri-State, Mid-South and the UWF (amongst other things in part 2) and everything else (in part 3). I enjoy how Gary narrow focuses his interviews and pumps in questions that are both pertinent and personally interesting throughout the interviews. Despite some technical difficulties, he and Skandor seem to have a good rapport that leads to an honest and insightful interview. They talk extensively about the demise of World Class, the sale of the UWF and fall of Jim Crockett Promotions and even get into some areas I'd not heard Skandor discuss much. Gary is quick to jump on Amarillo (in its last days under Dick Murdoch and Blackjack Mulligan), Australia (under Skandor's cousin Frankie Caine) and his brief runs in Florida and the WWWF. Skandor is just a torrent of memories and Cubeta is able to direct him into some great aspects that RF Video simply could not do.
The Bad
I feel like this is the tip of the iceberg. Skandor Akbar is a fascinating interview and I always enjoy him, but I always feel like there's a stone that's been unturned. Gary Cubeta uncovers some of the parts that RF did not, but some are not really delved into deeply. I think his experiences in Tri-State, which is so unexplored, and post-Barnett Australia would be excellent if given the time. Skandor is never at a loss for words and has a sharp memory, but basically sticks to the interviewer's questions. As great as this was I still want more.
The Rating: ****1/4
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Skandor Akbar [RF Video Shoot Interview]
The Good
Sometimes these old-timers have had such full careers that when they have the opportunity to reflect upon them, they can be much more fascinating and multi-dimensional than you might original think. Skandor Akbar is just such a person. He is so closely identified with the glory days of World Class (which is a debatable point because he came in after Gary Hart's booking run) that he's become known as World Class survivor who is well-spoken and legitimate. Skandor Akbar's time in World Class is realistically one of a series of great runs as a manager and he had time in various promotions as a wrestler and a booker that is just as noteworthy. If you enjoyed his appearances in the two World Class documentaries, you'll dig this. He covers Tri-State in the years before Bill Watts, Australia in its glory years, Tennessee, Atlanta and many others from the 1960s and 1970s that are often left unexplored by the shoot interview world. Skandor has a laid back approach and he's very enjoyable to listen to without being particularly venomous. Past the historical career, Skandor Akbar became a key figure in the early careers of Steve Austin, The Undertaker and JBL/Bradshaw and has run a training camp for years, so he has a respectable perspective on the modern sport of pro-wrestling.
The Bad
Sometimes it seems like shoot interviews are really great, but they are just missing that something special. Skandor Akbar led a fascinating career and he is a great storyteller, but this interview was just not on the same entertainment level that I would have hoped. He is perhaps a little too low-key and little too affable to get over like a Honky Tonk Man or even a Ricky Morton, but for many I'm sure they'd thoroughly enjoy this.
The Rating: ****1/2
The Good
Sometimes these old-timers have had such full careers that when they have the opportunity to reflect upon them, they can be much more fascinating and multi-dimensional than you might original think. Skandor Akbar is just such a person. He is so closely identified with the glory days of World Class (which is a debatable point because he came in after Gary Hart's booking run) that he's become known as World Class survivor who is well-spoken and legitimate. Skandor Akbar's time in World Class is realistically one of a series of great runs as a manager and he had time in various promotions as a wrestler and a booker that is just as noteworthy. If you enjoyed his appearances in the two World Class documentaries, you'll dig this. He covers Tri-State in the years before Bill Watts, Australia in its glory years, Tennessee, Atlanta and many others from the 1960s and 1970s that are often left unexplored by the shoot interview world. Skandor has a laid back approach and he's very enjoyable to listen to without being particularly venomous. Past the historical career, Skandor Akbar became a key figure in the early careers of Steve Austin, The Undertaker and JBL/Bradshaw and has run a training camp for years, so he has a respectable perspective on the modern sport of pro-wrestling.
The Bad
Sometimes it seems like shoot interviews are really great, but they are just missing that something special. Skandor Akbar led a fascinating career and he is a great storyteller, but this interview was just not on the same entertainment level that I would have hoped. He is perhaps a little too low-key and little too affable to get over like a Honky Tonk Man or even a Ricky Morton, but for many I'm sure they'd thoroughly enjoy this.
The Rating: ****1/2
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