Jackie Gayda [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Other than trainers and brief interviews with Tough Enough participants, I've never heard an in-depth look at the show. Jackie, who was a co-winner of Tough Enough II, proved to be a decent talent, but simply never worked that much. The look at TE from a participant's perspective was really different and with a fifth season in the works, it was interesting to think about the production and storytelling that actually goes on. Jackie seems like a very down to Earth person who got curious about pro-wrestling because she was athletic and interested in broadcasting and production. It makes sense that she, a fitness model type, would be brought up too soon, but for whatever reason she was simply dumped after a year and a half on the main roster (along with new husband Charlie Haas). Although her time in business was brief and her actual knowledge is limited, Jackie Gayda's distinct entrance into the sport is one worth exploring.

The Bad
Jackie Gayda career was the proverbial "cup of coffee." From the time she was on Tough Enough II to when she ended her regular involvement with TNA is only five years! Yes, she won the show. Yes, she had a couple runs on WWF TV. But is she really worthy of an extensive shoot? A large portion of this focuses on her experiences with TE2 and even her try-out for the first Tough Enough. Very little TNA is discussed. OVW is talked about as a training ground and there is not much focus on angles or things along that line, which is typical RF Video lack of knowledge.

The Rating: ***1/4

GLOW - The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling

Dierector: Brett Whitcomb, Bradford Thomason

Distributor: Window Pictures

Released: 3/13

Featured Talent

Americana, Roxy Astor, Babe the Farmer’s Daughter, Big Bad Mama, Steve Blance (Head Writer), Ashley Cartier, Cheyenne Cher, Daisy, Ric Drasin, Johnny Gafarella (Manager), Godiva, Mando Guerrero, Hollywood, The Houswives / Heavy Metal Sisters, Jailbait, Lightning, Little Egypt, Ivory, Matilda the Hun, Mountain Fiji, MTV, Ninotchka, Susie Spirit, Larry Zbyszko

The Good

Pro-wrestling documentaries seem to work best when they have a narrow focus, great characters and a concise story to tell.  While an hour on the history of GLOW seems ridiculous, this was really fun.  Other than a few clips, magazine features and such, I had little interest or background knowledge.  GLOW always seemed like a wacky short-lived promotion that never really produced anything or anyone of note other than Ivory.  This really sheds lights on the product and how special and innovative it really was.  An Israeli mogul backing his b-film director buddy and taking the concept from David McClane led to a product that combined sex and violence with campiness and characters.  While it seems like a tiny piece of pro-wrestling history that is easily dismissed, GLOW had something special and was in many ways a precursor to products like MatRats, Wrestling Society X, Chikara Pro and Kaiju Big Battel that have tried to create a very distinct and different brand of pro-wrestling.  Although GLOW was lacking in many areas, it was really successful in other ways that are worth exploring.  This documentary packs so much into an hour and really leaves you thinking that this was a cult favorite that shouldn’t be forgotten.  Largely the failure of subsequent revivals and the lack of talent going on to great fame (save for Tina Ferrari who became the WWF’s Ivory), GLOW has always been remembered with a negative conotation.  This documentary did a great job to change that.  The show ran only for a few years and did not have a massive roster, so pulling together so many of the players really added legitimacy to this.

The Bad

I’m not sure if I’ve ever watched a documentary about quite a small niche thing.  While that can allow for a focused story, it is often subject to excessive romanticization and very limited voices.  Matt Cimber, the director and real brains behind GLOW, was featured at a reunion, but was not interviewed for this specifically.  David McClane was absent as well, which was perhaps more surprising.  So basically this featured a number of the performers, a couple management guys and Chavo Guerrero (who trained the initial crew).  No fans, no journalists, no surprising celebrities and no other pro-wrestlers (other than Larry Zbyszko for a moment).  GLOW definitely did something unique and had its strengths, but it was not exactly the pop culture sensation that this documentary would lead you to believe.  It was different, it got some exceptional attention because it was different, but then its time passed.  In comparison to All Japan Women in the days of the Beauty Pair in the 70s, the Crush Gals in the 80s or even cross-promotional workrate era in the 90s, GLOW does not hold up at all in terms of popularity, quality or even character development.

The Rating: ****1/4

Sherri Martel [RF Video Shoot Interview]

The Good
Ladies in pro-wrestling have a different type of story that is tough to get at. While they are in the business and can become one of the boys (as Sherri Martel) did, they are separated, can be objectified and can get caught up in relationships that adversely effect their careers. Looking down the history, it is easy to find. Many of the early stars had relationships with Billy Wolfe (long-time promoter of lady wrestlers), Missy Hyatt went from one guy to another, Elizabeth was allegedly locked in closets and so on. Sherri Martel largely rose above all this. She was a very good talent that avoided getting in relationships with her peers, she avoided getting blackballed although she was never exactly one of Moolah's girls and she was never turned into eye candy only to be tossed away at the end of the month. In this interview, she was very candid that she was rebellious and let herself get caught up in the drinking and drug-using lifestyle that has become synonymous with pro-wrestling. Sadly, it is those dependencies that she was battling with up to her death.  Sherri is very honest and forthright in this interview, it really gets at women's wrestling and women's roles in wrestling in way no other shoot interview has (or at least none I've caught).

The Bad
A typical flaw of the RF Video Shoot formula is that they inexplicably leave out significant segments of a person's career. After her run with Ric Flair in 1994, it seems as if her career quickly fizzled out and she only came back to work a couple matches in 1999. However, she had a long run with Harlem Heat and a bizarre program with Colonel Parker (Robert Fuller) over the next few years that probably could have discussed some. That matched with Rob's typical ineptitude make this an unfortunate interview because Sherri was so honest and could have been challenged to push this interview to a height that I do not recall any female talent ever reaching. Although it was very good, it was disappointing because of how great it could have been.

The Rating: ****

Lipstick & Dynamite: 
The First Ladies of Wrestling
Directors: Ruth Leitman
Distributor: Koch Lorber Films
Released: 9/05
Featured Talent

Mary Aquaviva (fan), Rita Cortez-Lee, Penny Banner, Marie Bernardi, Cathy Branch, Karin Dromo, 

The Fabulous Moolah, Gladys “Killem” Gillem, Judy Grable,  Joyce Grable, Sylvia Hackney, Joe Hamilton [The Assassin], Karl Lauer (promoter), Marie Laverne, Sara Lee, Ida May Martinez, Jim Melby (referee/magazine publisher), Sputnik Monroe, Sandy Parker, Anthony Piazza (fan & collector),

Stu Schwartz (referee), Millie Stafford, Ella Waldek, Johnny Wall Jr. (Gladys Gillem's son), Bonnie Watson, “The Great” Mae Young

The Good
This may very well be the greatest documentary ever made about pro-wrestling.  It has the shocking moments like Beyond the Mat, it has the scope of Heroes of World Class, it has production value better than all of the WWE's documentaries and it succinctly investigates one dimension of pro-wrestling.  The overall feel of this is fantastic with a post-war art deco and rockabilly combination that adds greatly.  It should also be noted that much of the music is provided by Memphis-based surf rockers Los Straightjackets who are known for wearing luchador masks.  The stories and anecdotes are tremendous and only add to the overall package, although it seems likely that some great ones were left on the cutting room floor.  The stories of political maneuvering, sexual promiscuity and bitterness between the stars adds a lot of zest to this effort.  Furthermore, the openness of the ladies featured is incredible and the perfume is practically radiating through the camera lens.  The overall story is simple.  Women's wrestling went from the carnivals to arenas through the manipulation of seedy men like Jack Pfefer and Billy Wolfe, but eventually the Fabulous Moolah seized control and helped transition the control to the McMahon family where it is today.  It is interesting to hear linkage from the carnies to Vince McMahon.  There are numerous morsels of intrigue to this from the Fabulous Moolah's disturbing relationship with “girl midget wrestler” Diamond Lil to Penny Banner describing her abusive relationship with legendary babyface Johnny Weaver.  This documentary is exactly what it aims to be and it ends up being one of, if not the best documentary of its kind.

The Bad
While any documentary on pro-wrestling has its flaws, this one has very few.  Clearly, it only takes a small portion of pro-wrestling (women's wrestling) and is mostly limited to a certain time period (1940s-1980s), although it talks about the time before and after.  There is a level of kayfabe from some of the ladies that you expect from old-schoolers.  Yes, they had tough matches and yes, sometime people took liberties or went into business on their own, but there is a feeling that there was a level of shooting going on that seems implausible.  The other facet that bothers me is burying the “divas” of today, specifically those in the WWE.  One is led to believe that the women's wrestlers of today are purely sex objects with no athletic ability, but that is simply untrue.  While sex is perhaps the strongest part of the package, it is only a part and demeaning the athleticism (as opposed to the working ability) of current female pro-wrestlers is unnecessary.  The cult of Japanese women's wrestling is never acknowledged, although it was more successful and arguably better than the generation of wrestling featured here, but you can always check out Gaea Girls for that.  Another strong knock I've heard about this is that Moolah & Mae Young snatched up filmmaker Ruth Leitman and led her to believe that they were the pioneers of women's wrestling, so people outside the clique like Penny Banner and others did not get accurately depicted.  Thankfully Penny has a book out and I'm sure it is much better and more credible than Moolah's.  Overall this documentary is excellent and an example for any that follow it.

The Rating: *****