Bloodstained Memoirs Review

November 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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Bloodstained Memoirs features exclusive interviews with an all-star pro wrestling cast of  Mick Foley, Chris Jericho, Christian Cage, Roddy Piper, Jimmy Snuka, Ultimo Dragon, Nora Greenwald (Molly Holly),  Keiji Muto (The Great Muta) and Rob Van Dam.

The documentary is very dated (2005) and was dubbed as “The most anticipated wrestling documentary of all-time,”  for the shocking comments made by some of the stars. While the interviews lack direction at times, there is no question that fans will be stunned by what they hear. Steroids, tragic deaths, and crooked higher-ups in the business are just a few of the interesting topics discussed.

It’s obvious that the director/filmmaker wrote down a series of questions and never  swayed away from his script, no matter what the answer was from the wrestler. Roddy Piper was definitely one of the highlights of the documentary as he gave great insight on how the industry has changed from getting ahead by being talented to scripted nonsense. He talked about wrestlers purposely hurting other wrestlers  physically and there was some juicy stuff there. That specific subject was very interesting and could have been elaborated on, but the subject is changed randomly to  Bret Hart for no reason. Other wrestlers on the DVD give some interesting insight on different subjects pertaining to wrestling, while others are lackluster. It is disappointing that Chris Jericho simply discusses Fozzy on a “wrestling” documentary and as oppose to an interview with Mick Foley, the DVD has footage of him at a book signing.

The filmmaker is clearly a fan/friend of Joe Legend (Just Joe in WWE) as he asked Christian Cage about him as opposed to interesting questions about his own career. The extras (which the DVD is jam-packed with) have Legend in other projects featuring a problem he had with a wrestler and a women of interest for Legend.

Fans of shoot wrestling DVDs will definitely want to pick this up. Despite the faults of a clear direction there is too many must-see interviews that will give even smart fans an informative look at some of their wrestling favourites. Controversial and more negative than positive towards how wrestling federations operate, the DVD will leave you wanting more.

Bloodstained Memoirs

155min

Directed by:  David Sinnott

2006

Spark Productions

Filed Under: DVD, ECW, Pro Wrestling Uncensored, Reviews, TNA, WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time DVD review

December 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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There was no criteria, no rating system, does not matter if you rough up Muhammad Ali, just one question to the current World Wrestling Entertainment roster: who is the greatest WWE superstars of all-time 1-50?

The idea of this list brings intrigue and a lot of controversy from WWE fans and former WWE superstars. Many will probably question Hulk Hogan not even being in the top 20 while others will claim that Rey Mysterio being in the top 10 is well-deserved. With former stars such as Hogan, Ric Flair, Jeff Hardy and Kurt Angle in rival organization Total Nonstop Action Wrestling questions can be made on how their current employment hurt them in the ranking. Bret Hart’s return to the organization and making the top five in this list gives the TNA theory credibility.

Complaints can be made, but in the end WWE has decided this list features the best of the best, at least until they make another one.

The list does not hide the fact that WWE did produce some vintage biographies on wrestlers who will never get DVD sets on their careers or at least in the near future. Bios on Ricky Steamboat, Chris Jericho, Randy Savage and Curt Hennig feature many clips from recent WWE DVD releases. Fans that appreciate a large sum of wrestlers on the list and have not watched recent WWE DVDs will enjoy the effort put in by WWE for the wrestlers listed.

The other two discs in this DVD set features an array of different matches from different eras. Once again if you’re a collector of WWE DVDs you have seen the majority of the matches. Still, it is also rare to see Lou Thesz, The Fabulous Moolah, The Iron Sheik, Eddie Guerrero and many more greats all in one DVD set. A rare error by WWE in their DVD menu as the Jack Brisco versus Dory Funk Jr. match is not a championship match as this is stated on the back of the DVD cover as well.

This DVD set is for diehard WWE fans that do not have a problem with what WWE says as those kind of fans enjoy the quality of the product more than spending time criticizing it. This three-disc set once again proves how WWE can deliver a great selection of matches throughout the 20th century and a few in the 21st century.

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time

Rated: PG

Entertainment One

Released on Dec. 14, 2010

$42.99

WWE: Top 50 Superstars of All Time list

1 – Shawn Michaels
2 – Undertaker
3 – Steve Austin
4 – Bret Hart
5 – The Rock
6 – Harley Race
7 – Ricky Steamboat
8 – Andre the Giant
9 – Rey Mysterio
10 – Roddy Piper
11 – Eddie Guerrero
12 – Triple H
13 – Gorgeous George
14 – Randy Savage
15 – Curt Hennig
16 – John Cena
17 (Tie) – Ric Flair
17 (Tie) – Dusty Rhodes
19 – Edge
20 – Jerry Lawler
21 – Lou Thesz
22 – Terry Funk
23 – Hulk Hogan
24 – Bruno Sammartino
25 – Chris Jericho
26 – Ted DiBiase
27 – The Fabulous Moolah
28 – Freddie Blassie
29 – Randy Orton
30 – Pat Patterson
31 – The Iron Sheik
32 – Jimmy Snuka
33 – Mick Foley
34 – Kurt Angle
35 – Buddy Rogers
36 – Gorilla Monsoon
37 – Junkyard Dog
38 – Billy Graham
39 – Jake Roberts
40 – Big Show
41 – Jack Brisco
42 – Sgt. Slaughter
43 – Kane
44 – Nick Bockwinkel
45 – Jeff Hardy
46 – Dory Funk Jr.
47 – Bob Backlund
48 – Rick Rude
49 – Batista
50 – Killer Kowalski

Disc 1:

Top 50 Superstars Countdown Feature

Disc 2:

NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Lou Thesz vs Argentina Rocca
Buffalo, NY

NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match (Listed as a title match, but it is not a title match)
Jack Briscoe vs Dory Funk Jr.
Championship Wrestling from Florida

Women’s Championship Match
The Fabulous Moolah vs Susan Green
Madison Square Garden – June 16, 1975

Gorilla Monsoon vs Muhammad Ali
Philadelphia, PA – June 2, 1976

NWA World Heavyweight Championship Match
Harley Race vs Terry Funk
Championship Wrestling from Florida – February 6, 1977

Boxing Match
Gorilla Monsoon vs Andre The Giant
Puerto Rico – September 23, 1977

WWE Championship Match
“Superstar” Billy Graham vs “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes
Madison Square Garden – September 26, 1977

WWE Championship Match
The Iron Sheik vs Hulk Hogan
Madison Square Garden – December 28, 1984

Six Man Tag Team Elimination Match
Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, Rowdy Roddy Piper & Junkyard Dog vs Randy “Macho Man” Savage, “The King” Harley Race & Adrian Adonis
Madison Square Garden – February 23, 1987

“Ravishing” Rick Rude vs Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat
Madison Square Garden – December 26, 1987
AWA Heavyweight Championship

Jerry “The King” Lawler vs “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig
AWA – August 13, 1988

No Disqualification Match – Virgil Barred from Ringside
Jake “The Snake” Roberts vs “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase
Madison Square Garden – December 28, 1989

Disc 3:

“Nature Boy” Ric Flair vs Bret “Hit Man” Hart
Saskatoon, CN – October 12, 1992

The Rock vs Mankind
Halftime Heat – January 31, 1999

Fatal 4-Way Match for the WWE Championship
Stone Cold Steve Austin vs The Rock vs Undertaker vs Kurt Angle
Smackdown – December 7, 2000

Undertaker, Kane, Matt Hardy & Jeff Hardy vs Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge & Christian
Raw – April 23, 2001

Edge & Triple H vs Kurt Angle & Chris Jericho
Smackdown – May 16, 2002

Eddie Guerrero vs Big Show
Smackdown – April 15, 2004

Triple Threat Match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Kurt Angle vs Rey Mysterio vs Randy Orton
WrestleMania 22 – April 2, 2006

John Cena & Shawn Michaels vs Undertaker & Batistia
No Way Out – February 18, 2007

World Heavyweight Championship Match
Edge vs Undertaker
WrestleMania XXIV – March 30, 2008

Filed Under: DVD, ECW, Friday Night Smackdown, Monday Night Raw, Pro Wrestling Uncensored, Reviews, Superstars, WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Goldust autobiography review

December 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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A dark tale of a man who came from a broken home, had fame and the married life, and lost it all in a rage of drugs and alcohol.

Cross Rhodes: Goldust, out of the Darkness, the latest World Wrestling Entertainment autobiography is a sad although in the end an inspirational story on the life and times of Dustin Rhodes’ rise to stardom in professional wrestling. The book starts off with Rhodes’ life growing up without his dad Dusty Rhodes due to his dad travelling on the road and divorcing his mom. The tales of abuse that his mom suffered is gut-wrenching and clearly left emotional scars with Rhodes.

Mainly the bio-book is on Rhodes’ professional wrestling career. Reconnecting with his father and getting schooled on the carnival-like environment that is pro wrestling. Rhodes is open on his young party persona, but does not go into great detail into his bar fights or his random girlfriends. While working with World Championship Wrestling, Rhodes meets the love of his life, Terri Runnels. His dad has a huge problem with her past and Rhodes ends up not talking to his dad for five years.

The fallout with his dad worked out perfectly as Vince McMahon Jr. came up with a character that allowed Rhodes to step out of his dad’s shadow. Goldust, an androgynous person that was considered bizarre, especially to Western society in the mid ‘90s that condemned gays. With gold face paint and in a gold suit, Rhodes became one of the most unique characters in all of sports entertainment.

Injuries, an addiction to painkillers, a marriage doomed to divorce, and extreme paranoia eventually cost Rhodes—he had Xanax withdrawals and had no idea when it was day or night. He had fights in front of his daughter. Rhodes did make another memorable run with WWE, but was released again and continued his drug problem.

Surprisingly Rhodes mentions his run with WWE’s competitor TNA Wrestling, when he wrestled as Black Reign. It was around this time that Rhodes realized he needed serious help or he was going to die. Fortunately, WWE’s rehab program quite possibly saved his life.

Doing his best in-ring work in years, and arguably ever, Goldust ends the autobiography by thanking those close to him that he calls his ‘angels.’ WWE fans will enjoy the insight he gives on current WWE stars and how WWE currently operates.

225 pages is short compared to previous WWE bios, but Rhodes’ pro wrestling life has been so exciting and impactful that you are not left disappointed if you’re primarily a wrestling fan. The writing is simple and will never be confused with Mick Foley’s books, but that does not take away from the life experiences that will shock and amaze.

Cross Rhodes: Goldust, out of the Darkness

by Dustin Rhodes and Marc Vandil

World Wrestling Entertainment books

Simon & Schuster

Releases Dec. 14, 2010

240 pp.

Filed Under: Book, Monday Night Raw, Pro Wrestling Uncensored, Reviews, Superstars, WWE Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,