Fighting a tiger or a grizzly bear with his bare hands was a common day for Stu Hart on his quest to put professional wrestling on the map in Western Canada in 1948.

This review was originally published on our website on March 30, 2010

Stu Hart created the greatest professional wrestling family in Canada

Stu Hart created the greatest professional wrestling family in Canada and arguably one of the greatest families ever in pro wrestling. World Wrestling Entertainment finally showcases this for the first time in their newest three-disc DVD set, WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology.

Disc one of this WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology DVD set includes a documentary on Stu’s life before, during and after pro wrestling. The documentary reveals how he first met his wife Helen and has short pieces on each of their 12 children. Canadian icon Bret Hart, his brother-in-law Jim Niedhart, clips from an old interview with the late British Bulldog Davey Boy Smith and many more siblings/relatives share their accounts on the roller coaster life of the Hart family. Current World Heavyweight champion Chris Jericho says a bit about his gruelling training in the Hart Dungeon and his time with the late Owen Hart.

The Harts struggled with little to no money—freezing together in one room during the winter and hand-me-downs six times over. Sudden deaths due to rare diseases caused them to lose their brother, Dean, and their sister, Georgia, who lost their son at the age of 13. Throughout their struggles and chasing away potential boyfriends for the girls, pro wrestling was a factor in almost all their lives. Wrestling was more than just a business to the Harts, it was a way of life no matter how bad times were.

Success did come to Bret, Davey Boy, Owen and Jim; it was the happiest time in the Hart family for years. Bret became one of the most well-known Canadians of all time and is still, to this day, considered one of the best to set foot in the squared circle.

Unfortunately, the Harts had to deal with more tragedies that started in 1997 with the sudden death of family friend Brian Pillman and followed by the Montreal Screwjob. Life got worse for the Harts with the deaths of Owen, Stu, Helen and Davey Boy, all within five years. Bret also almost lost his life during that time when he suffered a stroke. The powerful emotions of the remaining family members during those dark times are a testament to their perseverance for the memory of their loved ones and how courageous they are to live through so much grief. Without question, it is the most tear-jerking WWE DVD ever released.

The DVD ends on a high note, with the Hart Dynasty carrying on the Hart legacy. With the recent push they have received on television, this DVD might help make them superstars.

This DVD focuses on the Hart family’s contributions to the wrestling business instead of their bitter rivalries. Die-hard fans will be craving more, but for fans who know very little about the Harts, this is the best documentary on them. The matches on the other two discs are matches that die-hard fans have mostly already seen, but looking back at them is a great reminder of what great storytellers they were and how exciting they could make a wrestling match. It must have a DVD for fans of the Hart family and those who missed out on the Hart Foundation era.

WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology

Rating- PG

WWE 2010 – Hart & Soul – The Hart Family Anthology

E1 Entertainment

540 minutes

Release date- April 6, 2010

Watch our interview with Bruce Hart

WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology Disc 1- Documentary

• Stu Hart
• Falling in Love
• The Promoter
• Hart House
• Riches to Rags
• All in the Family
• Hart Foundation / British Bulldogs
• Stampede Sold
• Dean
• International Spotlight
• Family Feud
• Canada’s Family
• Struggles Within
• Family Tragedy
• Third Generation
• Reflections

WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology Special Features

• * Stu the Athlete
• * Helen’s Car Accident
• * Terrible Ted the Wrestling Bear
• * A Letter from Dean
• * Stu vs. The Tiger
• * A Hart Family Thanksgiving – 1987
• * Helen Throws in the Towel
• * Owen the Prankster
• * Chris Jericho’s Flight with Owen
• * The Uninvited Guest
• * Bret “Hit Man” Hart Returns to WWE
• * Post-Raw Celebration (Raw – January 4, 2010)

WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology Disc 2

• Introduction to The Hart Dynasty
• 6-Man Tag Team Match
• Keith Hart, Bruce Hart & Bret Hart vs. The Kiwis & Dynamite Kid
• Stampede Wrestling – May 1979
• Stampede Arrives in WWE
• World Tag Team Championship Match
• Hart Foundation vs. British Bulldogs
• Boston Garden – November 1, 1986
• An Unforgettable Match
• Intercontinental Championship Match
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart vs. British Bulldog
• SummerSlam – August 29, 1992
• The Hart Family in a WWE Ring
• Family Feud Match
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Owen Hart, Bruce Hart & Keith Hart vs. Shawn Michaels & His Knights
• Survivor Series – November 24, 1993
• Brothers vs. Brothers
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart & Owen Hart vs. Rick Steiner & Scott Steiner
• Florence, SC – January 11, 1994
• Ripped Apart at the Seams
• World Tag Team Championship Match
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart & Owen Hart vs. The Quebecers
• Royal Rumble – January 22, 1994

WWE Hart and Soul: The Hart Family Anthology Disc 3

• Sibling Rivalry
• Steel Cage Match for the WWE Championship
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart vs. Owen Hart
• SummerSlam – August 29, 1994
• The Hart Family Settles It in the Ring
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart & British Bulldog vs. Owen Hart & Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart
• Raw – November 7, 1994
• Decorated in Gold
• European Championship Match
• Owen Hart vs. British Bulldog
• Raw – March 3, 1997
• Front and Center
• 10-Man Tag Team Match
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Owen Hart, British Bulldog, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart & Brian Pillman vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ken Shamrock, Goldust & Legion of Doom
• In Your House: Canadian Stampede July 6, 1997
• Border Wars
• 6-Man Tag Team Flag Match
• Bret “Hit Man” Hart, Owen Hart & British Bulldog vs. Stone Cold Steve Austin, Undertaker & Dude Love
• Raw – July 21, 1997
• Passing the Torch
• WWE Unified Tag Team Championship Match
• The Hart Dynasty vs. D-Generation X
• SmackDown – December 25, 2009
• The Best is Yet to Come