Post by SassovsHart on Jan 2, 2009 11:53:33 GMT -5
www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/01/wrestling-film-villain-triggered-new-image/
I thought it was an interesting read, can't really comment further though since I never saw the movie.
My annual choice for pro wrestler of the year doesn't carry as much weight as an Academy Award, but there's a tie-in between my winner - Chris Jericho - and the 2008 best picture.
In the past year, Jericho re-emerged as a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar. He became the most despised villain on WWE's Monday Night Raw talent roster, no easy task considering how many fans like to cheer "cool" heels. He enjoyed a world title reign. He staged WWE's most memorable feud of 2008 with Shawn Michaels. And he has a movie to thank for getting the ball rolling.
After ending a two-year wrestling hiatus in November 2007, Jericho wasn't happy with the direction of his WWE character. While he returned as a babyface, Jericho knew he was better suited as a villain. But he wanted to shelve the cowardly heel role he had played earlier this decade.
"I didn't want to become a nostalgia act," Jericho said.
A trip to the theater last February changed Jericho's career. He saw No Country for Old Men and was inspired by Anton Chigurh, the merciless killer played to critical acclaim by Javier Bardem.
"The guy was completely committed to what he was doing," Jericho said. "You could say he was evil and wrong, but in his mind, he was right and that's all there was to it. He was very calm, cool and collected, and a complete psycho as well.
"I thought, 'These are the elements of a great (wrestling) character.' "
Jericho began incorporating those traits into his grappling persona in April, setting up what was first planned as a short- term rivalry with Michaels. The feud became so successful that it continued through most of 2008 and headlined October's No Mercy pay-per-view show.
"We have a mutual respect for each other as well as similar styles and attitudes," Jericho said. "The chemistry and openness to work together was really there."
The feud became a bit too real in August when Jericho clocked Michaels' wife, Rebecca, with a punch to the face on Raw. Jericho admits the accident led to "a lot of animosity from people in the locker room."
"Nobody in the world felt worse than I did, but fortunately she couldn't have cared less," Jericho said. "She thought it was great ... It did add to the intensity of the feud and took everything to the next level."
In the past year, Jericho re-emerged as a World Wrestling Entertainment superstar. He became the most despised villain on WWE's Monday Night Raw talent roster, no easy task considering how many fans like to cheer "cool" heels. He enjoyed a world title reign. He staged WWE's most memorable feud of 2008 with Shawn Michaels. And he has a movie to thank for getting the ball rolling.
After ending a two-year wrestling hiatus in November 2007, Jericho wasn't happy with the direction of his WWE character. While he returned as a babyface, Jericho knew he was better suited as a villain. But he wanted to shelve the cowardly heel role he had played earlier this decade.
"I didn't want to become a nostalgia act," Jericho said.
A trip to the theater last February changed Jericho's career. He saw No Country for Old Men and was inspired by Anton Chigurh, the merciless killer played to critical acclaim by Javier Bardem.
"The guy was completely committed to what he was doing," Jericho said. "You could say he was evil and wrong, but in his mind, he was right and that's all there was to it. He was very calm, cool and collected, and a complete psycho as well.
"I thought, 'These are the elements of a great (wrestling) character.' "
Jericho began incorporating those traits into his grappling persona in April, setting up what was first planned as a short- term rivalry with Michaels. The feud became so successful that it continued through most of 2008 and headlined October's No Mercy pay-per-view show.
"We have a mutual respect for each other as well as similar styles and attitudes," Jericho said. "The chemistry and openness to work together was really there."
The feud became a bit too real in August when Jericho clocked Michaels' wife, Rebecca, with a punch to the face on Raw. Jericho admits the accident led to "a lot of animosity from people in the locker room."
"Nobody in the world felt worse than I did, but fortunately she couldn't have cared less," Jericho said. "She thought it was great ... It did add to the intensity of the feud and took everything to the next level."
I thought it was an interesting read, can't really comment further though since I never saw the movie.
