Post by HMARK Center on Jan 12, 2009 21:58:35 GMT -5
In this thread, let's talk about stuff they used to do on wrestling shows that could work today if really applied.
I've been on an old school WWF kick lately, watching old SummerSlams and Royal Rumbles from about the mid 80's to 1992, and there are a few things that stick out to me about those days that make me think that some of those old ideas need revisiting today.
Most notable:
*Pre-match promos for almost everybody that doesn't always revolve around "I'm gonna kick your ass!"
I honestly think that a lot of wrestlers today would be taken a lot more seriously if they weren't always trying to come off as "default" bad asses. This doesn't really apply to established guys who are already booked to be bad ass, but when new or up and coming guys are just told "sound tough", it usually doesn't feel authentic. Plus, when everybody's trying to be a tough guy, it makes the guys booked to be "legit" tough not stand out as much.
Just let some guys be funny, some serious, some just weird and out there, etc.
It was also cool that almost everybody, even new arrivals to the company, could at least get one promo before or after a PPV match.
*Try to be timeless, not trendy.
Don't get me wrong: 80's WWF definitely cashed in on plenty of pop culture flavors of the month. However, the set designs, the interview areas, the all-around presentation of the old shows didn't seem like it was trying to come off as "80's mainstream", or trying to fit some kind of pop culture motif. Rather, things were kept simple, streamlined, and simply professional looking (the Keep It Simple, Stupid principle). Like, they didn't always try to show you the backstage area (which made it all the cooler at the random times when they would), and you had simple things like the patented Mean Gene "Interview Area" with the PPV logo in the background, etc.
And here's my two most important ones:
*Managers, managers, managers
Great heat magnets, talkers, can cover for wrestlers who don't cut promos too well, etc. Why managers don't exist as much as they used to, I have no idea.
*Heel commentators!
'Nuff said. Just listening to Jesse Ventura and Bobby Heenan on various pay per views makes you realize just how important a heel color voice could be for a show. It'd be one thing if a wrestling company was trying to cover their shows as "real", and tried to call the matches like MMA bouts or something, no faces or heels.
But they don't, not in any company, and the constant face talk by the play by play and color guys is dull.
I've been on an old school WWF kick lately, watching old SummerSlams and Royal Rumbles from about the mid 80's to 1992, and there are a few things that stick out to me about those days that make me think that some of those old ideas need revisiting today.
Most notable:
*Pre-match promos for almost everybody that doesn't always revolve around "I'm gonna kick your ass!"
I honestly think that a lot of wrestlers today would be taken a lot more seriously if they weren't always trying to come off as "default" bad asses. This doesn't really apply to established guys who are already booked to be bad ass, but when new or up and coming guys are just told "sound tough", it usually doesn't feel authentic. Plus, when everybody's trying to be a tough guy, it makes the guys booked to be "legit" tough not stand out as much.
Just let some guys be funny, some serious, some just weird and out there, etc.
It was also cool that almost everybody, even new arrivals to the company, could at least get one promo before or after a PPV match.
*Try to be timeless, not trendy.
Don't get me wrong: 80's WWF definitely cashed in on plenty of pop culture flavors of the month. However, the set designs, the interview areas, the all-around presentation of the old shows didn't seem like it was trying to come off as "80's mainstream", or trying to fit some kind of pop culture motif. Rather, things were kept simple, streamlined, and simply professional looking (the Keep It Simple, Stupid principle). Like, they didn't always try to show you the backstage area (which made it all the cooler at the random times when they would), and you had simple things like the patented Mean Gene "Interview Area" with the PPV logo in the background, etc.
And here's my two most important ones:
*Managers, managers, managers
Great heat magnets, talkers, can cover for wrestlers who don't cut promos too well, etc. Why managers don't exist as much as they used to, I have no idea.
*Heel commentators!
'Nuff said. Just listening to Jesse Ventura and Bobby Heenan on various pay per views makes you realize just how important a heel color voice could be for a show. It'd be one thing if a wrestling company was trying to cover their shows as "real", and tried to call the matches like MMA bouts or something, no faces or heels.
But they don't, not in any company, and the constant face talk by the play by play and color guys is dull.
