|
|
Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 20, 2013 19:30:29 GMT -5
Picked this up and gave it a watch.
Decent overview of the history of the company. I can't say I learned anything new, but as usual the documentary is well produced and as thorough as it could be with a 2 hour running time and from a completely positive perspective. It seems like this would be the perfect video to show new employees, which is what it feels like after sitting through it and I mean that rather critically. One negative is having to listen to Sammartino put himself over for a good 10 mins (does he ever put anyone else over? lol), but I'd say its worth a watch at least once.
The extras are fairly paltry and there was really nothing that I hadnt seen before except the Hogan vs Andre match. Obviously, that Ive seen countless times but this was a different "version". There is no commentary and only one camera angle shown, which was a really interesting way to watch it. I guess its to give you a "what it was like being there" feeling and it does accomplish that for the most part.
I personally would like to see something a bit less puff because obviously the company has had its ups and downs, so I can't say its one of the best things they've ever done. I have become more and more jaded with these releases because they just refuse to paint a picture other than perfection, so in that respect I think its a shame they have the market cornered on this material. I don't want to see anything or anybody "buried", but a bit more perspective warts and all would be more appreciable and matter more in respect to it being an actual documentary and less of a company produced everything is perfect propaganda piece. In fairness, the 92 steroid scandal is covered, so I respect that they did bring that up at least.
|
|
Crappler El 0 M
Dalek
Never Forgets an Octagon
I'm a good R-Truth.
Posts: 58,479
|
Post by Crappler El 0 M on Nov 20, 2013 19:32:15 GMT -5
Any mention of the sex or steroid scandals of the early/mid 1990s?
|
|
|
|
Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 20, 2013 19:34:10 GMT -5
Any mention of the sex or steroid scandals of the early/mid 1990s? Yea, the steroid scandal is brought up. |
|
|
|
Post by celtics543 on Nov 20, 2013 19:48:41 GMT -5
They bring up Owen as well which was surprising to me. It seems that due to the issues with Martha since his death they would've used Eddie's death or Pillman's death as the ones to focus on but they give Owen probably a good five minutes of time. It was kind of surreal and almost brought me to tears.
|
|
The Heenan Family
Unicron
I'm a legend in this sport. If you don't believe me, ask me.
Posts: 2,573
|
Post by The Heenan Family on Nov 20, 2013 20:07:17 GMT -5
One thing that stunk right off the bat was learning the documentary was 2 hours and not 3 hours. Some sites screwed that one up. It wasn't WWE's fault but with 50 years of history they could have easily made a 3 hour documentary.
As said, there really wasn't anything the average board member here didn't know already in the documentary. Maybe the most interesting piece of information was Jerry Jarrett being groomed as Vince's replacement in case he went to prison. Though I did like the hard camera view of the Hogan versus Andre without commentary. Just watching it on a stationary camera made the match look better for some reason.
One of the more unsettling things about this release is just how many old interviews they use. Sure they got Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Ivan Koloff, Jake Roberts and Larry Zbyszko, but they were usually stock interviews from the mid 2000s or 1990s which included Jack Brisco, Paul Bearer, Chief Jay Strongbow, Captain Lou Albano, S.D. Jones, Sensational Sherri, Fabulous Moolah, Arnold Skaaland, and Classy Freddie Blassie. It was disturbing.
The steroid thing was all basically wrestlers talking about how it was a witch hunt and they didn't understand it. The last third of the documentary was all advertising for WWE's performance center, movies, and so on. It was a waste of time.
One of the strangest things that I picked up on was their Hall of Fame chapter. The narrator mentions Andre being the first inductee in 1993, then proceeds to say "for the next three years WWE would induct classes of 7" or something close to that. It made my jaw drop. First, they didn't even have to say that. But second, it was flat out wrong. In 1996 they inducted 9 people. It kinda summed up the quality of the documentary.
|
|
|
|
Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 20, 2013 20:47:45 GMT -5
One thing that stunk right off the bat was learning the documentary was 2 hours and not 3 hours. Some sites screwed that one up. It wasn't WWE's fault but with 50 years of history they could have easily made a 3 hour documentary. As said, there really wasn't anything the average board member here didn't know already in the documentary. Maybe the most interesting piece of information was Jerry Jarrett being groomed as Vince's replacement in case he went to prison. Though I did like the hard camera view of the Hogan versus Andre without commentary. Just watching it on a stationary camera made the match look better for some reason. One of the more unsettling things about this release is just how many old interviews they use. Sure they got Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Ivan Koloff, Jake Roberts and Larry Zbyszko, but they were usually stock interviews from the mid 2000s or 1990s which included Jack Brisco, Paul Bearer, Chief Jay Strongbow, Captain Lou Albano, S.D. Jones, Sensational Sherri, Fabulous Moolah, Arnold Skaaland, and Classy Freddie Blassie. It was disturbing. The steroid thing was all basically wrestlers talking about how it was a witch hunt and they didn't understand it. The last third of the documentary was all advertising for WWE's performance center, movies, and so on. It was a waste of time. One of the strangest things that I picked up on was their Hall of Fame chapter. The narrator mentions Andre being the first inductee in 1993, then proceeds to say "for the next three years WWE would induct classes of 7" or something close to that. It made my jaw drop. First, they didn't even have to say that. But second, it was flat out wrong. In 1996 they inducted 9 people. It kinda summed up the quality of the documentary. Pretty much with you on all points. I have to admit, when I heard this was announced, I really got my hopes up but the quality and depth of these things have really gone downhill over the last few years. They're less documentary and more just what the company wants you to see. In fact, I think it'd be a disservice to classify this as a documentary. "WWE PRESENTS: The WWE". |
|
Phil Parent
El Dandy
Your Favourite Teacher
Posts: 8,508
|
Post by Phil Parent on Nov 20, 2013 21:04:34 GMT -5
It was a puff piece.
I don't know if I really expected anything else.
The winners of wars write history. Them being the dominant promotion in the world allows them to write history.
I hope that Undertaker's documentary will be good. It's pretty much the last story they have to tell, at this time.
|
|
The Heenan Family
Unicron
I'm a legend in this sport. If you don't believe me, ask me.
Posts: 2,573
|
Post by The Heenan Family on Nov 20, 2013 21:16:21 GMT -5
One thing to note is that there was an advertisement for a book coming out in the spring about the 50 years of WWE History. Not sure if the guys who wrote the Encyclopedia are writing it or not. At least with that we could skim through it at the store and see if it's worth the investment. We'll see though.
One positive surprise on the documentary was J.J. Dillon immediately mentioning Ray Morgan as they showed a clip of him smoking at ringside. He's not even in their Encyclopedia's but he did do play by play for them for almost 15 years.
|
|
kidglov3s
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Wants her Shot
Who is Tiger Maskooo?
Posts: 15,870
|
Post by kidglov3s on Nov 20, 2013 21:56:09 GMT -5
Sounds like The True Story of Wrestlemania Revisited. I'll be sure to pick it up from GoHastings when I can get it for under five dollars.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 20, 2013 22:11:54 GMT -5
One of the more unsettling things about this release is just how many old interviews they use. Sure they got Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Ivan Koloff, Jake Roberts and Larry Zbyszko, but they were usually stock interviews from the mid 2000s or 1990s which included Jack Brisco, Paul Bearer, Chief Jay Strongbow, Captain Lou Albano, S.D. Jones, Sensational Sherri, Fabulous Moolah, Arnold Skaaland, and Classy Freddie Blassie. It was disturbing. Considering all of those people are dead, it's not *that* disturbing... But I reckon they wanted a real variety of people representing WWE history. Hearing from Blassie and Skaaland and Moolah matters, even if they're archive interviews. |
|
|
|
Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 20, 2013 23:02:11 GMT -5
Sounds like The True Story of Wrestlemania Revisited. I'll be sure to pick it up from GoHastings when I can get it for under five dollars. Yea, good comparison. |
|
The Heenan Family
Unicron
I'm a legend in this sport. If you don't believe me, ask me.
Posts: 2,573
|
Post by The Heenan Family on Nov 20, 2013 23:06:13 GMT -5
One of the more unsettling things about this release is just how many old interviews they use. Sure they got Bruno Sammartino, Bob Backlund, Ivan Koloff, Jake Roberts and Larry Zbyszko, but they were usually stock interviews from the mid 2000s or 1990s which included Jack Brisco, Paul Bearer, Chief Jay Strongbow, Captain Lou Albano, S.D. Jones, Sensational Sherri, Fabulous Moolah, Arnold Skaaland, Ernie Ladd, and Classy Freddie Blassie. It was disturbing. Considering all of those people are dead, it's not *that* disturbing... But I reckon they wanted a real variety of people representing WWE history. Hearing from Blassie and Skaaland and Moolah matters, even if they're archive interviews. They didn't post the dates of the interviews. They simply blended them to look like Sherri or Ernie Ladd had just sat down over the summer to comment on the new dvd. It was a concentrated effort to make the interviews look uniform or current. It's not hard when it's basically a head shot, simple background, and the same graphic for their names. They didn't dare have a comment from Eddie Guerrero because they knew damn well and good the majority of the audience knows he's dead. The older guys, not so much. If Bruno and Koloff are there, then there's no reason why Albano or Brisco couldn't have sat down this year too. To me, that is disturbing. EDIT: I'm not saying it isn't important to hear from some historical figures if they have something significant to add to the conversation, but going from Skaaland to Moolah without any reference of date and then going to a similar looking interview with a more current DiBiase was uncomfortable. |
|
|
|
Post by mcmahonfan85 on Nov 20, 2013 23:15:19 GMT -5
i laughed when they talked about how Bob Backlund would hang out in the arenas after shows making sure everyone got an autograph. wonder what Tommy Dreamer will think when he sees that part
|
|
Dean-o
Grimlock
Haha we're having fun Maggle!
Posts: 13,865 
|
Post by Dean-o on Nov 21, 2013 0:04:21 GMT -5
Overall I enjoyed it, but once it entered the Cena years the whole thing felt like a promotional piece designed like it could be shown to potential investors and public relation inquires. I was bored to tears with it. I wish they gave this 3 hours so it could really did deep into the 60's/70's/80's more.
Also, in case anybody was wondering, Chris Benoit is not mentioned at all. They did give a few minutes to Owen Hart's death though.
|
|
|
|
Post by Urfarkendarf on Nov 21, 2013 1:04:27 GMT -5
Overall I enjoyed it, but once it entered the Cena years the whole thing felt like a promotional piece designed like it could be shown to potential investors and public relation inquires. I was bored to tears with it. I wish they gave this 3 hours so it could really did deep into the 60's/70's/80's more. Also, in case anybody was wondering, Chris Benoit is not mentioned at all. They did give a few minutes to Owen Hart's death though. Yea, the last hour is very much something I could see them playing for new employees as an orientation thing lol. I don't think this production was very entertaining at all the more I think about it. I very much liked the stuff in the beginning with Vince Sr, but the stuff about Vinnie Mac expanding has been rehashed ad-nauseum at this point. I found the Owen stuff the most poignant and affecting. I know why they didn't and its understandable considering the promise Vince made after it happened, but this cant really be called a documentary without mentioning Benoit. I've said it on multiple occasions before, I really hope someday they do a serious retrospective piece, perhaps after more time has passed about that whole situation. Something similar to one of those "Legends of Wrestling" roundtables they've had on Classics, but obviously with a much more serious tone. Its possible to cover Benoit and not glorify him. |
|
|
|
Post by blackmegaman on Nov 21, 2013 16:31:43 GMT -5
Like most WWE Docs. I thought the first 2/3 of it were pretty interesting then it kind of drags towards the end , and I did like seeing Russo and Luger on the DVD.
|
|
|
|
Post by Instant Classic on Nov 21, 2013 16:35:20 GMT -5
Picked it up today, about to watch it now.
|
|
Phil Parent
El Dandy
Your Favourite Teacher
Posts: 8,508
|
Post by Phil Parent on Nov 21, 2013 17:10:35 GMT -5
The thing with WWE and Benoit is that they do not want to talk about it the only way they could, and that is that the Benoit tragedy was caused by brain damage he incured (partially) in WWE and that it made the company realize they had to take better care of their athletes so that they have healthy and sane futures.
|
|
