Review of 101 Reasons Not to be a Pro Wrestler

Introduction

Looking in from the outside, you would be excused for thinking that the professional wrestling business is a relatively simple one. Sure, a lot of work may go into the production of the WWE`s bombastic pay-per-views and their twice-weekly television productions, but in the end, the bad guy always loses and the good always wins, right?

The truth is that the majority of wrestlers - "good" and "bad" alike - lose more important battles outside of the squared circle, to devious promoters, back-stabbing peers, injuries and drug addictions. As legendary wrestling fall-guy Barry Horowitz once put it, "If you want a friend in the wrestling business, buy a dog!"

"101 Reasons Not To Be A Pro Wrestler" is a quasi-documentary investigating the inner workings of the pro wrestling scene, from a perspective that casual fans would never have thought possible. The production takes the form of a series of inter-woven interviews with former WWE/WCW stars such as Joanie Laurer (formerly known as Chyna), Rikishi, Sean O`Haire, Konnan, and Diamond Dallas Page, all of which are conducted "shoot-style". In other words, no subject is taboo…

Video

Video is presented in 4:3 non-anamorphic NTSC (this disc is Region Free), and is generally good considering the source. The entire DVD was shot with a hand-held camera, which some may think is ill-befitting a documentary. Frankly though, the rawness of the video seems to parallel the fall from grace that several of the competitors have had, and it is difficult to imagine the documentary having the same poignancy, had it been filmed with a million-dollar budget.

That said, on my review copy there were serious lighting issues on the interview footage with Diamond Dallas Page that completely obscured his face on several occasions. However, I am assured that these have been corrected in post-production.

Audio

Audio is presented in Dolby Digital 2.0 and, like its video counterpart, is relatively good considering the source. The main difficulty comes from the fact that the microphone often picks up more than just the intended interview, leaving the main speaker competing for prominence on occasion. However, dialogue is generally clear and this issue will not spoil your enjoyment of the DVD.

Features

Extras on this disc are basically extended interviews with the wrestlers, segments of which are repeated from the actual documentary. Many of the scenes that were removed from the main feature are still interesting though, further developing the person`s character in the mind of the viewer. At almost another 2hrs though, some may consider more interview footage as overkill.

Conclusion

"101 Reasons…" is a landmark documentary on professional wrestling for a number of different reasons. Unlike Barry Blaustein`s "Beyond The Mat" - which this production has been compared to - there is no big budget, there is no invite to World Wrestling Federation headquarters, there is no superstar here with the international reputation of Mick Foley, Terry Funk or Jake "The Snake" Roberts.

Instead, here are a collection of wrestlers whom, for varying reasons, have either never quite made it to the "big league" WWE/WCW, or have been there only to see their star fall.

Perhaps the best examples I can use are of Joanie Laurer and Diamond Dallas Page. Laurer - using the "Chyna" name - was the first woman in wrestling history to compete full-time against men and at one point she even looked set to break into the American mainstream consciousness on the back of her WWE fame, and her own starring role on the cover of Playboy magazine. But just as things looked to be reaching their peak, it is alleged that Laurer - believing that her success was all of her own making - demanded a huge pay rise to remain with the company, and it was far from forthcoming. At around the same time, Laurer herself alleges that Stephanie McMahon, daughter of WWE owner Vince McMahon, was pressuring her father to let Laurer go, on account of the fact that Miss McMahon had been having an affair with her long-time partner, fellow wrestler Triple-H. Be that as it may, the "artist formerly known as Chyna" has since seemed a tormented soul, spending a week in prison for assaulting a lover, releasing a homemade hardcore sex tape with that same person, and having been reprimanded off-air by shock-jock Howard Stern, after a drug-induced mess of a radio interview.

Page`s fall from grace is certainly a much different story, but it is difficult to believe the man when he, in all seriousness, claims that his positive outlook on life has meant that he has "never had a bad day".

A former WCW World Champion, Page was a late-developer in the business who achieved all of his accolades through hard work and determination, at a point in his life where most wrestlers would be winding down to retirement. Soon after joining the WWE in 2001 however, using an ill-fated gimmick where he stalked another man`s wife, he suffered a serious neck injury, which appeared to force him into retirement. Despite being assured that there was a place for him in the company outside of the ring, Page was never offered a significant behind-the-scenes role. Still in love with the wrestling business however, Page has completed several matches on the independent circuit and is currently promoting his book "Yoga For Regular Guys".

Laurer and Page will certainly be the most recognisable wrestlers to most fans, but that is not to say that the additional material contained here is not of similar high quality. Although he is guarded on discussions which would inevitably burn bridges with the WWE, Sean O`Haire`s segments are otherwise forthright and show an intelligence that his WWE persona had failed to make use of. Vampiro, he of the remarkable tattoos, is not so much forthright as devilishly blunt, especially with his views on drug use in wrestling. And former Extreme Championship Wrestling star New Jack displays tremendous humour and brutality in equal doses, proving just how complex a man with multiple justifiable homicides to his name can really be.

In summation, this is an excellent DVD for those who are interested in the intriguing flip-side of professional wrestling, inside and outside of the WWE. "101 Reasons…" may not be a literal countdown from 101 to 1, but it contains a strong statement as to how the wheels of fortune can turn in this business, at any time.

(Please note: "101 Reasons Not To Be A Pro Wrestler" is currently available only by visiting www.HollymoodEntertainment.com)