Tag Archives: wrestling

“WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle” Streaming on Peacock Triggers Unknown Trivia and Nostalgia

It’s WRESTLEMANIA weekend here in my home of Las Vegas and shit hasn’t been this hyped up since 1993 when Vince McMahon decided to bring the Super Bowl of wrestling events to Sin City. Hell, on my way back from a doctor’s appointment today, I caught a glimpse of some guys walking down the street with a very impressive-looking championship wrestling belt- and mind you, we were nowhere near the arena that is hosting WrestleMania 41. I just smiled and remembered the excitement I, and so many others in my hometown, once felt when we found out The Undertaker, Bret Hart, and the return of Hulk Hogan were all on the card for WrestleMania IX. I feel it in the air now just as I did back then when I was 10.

And it brings a goddamn tear to my eye and that inner child in all of us.

In addition, PEACOCK recently released a documentary about WrestleMania like no other, entitled “WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle.” The documentary features raw footage from behind the scenes, including the building of Caesar’s Coliseum in a parking lot to hold the event, shenanigans with wrestlers backstage, and new interviews with the superstars who were present and their stories behind it.

I gave it a watch, and it is, indeed, a jolt of welcomed nostalgia to the golden era of 90s wrestling and how I felt about the sport as a kid. It was a time when Kayfabe was still in strong effect and taken extremely seriously by the athletes themselves to keep the image of their superstar persona alive; only strengthening the fandom into a passion of excitement. Also anger when one of your favorite guys lost or was screwed over royally by a “heel”.

It was also a time of two Doinks. The feels were fire, folks.

The doc also most importantly, gives each match that was on the card that day, a walkthrough on what was going on behind the curtains, goofs, and the reality of tensions between certain parties during the event. If you’re a wrestling fanatic like myself, you probably already know about the massive shit show that was the Undertaker vs The Giant Gonzalez match, as he’s spoken out about it numerous times and is one, if not THEE most hated match from his own personal perspective. As a matter of fact, many fans today stand on the hill of IX being one of the worst WrestleManias ever. And I can see why now as an adult, but as a ten-year-old kid as I was back then, the somewhat crappy card and controversial ending didn’t matter one bit. It was pure fucking magic to us 90s kids who grew up embracing the WWF (yes I still call it that) and watching never before seen footage of some of the greatest icons that are no longer with us like Randy Savage, Curt Hennig, Sherri Martel and Bam FUCKING Bam Bigelow was a real treat. Also, as someone who prides the fuck out of themselves with 80s and 90s wrestling knowledge, I learned quite a few new things that I’ll keep in my back pocket if I ever so happen to land myself on WWE Jeopardy.

WrestleMania IX: Becoming a Spectacle” is currently streaming on PEACOCK and I highly suggest giving it a go as a pregame to WrestleMania 41. If anything, the raw footage itself of Bobby Heenan riding backwards on a camel is worth it.

Oooh Yesss! That Time WWF Superstars Invaded the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (1994)

Ahh, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The annual American tradition of oversized balloons haunting the streets of New York City while a bunch of Broadway singers and dancers praise a giant floating Garfield like some helium-infused god. And us as well, I suppose, as the parade is nearing its 100th year of being in action. America has long held this event as the official ushering of the Christmas holiday season while stuffing themselves into a food coma. While mom or Grandma is in the kitchen sweating over a twenty-pound bird, the kiddies watch their favorite pop culture icons wave at a crowd and the TV on elaborate floats. You know, like the Sesame Street gang, Ninja Turtles, Paul Bearer with his urn of death…

FUCK YEAH.

Honestly, who would have ever thought that the WWF Superstars would ever make an appearance at an event like this, is sort of beyond my own logical train of thinking. But I’m sure as shit was happy to see it when it happened. Although it wasn’t an official WWF float, but a float for the New York Daily News named The Big Apple, which would explain all the randomness happening all over that thing. Including a Hockey-Mask wearing Jason who was actually a columnist for the paper; or THE SLAMMER as he called himself, and was only known under that pseudonym.

The British Bulldog, Razor Ramon, Lex Luger, Doink, Dink, Paul Bearer, and the Undertaker appeared as special guest stars and they all look they’re having one hell of a time- well, minus the Undertaker who stayed in Kayfabe because god-forbid we see the dead man crack a grin!

I mean, shit, they look they’re having such a good time that I’m willing to bet that urn was filled with vodka. Knowing the stories behind the mat these days, it’s probably not that far off. Which is pretty hilarious. Kind of like little Dink there being almost completely out of sight because of some giant baseball bat and the star emblems of his fellow athletes.

That Time WWF Superstars Invaded the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (1994)

The wrestling era of 1994 was a pretty dim one looking back as the once premier agent for wrestling who had body slammed all of its territory competitors, was fighting for their lives against WCW, who was quickly becoming the bigger and badder boys of nationwide wrestling. And let’s face it, the WWF was still stuck in its Superhero era at the time with really shitty gimmicks for their “superstars” like The Dentist, Repo Man, and here’s a deep cut, Duke “The Dumpster” Droese. They were pretty piss poor characters and honestly very few wrestlers were keeping the company afloat and people watching like, The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, and Razor Ramon of course. So, it’s not crazy I guess that Vince McMahon would throw his athletes into a Macy’s Parade for a little extra exposure to kids and parents since that was the primary target audience at the time.

Either way, it’s a refreshing break from Big Bird and Barney spotlights. Speaking of, right behind our wrestlers, is a behemoth of that annoying purple dinosaur ready to devour little Dink at any second.

For your nostalgic enjoyment, here’s an upload of the entire 1994 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade! But if you want to just skip to Razor Ramon oozing machismo all over 34th street, the timestamp starts at 1:40:00 in.

“Chokeslam” Starring Mick Foley Coming To Blu-Ray This February

If you’re a fan of Nacho Libre, Ready to Rumble, or the Netflix hit series Glow, you’re not going to want to miss this.

The mankind, the myth, the legend is bodyslamming his way to home video later this month along with an all-star cast in Chokeslam. An official selection of the World Film Festival – San Francisco and the Calgary International Film Festival, the comedy film centered around the glorious sport with a love story underneath, stars WWE Superstar Mick Foley, Chris Marquette (Fanboys, The Girls Next Door), Amada Crew (HBO’s Silicon Valley, The Age of Adaline), Michael Eklind (Watchmen), and Niall Matter (The Predator).

 

chokeslam 1

SYNOPSIS Per the Press Release:

Corey (Chris Marquette), still lives in his mom’s basement with same job slicing meat in a tiny deli for over a decade, a sad and lonely figure. His life shut down after hastily proposing marriage to his best friend Sheena (Amanda Crew) in front of their entire high school only to have her turn him down. 

A humiliated Corey wanted Sheena to stay in their small town but she was going on to much bigger things. Ten years later, Sheena, now a world-renowned professional wrestler, famous for her legendary temper in and out of the ring, has come back home for her and Corey’s high school reunion and Corey cannot help himself, immediately falling for Sheena all over again. But professional wrestling has not been kind to Sheena. She’s changed. She’s hostile and burnt-out from years on the road and has announced her retirement. 

To win back over her heart, Corey plans a retirement benefit match for Sheena but what Corey never envisioned is that the match lures talent scouts to watch her wrestle and the scouts are so impressed that they are going to fly in the big boss to see Sheena wrestle. If he’s as dazzled as they are, he’ll offer Sheena an exclusive five-year wrestling contract, only it is to wrestle in Japan. Corey feels like he’s been scissor-kicked in the stomach. The very event intended to rekindle Sheena’s love for wrestling, and hopefully her love of him, now threatens to take her away from him forever…Love is hard to pin down.

 

The film is a product of Executive Producers Trevor Wilson (Forsaken) and Mark Gringras (Jigsaw Colossal), and is available for pre-order at the MVD Shop. Chokeslam will be released February, 27th 2018.