Imagine The Level Of A Mind That Watches Wrestling (Beyond The Mat (DVD))

Member Name: wiggglypufff

Product:	Beyond The Mat (DVD)
Date:	02/03/05 (110 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Rare behind the scenes footage

Disadvantages: Slightly dated

My title is taken from a line almost at the start of Beyond The Mat, and it's a common and I feel stereotypical view of non-wrestling fans. What sort of a person enjoys a 'sport' where people beat each other up, except they don't really because it's scripted, choreographed, rehearsed, and fake?

Beyond The Mat is a gritty documentary about the lives of some of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) stars both in and outside of the wrestling ring. You see the real people outside of their character castings, and the dedication it takes to make it to stardom. Beyond the mat, behind the scenes, an eye opener for the critics maybe? I won't kid myself for one minute that those with no interest whatsoever in wrestling would watch and find themselves with a sudden affinity for it. But those with an open mind might just display a little more tolerance of it in the future.

The documentary was the brainchild of Barry Blaustein. Although a wrestling fan for many years, he even states himself that he wouldn't admit watching it to many people. But his fascination with the pantomime and pageantry, the glitz and glamour of it all leads him to seek out the truth. He travels the US to get behind the scenes footage and interviews with past and present stars of the wrestling circuit.

Between cuts of back stage at WWF and ECW, Blaustein visits a wrestling school where a $500 deposit is required just to get started. These wrestlers rarely make the professional circuit and, according to some that he spoke to, are paid only if they perform well on the night - even then, just a pittance of between $20 and $30.

He tracks down ex WWF star Jake 'The Snake' Roberts, supporting a cocaine habit and estranged from his family, and Terry Funk, a veteran of both the US and Japanese wrestling circuits whose addiction is to wrestling itself.

The most interesting 'profile' to me though was Mick Foley - aka Cactus Jack, Mankind, and Dude Love. A man renowned for pushing himself to the outermost limits to give a performance people will remember him for. Such a down to earth guy, he doesn't see himself as anything special - just a regular guy that can withstand more pain than most people. As a family man, the interviews aren't just with Mick himself, but with his wife and kids. You see that despite getting totally distraught as they watching Mick wrestle, they're still supportive - behind him and everything the profession means to him - and very, very proud.

Beyond The Mat doesn't gloss over the parts that fuel the cynics. You see the scriptwriters explaining what they really want from a scene, the wrestlers rehearsing moves and feigning their pain, but you also see the reality of it all - real success, failure, blood, pain, and career threatening injuries.

Two guys from the featured wrestling school get a WWF trial. They're put before a full arena of wrestling fans to do their stuff. It's filmed and played back, critically analysed behind the scenes. They never get a call back, so it's the end of that particular dream for them.

It's also admittedly humorous, OTT, and typically 'showbiz' in places - one clip shows an interview between Vince McMahon (WWF owner) and a man whose main talent is the ability to throw up on demand. He's taken on, with the apt name of 'Puke'.

You get to see a cross section of wrestling life: the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak. Call it sport, or just a glorified soap opera; it's enlightening if nothing else.

Whilst I wouldn't rush out and buy the video, I'm glad I caught it on TV. It didn't shatter any illusions for me, as I already knew it was 'fake' for want of a better word. If anything, it increased my admiration of these guys who will put their bodies through hell to entertain time and time again.

I've been asked before would I like my son sitting down in front of the TV watching wrestling? Well, I know that it's not as productive as some of the stuff he could be doing, but I can think of many far worse things too.

Beyond The Mat is a 1999 production, a 98-minute documentary with a 15 rating (no doubt due to the sometimes violent scenes and rather colourful language). It's an eye opener to those who are prepared to give it a chance.

I'll leave you with one final thought in answer to my title question. Can you imagine the level of a mind that watches wrestling? It's not a level of mind; it's a state of mind, simply an open mind!

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