Beyond the Mat

Rating:
Summary: More revealing then Wrestling With Shadows
Review: Barry Blaustein has done a rare impossible thing with Beyond The Mat: he revealed professional wrestling's dark underbelly. We find out how stars are made and created by the WWF and other smaller promotions. This documentary was very reavealing. Blaustein was able to succeed with this documentary on the fact that he was able to gain the wrestler's trust. Many of facts startled me as well like how Chyna was a U.N. Scholar. The most revealing part of the film though was with Jake The Snake Roberts. When I first viewed it, I was shocked to see how low he had gone (I knew already about his bouts with alcoholism and drug abuse). Even going as far as alienating his daughter was shocking. A couple of weeks ago, Jake was on a wrestling program called Chairshots. He sounded horse, but still ready to argue the facts of the film. He claimed Mick Foley and Terry Funk were the only one that were paid for doing the film (which strikes me as odd since Vince McMahon didn't even get a cut of the profits). He also said that he was lied to about the film, as Blaustein told him that it was going to be a TV special on the dangers of wrestling (which I dont believe). Jake also said that he is on good terms with his daughter from the film (which I extremely find hard to believe). Just about everything Jake said in the interview was disputable. I have both versions of this film but I bought the rated version the other day for the fact it had bonus footage. It was nice to see Chris Adams in the bonus footage because his appearances on TV are now rare. The bonus footage gives more understanding to stuff that was in the film. This is one documentary every wrestling fan would watch. It goes deeper than Wrestling With Shadows and any wrestling program on TV.

Rating:
Summary: The best documentary I've seen.
Review: I considered my self to have known a lot about the history of wrestling as far as in the ring. But this movie showed me a world I had never seen before. Watching Terry Funk in this movie changed my perceptiong of why he has wrestled for so many years. Not because he enjoys it but because he doesn't know what else to do. Also, until this movie came out I had not seen any match with Jake The Snake Roberts since 96, and I cannot believe how far downhill he has gone. The people who have also seen this can agree that he looks like mere glimpse of the wrestler he once was. What intrigued me the most is that we take for granted the shows they put on. They have made so many sacrifices for the fans it's amazing how their lives outside the ring are very difficult.

Rating:
Summary: Beyond the Mat Ringside Special Edition
Review: This DVD is the same as the rest of the Beyond the Mat DVD's. I thought this was going to be a new Beyond the Mat with different scenes in the movie. If you already have any of the Beyond the Mat movies, do not buy this one. I hope they make a NEW Beyond the Mat that has different scenes. I think that Beyond the Mat movies are awesome, but I get tired of seeing the same thing in everyone of them.
Thanks.

Rating:
Summary: 5 Stars for the movie, not the "Ringside Special Edition"
Review: Beyond The Mat is a EXCELENT movie. Everything about it is just great. The original DVD came out with awesome comentary by the director, and one by Mick Foley. This new version came out with new commentary, and they left the old ones out. The "new" commentary is not all that good, they arent talking about the movie, just about wrestling in general, and it gets kind of annoying. The old commentary was 100 times more interesting, especially when Mick FGoley says he basicly hated the Rock for the whole Royal Rumble incident. That comment alone makes the original DVD better than this one. Other than the new comentary, there is nothing much more special on here.

Rating:
Summary: Who Are These Guys?!? A Great Movie for any wrestling fan
Review: From the opening montage (worthy of a WWF hilight clip)"Beyond the Mat" is the ultimate insider look into pro wrestling. The Wannabees, the Has-Beens, the Never Weres and the 'It's of 2 of the Big 3 (WCW is absent but not missed)of Pro Wrestling in '97 are all represented here: Vince McMahon, Jim Ross, Paul Heyman, Roland Alexander of UPW, Droz, Terry Funk, Mick Foley, Jake the Snake Roberts, Chyna, a bloody Spike Dudley, Coco B. Ware, Jesse Ventura and New Jack. Of these, the primary focus is on Funk, Foley and Roberts, each of these hilighting different challanges that pro wrestlers face.

The highlights of the film inclide 2 UPW wrestlers' tryout with the WWF; Terry Funk's 'retirement' match; Mick Foley's 'I Quit' match with the Rock; and every second Jake Roberts is on screen.

Highly recommended!!

Rating:
Summary: BEYOND THE MAT.
Review: For every wrestling fan who has ever wanted to know the truth behind the so-called sport of pro wrestling, then this movie is for you. Berry Blaustein is the director and narrator of this incredible biography and takes you behind the scenes to get a true close-up of what the bloody spectacle of wrestling is really like. The film goes backstage to examine the tryouts of 2 wannabe pros, the depressed rockbottom slide of Jake "The Snake" Roberts, the family and personnal life of Mick "Mankind" Foley, and the twilight years of wrestling's hardcore legend, Terry Funk. Go behind the scenes of ECW and the WWF. Meet different wrestlers and former wrestlers. This movie isn't for all tastes, and it isn't for the faint-hearted. But it is very moving and truthful. The part where Mick Foley is being stitched up after taking numerous chair shots to the head is definetly not for the weak stomached. I love this movie a lot because it gives me true insight of what the world of pro wrestling is really like.

Rating:
Summary: A day in a life of a wrestler
Review: If you are a big wrestling fan, and you haven't seen this movie, thers only one question "what the hell is your problem?" This is an awesome documentary about the wrestling buisness. This movie shows how wrestling could sometimes could be real. This movie only focuses on WWF, oops sorry, "WWE" and ECW. It shows a day in a life of Terry Funk, Jake the Snake, Mankind, and 2 unknown wrestlers. Through out wrestling history their has been dozens of legends, in this film they only talk about the legends of the 90's, thats cool in all, but they should have talked about the 80's like about "Hulk Hogan" and "Macho Man", or "Ultimite Warrior". If your not very fond of the wrestling buisness, you will still find this documantery a masterpiece, well mabey not a masterpiece but you will enjoy it.
This dvd includes 2 commentary tracks featuring one with Jesse the Body Ventura, Mick Foley, and Director Barry Blaustein, the other commentary track includes wrestler Terry Funk, and Director Barry Blaustein. This dvd also includes the theatrical trailer, which I think is a pretty good trailer. It also has a conversation dinner with Mick Foely, Jesse the Boddy Venura, and Director Barry Blaustein. They discuss what made Mick and Jesse want to become wrestlers., which the conversation is also very funny, as which before I saw it I know it was gonna be funny. They also discuss of how do you deal with not being there for your kids, and what makes you want to stay as a wrestler. They also talk about legendary wrestlers, legendry matches and how the wrestling buissness has changed, and other stuff about the wrestling buisness. The other thing about this dvd that it shows new scenes. Interviews from then, and interviews updated. Meaning new interviews
This dvd is a pretty cool dvd. For some reason I expected more, but what could there be its documantary, they couldn't have any deleted scenes, or behind the scenes. What I thought they should have had though was legendary matches. Thats basically what I think this dvd needs. Over all this is a definatley must for all wrestling fans.

Rating:
Summary: "Ringside SE" not as good as the original DVD release
Review: I purchased this under the impression that all the features from the first disc would be retained, in addition to adding a new commentary with Jesse Ventura and Mick Foley and an interview with them as well. The new Ventura/Foley commentary is nothing special as they only talk for a total of about half the movie, and for some reason it's an intrusive video commentary where the disc pauses to switch tracks every time it comes on - would have been much better to just let them talk the entire time and leave it as an audio only track.

My problem here is, they removed the director only commentary and also the Mick Foley solo commentaries from the previous disc. I don't see why this happened, as the Terry Funk & director commentary from the previous disc IS still on there. It's not like they couldn't have fit all of it on one disc.

A very solid documentary that everyone should check out if they have not already, but I'd advise picking up the previous release, as the special features are stronger.

For the sake of completeness, I'd give the original DVD relase 4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: great documentary!
Review: beyond the mat was great. i love the parts with jake 'the snake' roberts, mankind, and terry Funk. the best part is when they take a look at ecw(the best wrestling organazation ever!)!
the rest of beyond the mat is pretty good too. so go and buy the wrestling documentary- Beyond the Mat![.]

Rating:
Summary: Beyond The Mat
Review: Beyond The Mat is a great documentary about the world of professional wrestling from independent wrestling leagues and guys getting started, to the top dogs in the industry at the WWF to careers that are ending like those of Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Terry Funk.

This follows some of the most important icons in the game today and of yesterday like Mick Foley, Terry Funk, Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Paul Heyman and the old ECW and several appearances by other big names and some smaller names as well.

Honestly, this is really a great documentary on the industry that is professional wrestling. It also takes a look on how people get started in the business, when people make it in the business and when it's all over. It's exciting, shocking, some what disturbing and all out very interesting. I would rcommend this to anyone wanting to learn more about the sport and of course to any wrestling fan. If you're looking for another great wrestling documentary, check out HITMAN HART which focuses on legendary wrestler Brit "The Hitman" Hart and his last few months in the WWF leading up to his final and MOST CONTRAVERSIAL match EVER! Check both of these titles out!