Rating: 
Summary: Beyond The Mat, Can it get any more real?
Review: Well, all i really want to say is that this movie, has changed the way that i view the wrestling industry. I used to look at the wrestling industry as just entertainment. After viewing this video, i have altered my opinion to that of, I think wrestling is entertainment, but just like in the movies, something can go wrong. They are people who make the characters come to life, just like a hollywood actor. Plain and simple. This video takes a detailed look at the Rise and Fall of a superstar, The Price to stay a superstar, and life after being a superstar. It even takes time to show people who never got to be a superstar. Please, I urge you if you can to take a look at this video. It is well worth your hour and forty-nine minutes. Thank you.
Rating:
Summary: BEYOND THE MAT DIRECTOR'S CUT DVD REVIEW: Shocking!
Review: "BEYOND THE MAT: UNRATED DIRECTOR'S EDITION" DVD... what an awesome documentary!I was a big fan of wrestling many years ago and just started watching again this year. The game is more electrifying than ever and things have changed since the 80's of WWF. The focus on certain wrestlers in this documentary was very fun and shocking to watch at the same time. From Terry Funk getting the doctor's prognosis of his battered body, Jake "The Snake" Roberts and the demons in his life which was a shock to watch and most of all, the segment that really hooked me in was Mick Foley's segment and how his family handled watching him get beat during "Royal Rumble". Also, one of the reasons to BUY this DVD is the comments Mick Foley had in the special features commentary in which he comments about the Rock hitting him and boy, you can tell Mick Foley was pissed at the Rock. Also, you see a few features on a few WWF and ECW stars in this documentary. Some people may want to call this documentary perhaps "The True Secrets behind wrestling". I'm actually surprised to see the added footage of Vince McMahon...whoah! A lot of things are in this video. From people trying to get into the business, the dangers of the business and the wrestler outside of the ring. As for the audio and video, the video has good colors, audio...I wasn't expecting digital 5.1 to begin with. As for the special features, it comes with a trailer, production notes...not that much compared to other movies/documentaries but if one thing truly shines in the special features category, it's the commentaries on this DVD which are the big thing. You have to watch Mick Foley's commentary. If anything, after I watched this movie, you have more respect for Mick. What a cool dude! So, wrestling fans...this DVD is highly recommended. VHS owners, you thought the movie was good, buy the DVD to hear what Mick has to say in the director's commentary...whoah!
Rating:
Summary: HELL YEAH!
Review: I saw this film the other night at the cinema's and was blown away. I'm been a huge wreslting fan for about 10 years, and now watch it every week. This Doco like the Bret Hart film, brought the viewer to the back stage area, where the gritty, 'REAL' side of wrestling was evident. This film portayed the different levels of wrestling, as well as the different levels of greed, power, heart ache, sadness, and money of wrestling within the different organizations. (NO WCW - CAUSE WCW SUCKS!) I remember seeing Jake the Snake come out to Australia, watching him do his thing at festival hall. Now though, Jake battles the drugs, and the devil's within himself, and now looks the size of rikishi, without the butt. This doco portrays wreslte's sometime tragic times, yet couples them with their heroic and towering charater's that send the kids searching for a pen and paper for an autograph. Seeing behind the scenes at the WWF and ECW, as families watch Mick Foley and Terry Funk get their brains beat out, said to me why would these guys to this. Why, because this gives them a buzz to be out in front of 20,000 fans or be it 100 fans, putting on a show, entertaining the fans like only these super hero characters can do. This was an excellent film and an eye opener of what wrestling is about today. As Vinnie Mac said...We make movies. I hope Jake the Snake get's it together, because he was, and still is the MAN! I advise people with any interest in wrestling, or jabroni's that are always in the ears of fans saying it's fake to watch this great film, because all who bag and call wrestling nothing but fake bull, will finally open their eyes to see that wrestling is more about body slams and tights, and like any else in this world today, it is realer than most people think!
Rating: 
Summary: Beyond The Mat - A Great Documentry
Review: This is a great documentry on the life and world of profressional wrestling. I was very impressed on the way the movie was done and how it followed the wreslters behind the scenes. This is for wrestling fans and movie fans.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: This review may seem a little biased considering I'm a huge wrestling fan, but this was one of the best movies I've ever seen. Barry Blaustein kept me interested through the whole film. I read a lot on the Internet about what goes on behind the scenes of pro wrestling. I thought I knew more than I actually did. This movie blew me away. This is definitely a must see.
Rating:
Summary: A spectacle -- not a sport!
Review: This is an independent documentary about pro-wrestling which goes beyond the hype of the spectacle. The producer/director, Barry Blaustein, spent two years traveling around the country and making this film. The president of the World Wrestling Federation, Vince McMahon is in it, but has refused to advertise it on TV and has tried to suppress it. This has only added to the interest I had in the film. The audience is told from the beginning that this is not a sport, but a spectacle, with choreographed excitement and no doubt of the outcome of each match. And perhaps that is why there are no regulations to protect the wrestlers. They wrestle 25-27 days per month, are constantly traveling, and are usually in pain. Because even though it is a staged performance, the blows are often real; these men are just willing to absorb it. We see the wannabe's learning to wrestle in a gym; we see the staging of the big shows; we see the sumptuous office of WWF and a young wrestler discussing his promotion with McMahon. And then we also see the very real people behind the hype as Blaustein does in-depth interviews and spends time with three very different wrestlers. We see the blood, the injuries, the very real pain. We see the hype, the spectacle and the joy of making big bucks. We get an inside view of an industry that has captured the imagination of the public. And we just begin to understand. I don't watch wrestling. But I do channel surf. And every once in a while I linger for a minute or two on one of the matches. I don't think I'll really change in my viewing habits. But I do know that the next time I pass by a channel where wrestling is going on, I'll think the human beings who live inside of those bulky and costumed bodies. And my experience of wresting will never be the same again.
Rating:
Summary: A Must See Documentary!
Review: I haven't watched wrestling in 22 years, but this movie is excellent. I'm so happy I purchased it last nite. Stayed up til 1 a.m. watching it all nite long over and over. It's a fascinating look at how wrestling has changed, and it's a deep portrait of a misunderstood idea of what wrestling is. I enjoyed it and recommend everyone see it.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic
Review: This is a brilliant documentary on pro-wrestling. The director is a life time wrestling fan and that's the reason it works. A wrestling fan can be objective about the subject - somebody who just doesn't "get it" would have produced a sarcastic, patronizing film. Watching this film must change the opinion of a non-wrestling fan, or strengthen the respect of a current fan, in my opinion. Highly recommended
Rating:
Summary: Great look inside the world of "sports
Review: The world of professional wrestling is quite an interestingone. I watched it as a kid and then upon hearing of this film and some of the books that Mick Foley and The Rock are writing I decided to start watching it again to see how it has progressed. So I figured I would wait for the video release while getting caught up with the WWF. Then finally Barry Blaustein's film was released for rental. In all truth it is a fantastic documentary. It focuses mainly on Terry Funk, Mick Foley, and Jake "The Snake" Roberts. It contains interviews with Vince McMahon who later tried to stop the film from being released (he is not portrayed as the nicest guy in the world). The stories are real and it is entertaining and unsettling at times. Blaustein made a great film and it explains how the WWF is on top while independant shows like ECW do not have as good a chance. Great film. Check it out. END
Rating:
Summary: An amazing documentary!
Review: This is a very sobering look at the life of professional wrestlers. If you liked the Bret Hart documentary-you must see this! Mick Foley: Is this guy amazing or what? I can't believe he does what he does and still walks. And he truly worries that the fans might not have gotten their money's worth? No way Mick. We owe you money at this point. Terry Funk: Another sick individual that seems to thrive on pain. Always in and out of retirement, his body has amassed a war's worth of damage-and he still keeps coming. Jake Roberts: What a tragic figure "The Snake" is. I remember watching him back in the 80's and then he just disappeared. Lost amidst a world of drugs and alcohol-his demons are too numerous to mention. If you like wrestling even remotely-watch this movie. If you are considering wrestling as a career-watch this movie and you may reconsider that choice.
| 
