Product Details

• Actors: Joey Styles, Joel Gertner, Peter Senerchia, Mikey Whipwreck, Jerry Lynn
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Rated: Unrated
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Geneon [Pioneer]
• VHS Release Date: April 10, 2001
• Run Time: 220 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B00005A093
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,555 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ECW: Extreme Championship Wrestling - Barely Legal, February 11, 2001

By 

Stephen Horne (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - Barely Legal (DVD)

On April the 13th, 1997, the folks at Extreme Championship Wrestling staged the most important event in their short history - their first pay-per-view. For a company that started out as a non-profit regional promotion, this was a crucial date indeed - if the PPV didn't succeed, chances are neither would ECW. Thankfully then, for both Team Extreme and their fans, they didn't disappoint. In a full run-down of the card...

ECW World tag team champions The Dudley Boyz (Buh-Buh Ray & D-Von) defended the gold against The Eliminators (Perry Saturn & John Kronus) in an entertaining, yet psychology-lacking opener... Lance Storm took on (substituting for the injured Chris Candido) Rob Van Dam in a decent outing... The Great Sasuke, Gran Hamada and (subbing for the injured Gran Naniwa) Masato Yakushiji locked horns with Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo and Terry Boy in a tremendous Six-man match... World Television champion "The Franchise" Shane Douglas battled Pit Bull #2 in a sloppy disappointment... Taz faced (after a year and a half's worth of hype) Sabu in a hard-hitting, enthralling bout... And finally, Terry Funk bested bWo leader Stevie "Big Stevie Cool" Richards and The Sandman in a great Three Way Dance to advance to take on World heavyweight champion Raven in the brutal and bloody finale.

A memorable, if not entirely satisfactory, card; Barely legal is available commercially on video and DVD for the first time and, if I were you, I certainly wouldn't pass up the chance to own this fantastic piece of wrestling history.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Emotional Night, May 27, 2006

By 

D.P. (California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - Barely Legal (DVD)

This was ECW's first PPV from the bingo hall known as the "ECW Arena" and really the event that put ECW on the map nationwide. Joey Styles did the entire PPV (with the exception of the main event) alone without a color commentator which made him the first person in history to do that.

Tag Team Champions Dudley Boyz vs. Eliminators - The Dudleys were nothing more than bodies for Eliminators to get all their high flyin' spots on. It looked pretty cool seeing heavyweights like Saturn & Kronis pull off such quick high risk moves but that's all this opening match really was...a spotfest for the Eliminators.

Rob Van Dam vs. Lance Storm - They would go on to have better matches as Storm was really "green" to the ECW enviroment (as you can see by his weak chairshots to RVD). This match is memorable for two reasons as it was the first time RVD used the "Vandaminator" as his finisher & this was the beginning of him becoming "Mr. Monday Night."
(Also available on Rob Van Dam "One Of A Kind" DVD)

Great Sasuke, Bran Naniwa, Masato Yakushiji vs. bWo International (Taka Michinoku, Dick Togo, Mens Teioh) - People night recognize the bWo International team as the original members of Kaientai from WWF but if you only know them from their run there, you'll be impressed here. This match was a crusierweight six man tag that you would see in Japan & it was great quality wrestling for those who apprechiate the japanese style of wrestling. This was also the PPV debut of Taka & Great Sasuke 3 months before WWF claimed it was their PPV debut at the "Canadian Stampeed" PPV.

Television Champion Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2 - This match was based off the hottest angle in wrestling for the past year for the simple fact that it got more "white" heat from fans than any angle WWF or WCW had during that time period. Shane Douglas had broke the neck of cult favorite "Pitbull #1" Gary Wolfe less than a year earlier (and that's no storyline, he really did it) and Pitbull #2 had his last chance for revenge. Pitbull's style of powermoved didn't really clash well with Shane Douglas' style as the match came off sloppy at times to me. The side storyline to this match was about a masked man (believed to be Rick Rude) who was stalking Francine & if Douglas won the match, he would be unmasked. The mystery man would be revealed & who was under the mask that night would be a shock to Douglas & his "Triple Threat" faction.

Sabu vs. Taz - This was dubbed "The Grudge Match Of The Century" as Sabu & Taz had a legit beef with each other dating back to when Sabu was fired from ECW in April '95 & if was perfectly built as they didn't fight each other for over a year leading up to this match as it had a great mix of wrestling from both men along with each incorporating their styles of Sabu's high flyin' & Taz's judo martal arts submission as well. The match itself lived up to the hype eventhough they would top the match later on in ECW.

Terry Funk vs. The Sandman vs. Stevie Richards - Tommy Dreamer joined Joey Styles on commentary for this & the next match. This was also the best match Stevie Richards has had in his career. This involved barbed wire, ladders, and trash cans. Great three way dance. Various spots include Sandman whipping Funk's bare back with barbwire & also throwing a steel trash can into the ring right on Funk's head.

ECW Champion Raven vs. Terry Funk - This is one right after the other match. This was more about the emotional story of Terry Funk getting his "one last run" than a match itself. Tons of cameos by Tommy Dreamer & Raven's flock. Just a very emotional match as Terry Funk pulled off the impossible & won the World Title at ECW's biggest show at that time.

DVD extras here are the same as all the ECW PPV DVD's in that they give a storyline history & background of each match on the card.

Recently, WWE packaged this PPV with their One Night Stand 2006 DVD. The main differences between that copy & this one are that Joey Styles redid some of his commentary on the WWE DVD. Also on the WWE DVD, they included the backstage promos & interviews while this DVD didn't. As for the music & entrances, all the entrances that didn't have ECW original music were either edited out or the music was muted out & the Motorhead cover of "Enter Sandman" was dubbed over the original version. The WWE version kept the entrances but put generic music over the ECW music they didn't own (no "Enter Sandman").

It wasn't the best PPV but if your looking for one of the most emotional nights in wrestling history, you'll find it here as it had something for every different type of wrestling fan. I highly recommend. If your not sure which version to get, read above what the differences are between the two & make your own choice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It may be Barely Legal, but it's also Totally Extreme!, April 11, 2002

By 

Tajeri Lynn (CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling) - Barely Legal (DVD)

On April 1997, ECW broke through all rival promotions to present the most grueling PPV of the year, "Barely Legal" 1997. Although lacking the pomp and grandiose of Wrestlemania, "Barely Legal" easily held on its own with terrific hardcore action and ooh-ahh spots that had everyone on the edge of their seats.

1.) Eliminators vs. Dudley Boyz- This is a near-total squash, but what a beautifully done squash! Perry Saturn and John Kronos deliver their most perfect performance ever with a never-ending array of somersaults and brain-busting double-team kicks! This may be more like a Ringling Brs. Circus spectacle than an actual wrestling match, but you will be amazed of the pace so much that you can only thirst for more ECW! ****

2.) Lance Storm vs. Rob Van Dam- The fans on this show don't give enough credit to either man in one of their numerous encounters together. If you think Jerry Lynn is Rob's most common opponent, then you've flat out missed Storm. Both men are harassed with boos and curses on all sides (Lance because he makes [poor]chair shots, and Rob because he messes up some maneuvers with the ropes). Besides that, a healthy does of technical, mid-air mayhem, supplied with plenty of innovative ideas with chairs, makes this match one for fans of Storm and Van Dam. Now that both men are in the WWF, expect them to be the next rivalry since Rock & Austin or Benoit & Jericho. ****1/2

3.) Michinoku Pro- Remember Taka Michinoku, from WWF's Kaientai? If you're one of those people who thinks he's a [bad]c Japanese goof-off, you haven't see him back in the days as part of the Lucha-style Michinoku Pro promotion. Along with Dick Togo and Mens Teioh, Taka faces off against Masato Yakushuji, Gran Naniwa, and the greatest Japanese luchadore ever, Grand/Great Sasuke, in the most stratospheric battle you might have ever seen. Forget RVD, these guys take airborne to new heights! It seems ever minute, at least two men are jumping over each other to get the better hand (or foot) over the other. Moonsaults, Lionsaults, Suicide Dives, Triple-team Slams, Piledrivers, Tornado DDTs, Senton Splashes...the list of air moves goes on and on, and that's coming from a cast of fighters with a half of them weighing over 240 pounds! If you are to see only one tag team wrestling match in your entire life, make it this one! This is match of the night. *****++

4.) Shane Douglas vs. Pitbull #2- You've seen one match between these guys, you've seen them all...That's the best I could say about this confrontation for the TV title. Douglas is okay, but Pitbull #2 is awfully messy and keeps making mistakes in this match (Hence, the audience keeps chanting "B.S." and Pitbull #2 never gets to stick around in the ECW universe for long). The closing sequences to the match are very similar to the 4 Corners TV match almost 6 months before, so if you've seen that classic, you won't be surprised who'd win this match in the end. The subplot involving a masked man is bound to confuse newbies to ECW. ***

5.) Sabu vs. Taz- Just about any ECW fan would say this match, involving the suicidal, homicidal, genocidal high-flyer Sabu and the suplexing machine Taz, is very disappointing by the standards of both men. In a way, they're right. The weardown holds Taz keeps doing to Sabu are way too long, and Sabu keeps getting too vulnerable to Taz's hits. There are a few highlight moments, though, such as Sabu's leaps off of chairs and a messed-up table spot that has him tasting wood. Hardcore Sabu/Taz fans would diss this as an amateur accomplishment, but it is important in introducing Bill Alfonso as the hilarious manager of Sabu and Sabu's partner, none other than egomaniac Rob Van Dam. ***1/2

6.) Big Stevie Cool vs. The Sandman vs. Terry Funk- The Innovator of Violence, Tommy Dreamer, sits down next to announcer Joey Styles in the hopes that mentor Terry Funk would vanquish archenemy Raven off his World Heavyweight Championship. The problem for the Funker is that he first must survive this hardcore Three-Way Dance against the popular leader of the Blue World Order and the ultimate ECW hardcore icon, and what a confrontation it is. It's a 20-minute war as chairs, tables, a ladder, a garbage can, and barb-wire streamers are the weapons of choice in this insane brawl. (How many times did the fans go "Ooh" when a ladder slammed down on a poor luchadore?) Highlight moments include a loud slap fest, a ladder landing on everyone's noggin every few moments, even some brutal see-saw action with the ladder thrusting up on someone's chin!) Very illogical, but truly brutal and worth looking at for its unbelievable content. ****1/4

7.) Terry Funk vs. Raven- The Funker survives the battle, but all battered and broken, he must take on a fully fresh slacker who is also the World Heavyweight Champion. This is more of a spot fest than a total wrestling match, but the story being told here is well done. Raven begins severely blading Funk with a chair, causing the 53-year old to bleed in sickening pints (Makes this THE scariest moment in this show). Although a doctor tries to help out Funk, Raven continues to assault the man with his cronies and even smashes him through a table on the outside. Raven then begins to taunt ole Tommy Dreamer that he'll end the career of Dreamer's tutor right before the Innovator. Dreamer is incensed and demands to fight Raven, until Big D. Dudley comes up and attacks him from behind. The burly Dudley then grabs Dreamer and prepares to level him with 3 stacked tables below. But Tommy kicks out and sends Big D. crashing right through the tables into unrecognizable splinters! ..Raven is stunned that the plan backfires, and suddenly, Dreamer pursues his opponent and lands Raven with a DDT! In due time, Funker is able to pin the slacker and become the first man to win the ECW World Heavyweight Championsip on a PPV! Dreamer and Funk warmly hug each other as the crowd proudly shouts, "ECW! ECW! ECW!..." This was just too cool an ending. ****1/4

So there you have it. The mid-card may be slightly weak, but the earlier matches and the double main-event makes this again an ECW video worth the money. You won't regret it.