Customer Reviews

Exposed! Pro Wrestling's Greatest Secrets [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A "serious" video for wrestling fans, so the hype is still present. I liked this video, in spite of it unfortunately starting with 7 minutes of advertising. Along with showbiz secrets it shows how the wrestlers receive the techniques used in the ring, without injury. Very useful for serious jujutsu and aikido practitioners who will recognize many of these techniques and the risks they pose, whilst seeing how other people handle them. A few techniques such as "Atomic Drop" were missing but they may have been trying to walk the line between exposure and "Kids, don't try this at home". Not quite variable enough for a good teaching video but still useful.

At this price other martial artists should have a copy in their library. They will provide a more appreciative audience than the majority of wrestling fans for whom this would be a tame video.

Variously run as "Wrestling Secrets Exposed," this special was shown on TV twice, about 10 years apart, and is part of a series (another being on stage magic). Professional Wrestling on television has long been called "fake" by various people, and there's no easier way to annoy fans than by repeating this bit of conventional wisdom. After fast forwarding through about 6 minutes of commercials (one of which is for "Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows" a very good documentary, which I highly recommend), viewers of this video tape will find a nice 45 minute program that sets out to show how some of the tricks in Professional Wrestling are done, using eight wrestlers whose identities have been disguised with masks. To this day, people have been guessing the identities of these wrestlers but only about three have been identified. The reason they are disguised is that in the wrestling business, a person's career may depend upon preserving "kayfabe" (the industry term for secrecy about the tricks of wrestling). The structure of matches, from who decides the winner and loser, what's up with the referee, what the ring is made of, and so forth, are covered and done in a somewhat cheesy, but entertaining manner.

This video has gotten a lot of bad press from wrestling fans and even some wrestlers, ever since it came out. It is not without legitimate flaws... the documentary is short and handled in a rather sensationalist manner (not unlike Pro Wrestling on TV, I might add). It also is somewhat dated, and doesn't cover all of the tricks of the trade, even back in 1998 when it debuted. Setting those aside, the video is quite instructive, and may give new respect for "sports entertainment" to those who previous dismiss it as "fake."

It may also serve as a caution to those who think that anybody can "'rassle" and try this stuff in their backyard (part of the way that wrestlers avoid injury is that they are in such great physical shape, and yet injuries still happen).

Pro Wrestling is "fake" in the sense that it's not a real athletic competition, despite being portrayed as such. Likewise, the onscreen "feuds" and the villainous deeds of the wrestlers against each other are inspired acting. Pro Wrestlers employ a variety of techniques not unlike circus performers, stage magicians or Hollywood stuntmen, in order to pull off the illusion of a knock-down, drag out fight between two bitter rivals trying to beat each other to within an inch of their lives. The fantasy enhances the reality of seeing a live "bout" between opponents.

Some of the violence in the ring proves to be more real than it appears. What this video did for me was show how some of the basic moves, finishers and stunts (like breaking tables or taking "chair shots") were done, to minimize injury while getting the crowd excited. It also covered some of the more amusing tricks employed over the years like plants and shills in the audience, salt in the eyes, etc. Prior to seeing this video, this viewer's primary exposure to Pro Wrestling had been the tv programming and hype from the early 80's to the early 90's (before the "Attitude Era" and the "Monday Night Wars," wrestling fans know what I'm talking about). Watching the documentary gave me new respect for the men (and women) who put their bodies on the line to entertain millions of fans, and the imagination that goes into crafting a show.

In terms of content, there is nothing here that is more extreme than you'd expect to see in a mid-90's wrestling match on regular TV, but there is violence and some blood.

Wrestling fans come off looking somewhat foolish at times in this video, so I can see why some fans took it personally, but frankly that's always how it has been in the circus and in American pro wrestling which got its start in the traveling circus side-shows. Long ago, promoters realized that they could make a lot more money by working matches under controlled conditions where the possibility of serious injury was minimized. Hence, "real" wrestling gave way to "fake" wrestling. Other videos do a better job of covering the history of wrestling. This video shows you some of the tricks, and leaves the mind to analyze future matches and ask "how did they do that?" which can be quite fun.

People may say "everybody knows Wrestling is fake, it's no secret" but few seem to realize just how "fake" it is. Given the fact that adult fans still occasionally leap into the ring or take a swing at a wrestler in real life, this information has apparently not reached everyone over the age of 13. This video is not the end-all be all on the subject, but a nice short introduction.

If you're looking for a behind-the-scenes look at the WWF or WCW... look for another movie. However, if learning some basic holds and an 80's look at the pro wrestling industry is what you're looking for, this is your flick. With such "anonymous" wrestling stars like Harley Race and Michael Modest, the movie really still shows just a slight insider's look at today's business.

Like the title saids:too little too late. We already know about the secrets like the blade,the tables and the legdrop. Vince McMahon told us the secrets back in the 1980's. As the Nostalgia Critic would say: "That was entirely pointless!" We also already know about how the moves are done,the fake punches and the piledriver. Overall,We already know,so why brother buying this? I give this tape a 1 out of 10.

If you ever wanted to be a Pro Wrestling well this is the Movie for you. It is NOT to Expose wrestling But It is more of a Training Video. I think whoever put Exposed on It wasn't really thinking. Great Movie if you are just starting in the Business. Actually I am using mine as a Training Video for a wrestling school I run.

A "serious" video for wrestling fans, so the hype is still present. I liked this video, in spite of it unfortunately starting with 7 minutes of advertising. Along with showbiz secrets it shows how the wrestlers receive the techniques used in the ring, without injury. Very useful for serious jujutsu and aikido practitioners who will recognize many of these techniques and the risks they pose, whilst seeing how other people handle them. A few techniques such as "Atomic Drop" were missing but they may have been trying to walk the line between exposure and "Kids, don't try this at home". Not quite variable enough for a good teaching video but still useful.

At this price other martial artists should have a copy in their library. They will provide a more appreciative audience than the majority of wrestling fans for whom this would be a tame video.