4.0 out of 5 stars
A better title might be `Certifiably Insane And Then Some', August 13, 2007
This review is from: Just a Little Bit Crazy (DVD)
The first weekend of April each year is the home of the National Rattlesnake Sacking Championships in Taylor, Texas and this goes far beyond a fad or hobby or simple amusement. Competition between teams is high and they consider this annual contest, in their eyes, to be on par with a major sports event.
In competition, two man teams dump a sack of 10 rattlesnakes onto the floor of an enclosed square and then position them in the best pattern that will facilitate the quickest way to pick them up. One person will pin the snake's head down with a tool and then use his free hand to throw that snake into the bag his teammate is holding. You can incur time penalties for injuring a snake or getting bitten and there are 5 judges with a structured criteria watching everything that takes place before, during, and after the contest. The fastest average time over 3 rounds determines the winners.
Every reptile here is a Western Diamondback rattlesnake brought in from the wild. They are not milked of venom before the competition and each one is dangerous and can be totally unpredictable. Ironically, footage of the contest shows many of the snakes in a milder temperament than might be expected but this isn't the norm by any means.
Interviews with contestants reveal their sometimes unique, humorous, and unusual stances toward participating in this event. Quite a few describe it as a major adrenaline rush and label it as just plain fun that goes hand in hand with their serious intent to try to win every contest they enter. Not lost on anyone is the dangers involved here too. Descriptions of injuries along with some photographic evidence clearly demonstrates the toxic and debilitating effects of rattlesnake venom on the body. Many people in this program have been bitten multiple times, some with accompanying surgeries and hospitalizations.
`Just A Little Bit Crazy', for one hour's worth of documentary, was even more detailed and interesting than I thought it would be. The video footage is nice and clear throughout with good sound qualities. Only 1 extra feature is outtakes but it doesn't add anything to what has already been shown. Hands down, this was an entertaining and sometimes strange viewing experience that was worth the time invested to see it.
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