Customer Reviews

Kevin VonErich Presents - Best of the VonErichs

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Here are the matches:

Freebirds vs. David & Kevin Von Erich/Iceman Parsons (World 6-Man Tag Title Match -- 1983)

Kevin Von Erich video

Kevin Von Erich vs. Chris Adams (Cotton Bowl - 10/84)

Kevin Von Erich vs. Chris Adams (Reunion Arena rematch -- Thanksgiving 1984)

Kerry Von Erich vs. Terry Gordy (1984)

Kerry Von Erich vs. Gino Hernandez (1984)

Freebirds vs. Kerry/Kevin/David Von Erich (World 6-Man Tag Title Match -- 1983)

Kerry Von Erich vs. Michael Hayes (1983)

Plus commentary from Kevin Von Erich & David Manning as well as great bonus features including a look at the Von Erich ranch!

THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR ALL VONERICH FANS!

Finally a dvd dedicated to the best wrestling family ever! This dvd is something I can watch over and over. The matches are some of their best including the famous match at Texas Stadium where Kevin was taken out

by ambulance after getting hit with a chair by Chris Adams. The dvd also has a tour of the VonErich ranch and has Kevin telling stories of his wrestling days. The outtakes are hilarious. Kevin and David Manning do great commentary for the matches and they also do the introduction and

at the end announce that there will be more dvds to follow! There is also

a photo album that shows pictures of all the brothers. On the special features there is also a biography written on each of their brothers that was very interesting to read. I was surprised at how good the quality of the picture is,

its crystal clear. I definitely recommend this dvd to any wrestling fan, it is the best vintage wrestling dvd I have ever watched. It definitely brought back many memories.

It's finally here. I'm so glad Kevin has gotten around to putting this out. Growing up in the D/FW metroplex I was fortunate enough to attend tons of the matches at the Sportatorium and Will Rogers coliseum. I think this DVD is good but there could have been much better match selections. Although, Kevin says there is more on the way. Not 20 more years I hope. There is a unique feature on the disc that allows you to listen to Kevin and David Manning (former ref) do commentary on each match. Since the release of all the WWE Superstar books we are now 100% certain that this is sports entertainment. Kevin and David are still protecting the business. When you listen to the commentary it's disappointing to listen to them think were not more informed these days. In Ric Flair's "To be the Man" he talks about the Von Erichs for two solid pages and why Kerry wasn't given the chance to hold the title longer. David Manning is quoted as saying "we think there were some shananigans in Japan. C'mon Dave. Although this stuff is a little disppointing I would still recommend the DVD to all Von Erich fans and those that want to see how different wrestling is today. What I enjoyed the most is the features of Kevin on the ranch. He introduces us to his sons Ross and Marshall. Ross the oldest is a spitten image of Kerry. I also noticed on the biographies there was no mention of Chris the youngest Von Erich. As much as he wanted to be a professional wrestler but couldn't due to physical limitations it made me wonder why Kevin left him out. Like I said earlier, there supposedly more on the way. Hope so. Let me know what you think.

The match selection could have been so much better. For example, maybe there should have been more matches that the Von Erichs actually won! But make no mistake, for a boy who grew up in Texas in the 1980s, this is a treasure trove of cherished childhood memories. I so looked forward to Friday nights and a new edition of World Class Championship Wrestling (hosted by the great Bill Mercer) to watch my heroes, the Von Erichs (especially David), take on the bad guys! I remember being about as mad as an 8-year-old boy could be when David lost the Texas heavyweight championship to "Gorgeous" Jimmy Garvin. If I'd seen Garvin on the street, I probably would have kicked him in the shin! But anyway, I hope Kevin continues to put out new volumes, because World Class was home to some classic matches and personalities, and it deserves to be remembered!

Anytime a VonErich DVD is realeased it is going to met with excitement because they were the best wrestling family of all time. So, getting a chance to watch the VonErich's is a must thing. The DVD is good but not great. It is a real enjoyment seeing the Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, Buddy Roberts), Chris Adams (my favorite....RIP), and a clipped match with Gino Hernandez (another favorite of mine), but the matches are short and not that good. There are ALOT of longer and BETTER matches involving these wrestlers that should have been released. These matches don't do them justice.
Hopefully the next DVD (Please release this real soon, like this year) will feature the great matches the VonErichs had with Harley Race, Ric Flair, Gorgeous George, Jake Roberts and even the better matches with Chris Adams.
Anything from WCCW is worth getting and watching since this was a fantastic organization. Please release a multi-DVD set because the VonErichs and WCCW deserve it.
Overall a good DVD that can be great.

Very glad this is finally out on DVD - after watching WCCW from 84-86 (which included a plethora of reruns of 82/83 matches), I've wanted to be able to see them again just for kicks. I look forward to future DVDs of WCCW.

I am disappointed with the match selection. Fan-favorite matches weren't shown, such as the Cotton Bowl haircut match, the Von Erichs wrestling in Japan, the Von Erichs wrestling guest superstars such as Kamala, Harley Race, and Ric Flair, and 2-man tag matches with the Von Erich brothers, whether they were wrestling Chris Adams/Gino Hernandez, The Freebirds, or people from the stables of Skandar Akbar or Gary Hart. Some of the best matches included Mark Lewin and One Man Gang. And I'd like an option for old TV commentary by Bill Mercer.

I'm also disappointed that the 6-man tag with the Freebirds and Von Erichs was included because that is already out on a WCCW DVD in the Japanese market, and I was hoping to see a different 6-man Freebirds match. The Japanese DVD also has Fritz's retirement match and some other really good Von Erich matches worth seeing.

It's great to see Kevin and David Manning. Naturally any Von Erich DVD is going to be fantastic. I hope the next DVD comes out soon, because we wouldn't want the fans to think that the only foes that the Von Erichs faced were the Freebirds and Chris Adams/Gino Hernandez. It would be fun to show the matches where they were partnered with their former/future foes, as well. It would be fun to have an option for old Bill Mercer color commentary, because he was a hoot - about as goofy as Bill Cauldell (sp?) and David Crockett.

The title of this DVD is very misleading. If you are a true Von Erich fan who is dying to relive the days of the only true family of professional wrestling this DVD is for you. If you are truly looking for the best of the Von Erichs this DVD is nothing close to it. The DVD focuses on primarily on Kevin and Kerry. David is seen in two matches but no single matches of him are on this DVD. Mike and Chris are completely left out and there is nothing on here regarding the master of the iron claw Fritz. There are a few matches on this DVD between the Von Erichs and the Freebirds, who were the Von Erichs biggest fued of all time but there are so many much greater matches that are not even on this DVD. How can this be the best of the Von Erichs without the match were Kerry Von Erich beats Ric Flair to become the NWA World Heavyweight Champion in front of 40,000 people at Texas Stadium, at the First Annual David Von Erich Memorial. This is the most important match in Von Erich history because anyone who knows the family history knows David was scheduled wrestle Ric Flair for this title and would have undoubtly won, but his tragic death preceeded it. The other one important thing this DVD is missing is the Iron Claw the signature Von Erich move. Only one claw is seen in the entire DVD, performed by David on Terry Gordy of the Freebirds. If you are a wrestling fan who is oblivious to the Von Erich Legacy, and wish to be exposed, this DVD does not do them justice, but if you are a true Von Erich fan yearing for the old days of Kerry, Kevin and David this DVD is for you.

After listening to Kevin talk about it at various conventions, the DVD has finally been released. No more buying a copy of a copy of a copy vhs tape from ebay or waiting for an old rerun on cable or some clips off the web, one can sit back and relive the good ole days of wrestling before the "Mr. Mac-Mannnn" era.

For true wrestling fans, this is a must buy. Esp for the young ones who need to learn what wrestling used to be.

I have been a Von Erich fan since the late seventies. And was very excited when I heard about the release of this DVD. But upon watching it, I was very disappointed. First of all it was falsley advertised as a "Von Erich" DVD, leading you to believe there would be some focus on all of them. When in fact it focuses heavily on just Kerry. And for some reason, any official release does not contain any matches with David by himself. Both Kevin and David had some really incredible matches. But none of them are on the disc. And for some reason about half of the matches are missing Bill Mercers live commentary. And this disc, as all the others do, focused on that very narrow 82-84 time frame. But I remember as far back as 1978, some six man tag matches with Fritz, Kevin, and David that were incredible. Where is all that stuff. Where is the monumental match of David vs. Harley Race. Or Kerry vs. Greg The Hammer Valentine. All that gets released is the same characters over and over again. Von Erichs, Freebirds, Iceman King Parsons, Chris Adams, Gorgeous Jimmy Garvin over and over again. What about Wild Bill Irwin, Kamala, The Great Kabuki, Gino Hernandez, Al Madril, Jose Lathario, Brain Adias, and to go further back.... The Spoiler, the Grapplers, Mil Mascaras, Tonga John, the Guerreos, Bruiser Brody, Sweet Brown Sugar, plus the many wrestlers who passed through from other territories. Whats the deal, it's like a conspiracy. This disc is worth owning I guess, it does show the Von Erich ranch(which is being flattened as I write this to be turned into a housing sub-division) and the interview footage is pretty good. And the Von Erichs vs. Freebirds 6-man title match was a pretty historic battle. But other than that, the matches are pretty run of the mill examples of the regular weekly stuff. There is none of the monumental stuff that made the WCCW the greatest in the world. If anyone at WWE reads these things, let me give you some advice. Focus less on the gimmick matches(i.e. hair vs. hair) and get to the good stuff. Here is a list of more worthy matches......

#1. Kevin vs. Harley Race.
#2. David vs. Harley Race.
#3. Kerry vs. Ric Flair (Best 2of3 match in Ft. Worth)
#4. Kerry, Brody vs. Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy
#5. David vs. Kamala (the first one)
#6. Kevin, Kerry vs. Chris Adams, Gino Hernandez
#7. David vs. Wild Bill Irwin
#9. Kevin, Mike vs. Terry Gordy, Buddy Roberts (Reunion Arena)
#10. Kevin, David, Kerry, Mike vs. the Freebirds, Jimmy Garvin(8-man tag)

I found all the matches enjoyable. It's unbelievable how loud the Texan fans are in these matches. While some of the matches aren't that long, they're fun to watch, so they seem longer than they actually are. It's also interesting to contrast these WCCW matches to what WWF matches were at the time. Hulkamania, was of course, running wild up north, while the von Erichs were setting record attendances wherever they went in the South. The von Erichs were just as entertaining, but the matches were more technically sound than WWF matches at the time.

The only problem I have with the DVD is the production value. The video quality is great, but you feel that if dvd's were around in 1991, this is what it would look like. The interview on the ranch is shot with just one camera, with no second camera for cut-away shots. The compilation videos between the matches are really corny. Granted, this is not an official WWE DVD. I wish they did a better job putting it together.