Product Details

• Actors: Mark Kerr, Mark Coleman (IV), Dawn Staples, Bas Rutten, Eddie Goldman
• Directors: John Hyams (II)
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Video Group
• VHS Release Date: October 28, 2003
• Run Time: 92 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000C52JS
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #62,241 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
A supercharged bloodfest for mixed martial arts fight fans, but of more dubious merit as a documentary, The Smashing Machine is a blurry, noncommittal portrait of would-be American warrior Mark Kerr, a soft-spoken drug addict who performs astonishing acts of violence for big money. A former wrestler turned extreme fighter, Kerr proves a contradictory subject--a boyish, quietly restless man who resorts to no-hold-barred savagery in the ring--in this shameless, often nauseating HBO project. Over several months, director John Hyams (NYPD Blue) captures Kerr's seemingly unstoppable parade of victory in the U.S. and Japan. He also reflects the decay in Kerr's private life and highlights a dramatic turn in his fortunes after Kerr loses an important MMA match to a Russian brawler. Along the way, we meet Kerr's trainer, Mark Coleman, whose own destiny takes on ironic, unexpected importance in the end. --Tom Keogh

Product Description
A sport so dangerous it was once banned in the U.S., no-holds-barred fighting is undeniably the purest form of human competition. Simple in concept and savage in execution, it is the definitive test of survival: one ring, two fighters, and no rules. In th

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding representation of a Shakespearean tragedy, September 10, 2004

By	therosen "therosen" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Smashing Machine - The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr (DVD)

Outstanding story of the rise, fall and attempted resurrection of Mark Kerr's career as a professional fighter. Mark's willingness to allow a film crew to follow him in his ups and downs, as well as his honesty of emotions makes for a gripping tale. Other famous fighters are weaved into the story, including Mark Coleman, Ricco Rodriguez and Bas Rutten.

You see the enormous highs of victory, as well as the training to get there. There's the downsides as well, as you see Mark slide into drug addiction and relationship hell. Heavy stuff.

It's easy to generalize about these fighters. He's too nice to fight. He's a psycho. He's a drug addict. He just needs to dump his girlfriend. But in the end you're left with a contradictory individual. It's a struggle, but you find yourself rooting for him in the end.

The bonus tracks added quite a bit. 30 minutes of Renzo Gracie's life was a great surprise, and the director's voice over makes the entire video worth watching twice.

Very well done!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A dark and poignant documentary, March 27, 2004

By	"marvin_monkey" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Smashing Machine - The Life and Times of Extreme Fighter Mark Kerr (DVD)

This DVD offers an unblinking look into the life and times of Mark Kerr between the years of 1999 and 2001. Kerr was once regarded by many as the most dominant ultimate fighter in the world. Those who remember watching his early matches will recall the physically imposing Kerr, an ex-Olympic wrestler, easily handle all comers and earning his nickname "The Smashing Machine". This film documents the rollercoaster ride that was Kerr's professional fighting career. It portrays the story of an intelligent, well-spoken, and emotionally vulnerable athlete who gave himself to one of the most demanding and brutal sports in the world.

Kerr, lured by the promise of large paydays and fueled by the euphoria of his early victories, is forced to do battle with physical injuries and his inner fears. The chaos of these matches weigh heavily on the minds and bodies of these athletes, and some like Kerr deal with the physical and psychological trauma by turning to drugs. Kerr's addiction is shown in raw form, and the camera does not shy away as he desperately solicits drugs from friends and event staff, and injects pain killers into his veins.

Fans who remember Kerr's shocking loss to Fujita in Japan, will finally understand the forces behind Kerr's undoing. Especially intriguing is seeing the relationship between Kerr and the wily vetern fighter Bas Rutten, who helps train Kerr and is then forced to watch the unraveling of his pupil.

It is a story that can be difficult and gut-wrenching to watch. The documentary has few cheerful moments, and a dark mood hangs overhead even when Kerr wins his matches. It seems to suggest that pain and blood are always right around the corner in the lives of these fighters. Outside the ring, Kerr's gentle nature and thoughtful commentary make him an endearing figure. However this story does not have a happy ending, and may leave fans with mixed feelings over what they just saw.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore the editorial., October 17, 2003

By	"djmc78" (Plymouth, UK) - See all my reviews

I couldn't disagree further with the editorial review on this documentary. Having sought it out after reading excellent reviews and recommendations I was immensely impressed with the detail and access that the Smashing Machine provides. Mark Kerr to his credit shows an immense amount of his private world to us in what would appear to be an attempt to get help. And the makers to their credit steer away from making a judgement based piece in order to allow the viewer to assimilate the information on show. This is exemplified by the scene at the doctors surgery in which Kerr is less that impressive in trying to explain his motivations of fighting to a middle aged female patient. This is a fine document of a sport transferring from it's infancy to the modern world and I recommend it for MMA and non-MMA fans alike.