'The Old Boys', a new documentary from director Vikram Rekhi, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of some of the legends of the wrestling business in their own words. Filmed over a number of years, the documentary boasts an impressive array of interview subjects, from the likes of Ted DiBiase, Jake Roberts, Honky Tonk Man, Demolition, Terry Funk & The New Age Outlaws to Diana Hart-Smith, Dynamite Kid, Paul Roma, Roddy Piper & The Iron Sheik. In a mixture of sit-down interviews and footage from convention panels and autograph signings, the film covers a number of topics and has a reflective tone as the wrestlers look back on their careers and the business as a whole, as well as their lives now their time in the ring has come to a close.
For the most part it remains a light-hearted affair with many funny
stories from the road and anecdotes, but it takes a sombre turn when
talking about subjects such as the untimely deaths of Owen Hart and
others, or the personal toll the wrestling business can have on the
lives of the wrestlers and their families. However, it never dwells too
long on any one subject, which is probably for the best in certain
cases, such as Marty Jannetty retelling the oft told story of how Shawn
Michaels screwed him over, or Paul Roma's obvious bitterness about how
the wrestling world treated him during his career.
The film jumps back and forth from one subject to another and, while it
was definitely an enjoyable watch, there wasn't much of a sense of
structure to the piece. It felt very disjointed at times and the segues
were often abrupt, which even one of the interviewees, Roddy Piper,
remarks upon at one point. But for what it lacks in order it makes up
for in charm. There's a definite candid approach to the interviews and
typically outspoken guys like The Iron Sheik or Honky Tonk Man pull no
punches, while others are just happy to share their stories and words of
wisdom for future generations.
There's some genuinely funny and personal moments as well, with audio of
one of Dynamite Kid & Davey Boy Smith's notorious prank
phone calls, or The Iron Sheik recalling Vince McMahon's difficulty in
conveying to Sheiky-baby that he'd tested positive for cocaine, as well
as footage from the British Bulldog's wedding. We get to see the
wrestlers at work on the merchandise table and many talk about how much
they enjoy the conventions and giving something back to the fans. The
film also takes a brief look at one of wrestling's stranger figures,
Virgil, who's only too happy to show how he works the crowds and gets a
sale from people who often don't know who he is.
Overall 'The Old Boys' is a well produced and entertaining film. There's
a few niggling complaints with the audio levels in certain sections,
especially with the footage from the busy autograph tables, and while
on-screen subtitles appeared for the off-screen interviewer's questions,
they perhaps would've been handy for some of the more incoherent cast
members as well, such as Iron Sheik or Dynamite Kid. The aforementioned
structural choices may make the film seem somewhat disjointed, but as a
documentary it's never less than engaging and for fans of old school
wrestling it provides a good slice of life look at how the wrestlers
view their careers and the wrestling business at large.
'The Old Boys' is available now on DVD or on-demand at
http://theoldboysmovie.com/
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