johnhernandez-67188 This movie still holds up. I've been on a kick of wrestling films and wanted to see what I thought of this one again. love the insight and the stories of Foley, The rock and of course Vince. I don't think they've ever made a film quite like this before. There is quite a lot of ugly in it - and I can see why most people think the world is a dark place. Regardless of this, it's a piece of wrestling history and it's important it was captured. Nice to see where everyone is now after almost 20 years later!! WWE is still going strong and there is just something in this sport that keeps on giving. I also get quite emotionally during some of the scenes with Foly and Jake -- not easy to watch and borders on exploitative, but again I think it's the time period it was made. Wonder what they would get now..

deathadder-13878 I'm a casual wrestling fan, who's more interested in occasionally watching a YouTube clip out of nostalgia then in regularly following the sport. This documentary still was very compelling, though, because it examines some very fascinating and charismatic people. You don't need to know a thing about the business; the narrator himself doesn't refer to the more technical aspects and the doc. doesn't resort to the sports movie cliché of an athlete perfecting a move or style.The focus is primarily on several men who've achieved iconic status in wrestling. Their upbringing, their current status in wrestling, and the way they relate to family, fans, and other wrestlers. Terry Funk gets the lion's share of attention, understandably so since he's a rare example of a wrestler performing capably well into middle age (he was over 50 in the late 90's when this doc. was made). Funk helped pioneer a very gritty style. The fans grew to appreciate his spirit and skill (he and his opponents don't get seriously hurt, an essential part of being a good wrestler is making things look dangerous without getting hurt). Just the same, the years of competing have taken their toll on both Funk's body (a doctor says that he should barely be able to walk) and his family's patience. We're presented with his farewell match, in which he graciously loses to the younger but more famous Bret Hart, only to be told near the documentary's end that Funk found the paycheck, and the fan cheering, too tempting as he made a comeback just 3 months after the B. Hart match.More haunting is Jake the Snake Roberts. An enigmatic figure with an unforgettable gimmick (a python wrapped in a bag, ready to be unleashed on frightened opponents), his drug addiction and obviously stricken psyche have relegated him to the lowest level of wrestling. A performer known more for his personality than his athletic feats, he still can mesmerize a crowd and build a good rapport with his opponent. Out of the ring, he often speaks of the bleak loneliness of life on the road without any kind of steady relationships. We see him struggle through a meeting with his estranged daughter who fears that Jake will never fulfill his fatherly duties. Jake matter of factly relates his shocking background; being conceived in a rape, his sister being murdered, among other things. Will he overcome these things? No way to tell, especially after he goes on a drug binge and the concerned doc. crew can't find him.Amiable and somewhat spaced out, Mick Foley is a rather odd case. A top level performer for the biggest wrestling company (the WWF), his gimmick of being a glutton for punishment has led to the company pushing him harder and harder, eager to excite the fans and boost ratings. Foley himself encourages this push as we see youthful footage of Foley performing stunts. Bearded, missing several teeth, and with a thick mane of curls, he seems much older than he really is. A doting husband and father of several young children, it's quite distressing to watch his family endure a match in which Foley's head is lacerated open. In a post-match haze, Foley and the company boss reassure each other that the fans got what they wanted. Later on, when Foley watches his family's reaction to the match, he admits that for the first time he's concerned about his profession and the way it batters him. Unlike the majority of performers, Foley went on to retire (and stay retired) at a fairly young age. Several successful auto-biographical books helped him do it.We see shorter segments on other, less notable performers. A black wrestler named New Jack, with obvious tattoos and scars, who brags about being violent, goes to a Hollywood casting agency. We see him reciting a script with a male agent. Said agent enthusiastically praises New Jack. A woman agent is more grounded, saying that New Jack might be better cast as a "best friend" type. Well, have you seen New Jack in any big movies lately? A performer is signed by the WWF and given the gimmick of "puke", who is slated to be promoted based on his ability to vomit. Ultimately this didn't really go anywhere but the performer did go on to have moderate success as "Droz" (an abbreviation of his real name). Liked by his peers, his career was cut short after being paralyzed by a clumsy performer.Another study is two products of a California wrestling school which puts on amateurish shows. These two fellows are invited to perform and be evaluated at a WWF show. One is a soft spoken, rather thin and young black wrestler. He's told by the WWF to upgrade his build and get a better costume. The other wrestler, a very muscular and older white guy who is an airline mechanic when not pursuing his dream, fares better. The WWF and the crowd likes his aggressive attitude and technical skill. We're not told if the WWF ever signed either one, leaving us with uncertainty as is often the case in wrestling. The wrestling school manager tells students upfront that pay is minimal outside of the biggest promotions and few ever make it big.After examining the ups and downs of the business, the director, a life-long fan of wrestling, admits that he's still drawn to the spectacle but still can't explain why. Perhaps it's the sincere admiration that both crowds and performers have for the best competitors. The backstage footage of wrestler camaraderie and of the efforts put into shows by so many down to the crews that put rings together, string up the lights and speakers, and choreograph and evaluate the way that wrestlers are used are a testament to a thankless profession.

Julian Radbourne It's been about six years since what is regarded as the best wrestling documentary was released. Director Barry Blaustein spent three years travelling up and down the highways of America in an attempt to find out what the wrestling business is really about. The end result was the compelling and controversial Beyond the Mat.Even six years after it's release, Beyond the Mat makes compelling viewing, even if it's just to see how the lives and careers of those documented in the film have progressed. For some, a great deal has changed, while for others, time has more or less stood still.For me, the three main focuses of the film were Mick Foley, Terry Funk, and Jake Roberts. The scenes with Mick spending time with his wife and children were particularly compelling, especially for those people who were only familiar with his sadistic in-ring characters, Cactus Jack and Dude Love. As Blaustein himself comments, Mick Foley is probably the sanest man in the history of professional wrestling. But the scenes during his Royal Rumble match with The Rock, where his kids are in tears and his wife has to take them away from the action are both compelling and distressing at the same time.Then we have the legend that is Terry Funk, as he helps launch Extreme Championship Wrestling onto a national stage with the company's first pay-per-view, Barely Legal, before moving onto his retirement, an emotional moment as he lost his final match to Bret Hart.Then there's Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Blaustein's most vocal critic in what are possibly the most controversial segments of the film. Jake's story is a tragic one, of his battles with drug addiction, and of his strained relationships with his father and daughter. While watching the tearful reunion with his daughter, you get the feeling that Jake isn't being entirely truthful with himself, and that this scene would have been better played out in private.But as I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, it's interesting to see where some of the film's main players are now, six years later.Mike Modest, who received a WWF try-out during the film, is still wrestling, having achieved a great deal of success with Pro Wrestling NOAH in Japan.Shortly before the film was released, Darren Drozdov was paralysed after an in-ring accident. Droz continues to make progress today, but is still confined to a wheelchair.ECW signed a national television contract with TNN during the making of the film, Two years later, the company went bankrupt.Terry Funk's retirement was, like his many other retirements, short-lived, and he continues to compete to this day, at the age of 61.Jake Roberts continues to battle his personal demons. Having fallen foul of the law while living and working in Britain, Jake returned to America this year, appeared on Monday Night War, and signed a merchandise deal with WWE. Rumour has it that Vince McMahon is personally paying for Jake's rehab treatment. In a shoot interview with Rob Feinstein five years ago, Jake said he would be taking legal action against Blaustein because of his portrayal in the film, but nothing ever came of this. Jake has been extremely critical of the director in numerous interviews he has given since the film's release.In conclusion, Beyond the Mat is indeed compelling viewing, and one of the best wrestling documentaries ever made, on a par with Wrestling with Shadows. Barry Blaustein did a hell of a job portraying the wrestling business in a positive light. It's a hell of a film, and one that any wrestling fan should make a permanent part of their collection.

Meltdown53098533 This documentary focus' on the world of Pro Wrestling and the world behind it. Wrestling legends appear on the movie including Mick Foley (with his saga of his children watching him go to work) and Jake 'the Snake' Roberts (with his saga of a tragic life and depression).The documentary very well may be the movie that Vince McMahon doesn't want you to see. why? because it's the truth. There are no trick camera angles, no fake blood, no gimmicks and no script. There is only the truth of what pro wrestling is really like, and the characters that populate it.Wrestling fans, prepare to face reality of your favorite sport. Non wrestling fans, prepare to see what the "sport" is all about. No gimmicks, no fake blood, no script, and no trick camera angles.