 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
He thrilled wrestling fans all over the world and captivated audiences
with
his unmatched size and freakish strength. He had one of wrestling’s
most
successful careers and led a remarkable and legendary life. He’s
the Eighth
Wonder of the World, Andre the Giant, and his name is synonymous with
professional wrestling. His DVD, simply titled Andre the Giant, spans
the
middle of Andre’s career from the mid 1970s up until the classic
$15,000
bodyslam match with rival giant Big John Studd. Although copyrighted in
2004, the disk does not cover any of Andre’s career past Wrestlemania,
but
it is a must-have for any classic wrestling fan.
Perhaps the best aspect of this DVD is it contains the infamous ‘Haircut’
match. Ironically, I remember watching this match when it happened on
December 15, 1984, and I was shocked and amazed at how Big John Studd
and
Ken Patera manhandled Andre and how Bobby “the Brain” Heenan
masterminded
the plan to cut Andre’s long hair as S.D. Jones, Andre’s tag
team partner,
was knocked unconscious. I personally had not seen this match in years,
so
it was great to see it again in its entirety. The disk also includes Andre’s
revenge matches against Patera and Studd respectively. The disk culminates
with the Wrestlemania showdown.
Another perk is Andre and Superfly Snuka against the Wild Samoans, a
classic
match from 1983. What’s hysterical is watching Mean Gene Okerlund
conduct an
interview with Andre and Snuka, two of wrestling’s not-so-great speakers.
Their comments are somewhat funny, although I couldn’t understand
a lot of
what they were saying or what they meant. You’ll have to see for
yourself.
Another great aspect of this DVD is that it contains a lot of the original
commentary, so you get to hear Gorilla Monsoon, Pat Patterson, and Vince
McMahon, some of the old-school announcers. The disk features some of
Andre’s vintage handicap matches, which don’t feature five-star
wrestling
but are fun to watch. We’re also treated to a Battle Royal that includes
Andre and such stars as Hulk Hogan, The Iron Sheik, Sgt. Slaughter, and
more. Guess who wins.
What’s arguably most interesting about the DVD is how it details
Andre’s
physical changes over the years. His disease, agromegaly, really took
a toll
on Andre, and the various matches over the years really display Andre’s
physical demise. If you’ve never seen a young Andre perform, you
have to
check out this DVD. His arsenal once included more than chops and headbutts,
and you can see some of that here.
While the DVD offers a lot of positives, there are some aspects of the
video
that leave a lot to be desired. First off, the video is hosted by Lord
Alfred Hayes. While Hayes is always good for a laugh or two, his voice
is
superimposed over the beginnings of the matches, and most of his comments
are less than interesting. He does, though, provide some good insight
about
Andre since he knew Andre since the Giant was 17. Also, some of the matches
are of poor quality, specifically Andre vs. Gorilla Monsoon. While Hayes
apologizes for the lack of clarity since video of the match is obscure,
the
match itself doesn’t offer anything special enough to make up for
the poor
quality. Some other matches on the DVD, like Andre vs. Moondog Rex, are
nothing more than squash matches, which really don’t belong on a
highlight
video. Although many of Andre’s matches are one-sided, I’m sure
they
could’ve found something a little more competitive and entertaining
to put
on the DVD.
Since Hayes is hosting the video, it is safe to assume that this is a
re-release since it doesn’t cover a large portion of Andre’s
career. As a
Hall of Famer, Andre deserves a DVD similar to Flair, Hogan, etc. I’m
sure
that Andre’s three-disk compilation is in the works; if it’s
not, it should
be. Andre had one of wrestling’s most prolific careers, and viewers
need to
see it chronicled properly and thoroughly with matches, interviews, and
extras.
A viewer can’t help marvel at Andre’s size and power. He truly
was in a
class by himself and garnered attention, both in and out of the ring,
all
over the world. While Andre the Giant only offers a glimpse into Andre’s
astounding career, it is definitely worth a peek. After all, how often
do
you get to see a true-to-life Giant?
Email comments to Mason@MasonRaige.com
For more on the author, check out www.MasonRaige.com
