Classic TV Review; WWF Championship Wrestling January 28, 1984

I know I promised to review the MSG show where Hogan wins the title from Sheik, but guess what...I lied!!! Ha, in reality, life caught up with me and if I want to stay on track with this and other blog entries I needed to keep the train goin', as they say.  

Nevertheless, I did watch the Hogan-Sheik match just for posterity's sake (protip: watch one of the versions on youtube that have the original "Eye Of The Tiger" theme song, the '80s will thank you!  

Hulkamania Is Here!

Hulk Hogan d. The Iron Sheik in 5:40.

We start out with Gene interviewing "Ayatollah" Blassie whose in a very lovely powder blue ensemble complete with matching head dress.  Gene says this is the test of Sheik's career.  "In other words they pulled a 96er on us (I'll have to look that up", Blassie implores, referring to Hogan replacing Sheik and calling him a "pencil neck geek" for added emphasis. Blassie says his size means no difference.  Sheik drops some words in his native tongue then translates saying that he thinks people are prejudiced against him because they know he's a real champion. He says he's "never met the guy" referring to Hogan and that he should be wrestling "that chump again." 

Cut to Sheiky baby in the ring with fans booing heavily. Cut to the iconic shot of Hogan in the entry hallway as "Eye Of The Tiger" fires up.  Fans explode when he crosses the curtain.  He tears of his "American Made" tshirt as the fans chant his name.  "The Sheik Is A Freak" proclaims one witty sign.  Hogan blindsides Sheik before he can take his robe off, tearing it off and clotheslining it with it, proving that the best babyfaces have a little heel in them.  Hogan hits Sheik with fists then sends him out for a clotheline and drops a knee of his head.  The fans are going nuts.  Eyerake from Hogan and then lifts Sheik up for a choke.  Hogan spits on the Sheik.  he whips him into ropes for the big boot, Sheik kicks out at 2.  Hogan whips Sheik again for an elbow to the head then one on the mat for another two. Hogan whips Sheik into the corner but Sheik dodges a charge then puts the boots to him.  Sheik covers his ears to silence the boos. Sheik lifts Hogan for a backbreaker and pin attempt but a woozy Hogan kicks out. More kicks to the face and chest from Sheik.  Sheik appears to load his boot but apparently Hogan missed this because he sells the next kick like nothing special.  Sheik locks in a boston crab but Hogan powers out.  Sheik downs Hogan with a gutwrench suplex. Sheik kicks Hogan in the back and locks on the camel clutch.  Hogan sells it like it's over then starts to wave his fingers showing there's still life. He lifts Sheik to his feet and backs him into the corner, sending Sheik reeling.  Hulk starts to Hulk Up and he drops the leg and thats all she wrote as the fans explode and the wrestling world changes forever.  The word "deafening" is not hyperbole here. This match will be played ad nauseum for years to come on WWF TV and compilation tapes.   This was before the days that they played entrance music following the match.  The ref straps the belt on the new champ.  

That was exactly what it needed to be.  Hulk put over Sheik plenty but in the end came out looking like the definitive champ.  

We're back and Sheik has to be pulled back to the locker room by the cops as he protests and a fired up Hogan doesn't pose but just celebrates in the ring. 

We're back with Gene and new champion Hulk Hogan in the dressing room.  Right now Verne Gagne should feel like an idiot but I'm sure he felt wrong.  Hogan seemed so much more real before all of his interviews became cliched.  He really liked to say "it turns me on" in 84-85 but he dropped.  Andre comes in and pours and entire bottle onto Hogan's head congratulating him. I'm sure Andre insisted that Hogan get completely smashed with him later this night.  Ivan Putski and Rocky Johnson also come in to celebrate.  

We're back with Hogan and his parents, Ruth and Pete "Hogan".  "Mrs. Hogan" says she knows her son is dedicated and has been wonderful to the sport and the sport has been wonderful to him.  "Mr. Hogan" does not have his son's charisma to say the least.  Hogan says "Pete and Ruth trained him from the beginning." Hogan seems genuinely overjoyed here. 

Ok, onto the TV review proper: 

WWF Championship Wrestling, January 28, 1984

Taped January 24, 1984 Allentown, Pennsylvania

Hogan hasn't made the intro but this was much before you could do these things overnight.  Vince and Gene are in front of the blue curtain.  Gene announces Hogan as the new champion.  Vince promises the matchup in full, so I guess I jumped the gun on reviewing it moments ago.  They announce that Greg Valentine will be appearing, so I guess he's recently been plucked from Mid-Atlantic.  

They show a replay of the title match from MSG.  

We're back in the arena and Joe McHugh announces himself so this is the first match of the taping. 

Tito Santana d. Bill Dixon in 1:17.

Overdub ad from Finkel pushing a Long Island card featuring Jimmy Snuka in what sounds like a  high school paid show and another with "The Mighty Midgets, Chief Jay Strongbow and The Wild Samoans".  Dixon backs Santana into the corner but Tito fights out with fists, whipping Dixon out for a backdrop followed by a dropkick and flying forearm for the rapid fire win.  

Oh, the days when being rammed into the ring post meant you were done for the night.

Afa & Sika d. Steve Lombardi & S.D. Jones by DQ in 4:06.

McHugh gets Lombardi's name right this time.  These are both top flight jobbers so this will probably be the feature jobber match this week.  Vince reminds us that the Samoans have been tag champs three times, a record not matched until 1990 by Demolition.  Albano barks at the crowd as Afa blasts Lombardi with headbutts.  Gene talks for the first time in the broadcast proper.  Lombardi reels from a reverse knife edge.  Afa drops Lombardi with a samoan drop then tosses him to the floor. Afa pulls the ref allowing Sika to sneak over and ram Lombardi into the post and Jones steps in. Jones helps Lombardi to his feet and carries an injured Lombardi back to the dressing room.  Jones runs back to face the Samoans one on one, butting their heads together and Rocky Johnson appears to assist Jones. The Samoans beat Johnson down sending him out of the ring which draws Tony Atlas into the ring and it turns into a brawl between the two teams and the ref calls for the bell.  

Gene brings in Atlas & Johnson.  Johnson says the war has just started.  Johnson says he's fed up with the Samoans.  Atlas says all he's got to say is that the Samoans want to get "k-i-n-k-y" he can do that.  Maybe the Samoans' bare feet got Atlas thinking about something else than wrestling.  

Gene doing arena promos for the next Garden show on February 20.  Piper and Orndorff come in.  Orndorff says he's going to string barbed wire around NYC and charge admission to the world's biggest zoo.  He brings up Hogan's balding which would be a big no-no later on.  Orndorff is wrestling Hogan at the next MSG show.  Piper says Hogan looks like one of the village people, is watching Boy George and drinking Dom Perignon and that he's "got the world by the short hairs".  Tito comes in to push his rematch with Muraco for the Intercontinental title.  Masked Superstar follows pushing his match with Andre.  You can hear a hint of Ax here.  It's pretty cool that he managed to get two different runs with two different gimmicks where he concealed his identity.  Andre's big hand falls on Gene's shoulder.  Andre says being undefeated is more important to him than taking off the mask.  

The Funny Thing With Andre Promos...You Can't Understand A Word, But Somehow You Still Know What He's Saying...

In a historic segment, the host of Victory Corner Robert Debord announces that Victory Magazine is now called simply WWF Magazine, and hands the reigns of Victory Corner over to Roddy Piper, the host of the newly crowned Piper's Pit. He refers to the Pit as a "new article" in the magazine. Piper says in the past Debord was intimidated by the wrestlers when he would interview him which Piper will not. Piper says Debord is being "kind of stupid" acting the questions.  He says watching Ivan Putski sing is like watching Lassie bark but Debord calls him great.  He says Debord has no guts.  Debord tries to protest but Piper eats him up. He says he'll ask the guts no one else does. "When RP talks brother, people listen."  With that, he slams down the mike and walks out and history begins. 

Greg Valentine d. Frankie Williams in 2:12.

Ironically the first man to be a victim of the Pit is in the next match. Valentine comes out with Albano who will be his manager until his face turn later this year when Jimmy Hart takes his place.  Valentine takes Williams down with a snap mare then rocks him with elbows to the back of the head and forearms in the corner. Williams vainly tries to fight back but Valentine isn't looking to sell for a jobber in his first match in the promotion.  Valentine works on Williams' knees then drops him with standing suplex, finally locking on the figure four for the submission.   A couple of presumably longtime fans hold up signs lauding Albano.  

Paul Orndorff d. Tony Garea in 2:40.  

The fans loudly chant "Paula" at Orndorff and he and Piper tease walking out.  Orndorff super over as a heel here.  There are tons of "Paula" signs in the crowd, pretty impressive for not being in that long.  Orndorff takes his rage out on Garea, viciously beating him until he misses a charge in the corner. Garea grabs Orndorff's arm beating it with fists and elbows which Orndorff sells well.  Orndorff recovers but misses with an elbow and Garea returns to the elbows to the arm and locks on an armbar. Orndorff counters a headlock with a back suplex and stomps Garea on the mat.  Gene reads a telegram from Bob Backlund congratulating Hogan on his win.  Garea gets distracted by Orndorff which earns him a knee to the back then a knee to the back of the head from the second turnbuckle.  Good high energy little match.  Orndorff really seems like a mean bastard and I'm looking forward to seeing he and Piper together for the next year plus leading up to WrestleMania.  

Arena promos from Gene pushing the MSG show.  Hogans comes in wearing the awful green belt.  Hogan said his blood turned to ice cold water in his veins when he heard the pop when he won the title.  He asks Gene if he's ever arm wrestled a rhinoceros or made a polar bear spit up ice cubes. "I've done that Gene." he confesses.  Gene warns about Piper in Orndorff's corner.  He says that he'll squash Orndorff like grape and poses on the way out.  This is why you have to let guys come up with their own lines. As irreverent and non-nonsensical that was, it was completely him. 

Brian Blair d. Charlie Fulton in 3:07.

Well Blair's in in another example of Hogan looking out for his buddies.  Blair takes Fulton down with a headlock.  Blair sends Fulton off the ropes then takes him down with a drop toehold.  A basic wrestling display from Blair, nothing too exciting but nothing you'd see today either this side of Zack Sabre, Jr.  Back suplex from Blair and an elbow to the head.  Whips him in for an abdominal stretch that he turns into a pin.  

This was another fine show and historically very important.  The promotion is in a state of constant flux at the moment with talent coming in from all over as well as various format changes being implemented.  

Classic TV Review: WWF Championship Wrestling January 21, 1984

WWF Championship Wrestling: January 14, 1984 

From the Agricultural Hall Allentown, Pennsylvania Taped January 3, 1984

Vince and Gene's intro is abruptly cut off.  We're back with good ole Joe McHugh who is quickly growing on me.

Dr. D. David Schultz d. Jimmy Jackson in 2:00.

Schultz wastes no time flooring Jackson with a back suplex followed by a flurry of elbows, yelling "get up, boy!" as he drives him into the corner then hits a stiff back breaker. Another suplex as Piper claps from the outside.  Schultz hits a reverse neckbreaker (rude awakening).  Jackson tries to fight back but Dr. D isnt in the mood to give him much.  Schultz hits another slam and then his flying elbow from the top.  "Look at Piper with the kilt on!: Vince exclaims as Piper and Schultz high five each other. 

Tito Santana d. "Butcher" Paul Vachon in 2:20.

Man, it must have been depressing to be a star in the territorial era only to have it come to this once the expansion happens.  A fan has a sign that reads, "Sensational Santana".  Howard Finkel voices over a Maple Leaf Garden card hyping Piper wrestling, so I guess he's only a manager exclusively on t.v.  Santana gives Vachon a bit just as Snuka did last year, but perhaps they both realized that the notoriously tough Vachons will just take it if you don't give it.  Santana fights back after a back rake, whipping Vachon into the corner, but the ref distracts Santana allowing Vachon to take over.  He's all back rakes, drags across the top rope and bites.  A pair of dropkicks  and the flying forearm from Santana finishes off the Butcher. 

Gene with arena promos pushing a card in Buffalo.  Fuji in for an interview plugging his match with Tiger Lee challenging Atlas & Johnson for the tag belts.  Fuji says that the belts once belonged to Fuji and will again. He then brings out a samurai sword, pretending to shave himself, so at least if Atlas & Johnson lose the belts they'll get a shave out of the deal. Gene says he "gets as nervous as a long tail cats in a room full of rocking chairs" when Fuji unleashes his sword. Santana is in, he'll challenge Magnificent Muraco for the Intercontinental Title.  Santana says that Muraco is overlooking him and looking at the new champion The Sheik, so we're back to Sheik as champion here.  Sgt. Slaughter blows his whistle, holding a rolled up piece of paper in his hand.  He's facing "Andre The Maggot".  Slaughter says Buffalo is "garbage". Slaughter is calling Andre's bluff and calls himself the greatest wrestler of all time.  He says Andre will be called "the midget maggot" once Slaughter is done. Slaughter was really ahead of his time with getting a character based gimmick complete with catchphrases over.  

A Weird Angle...

The Iron Sheik d. Mike Dorsett in 1:48.

Fuji is in the ring and Vince informs us that The Iron Sheik was originally supposed to be here in Fuji's place, which immediately brings him out with Ayatollah Blassie. Blassie tries to get Fuji out of the ring while the ref mediates.  Finally Fuji bows and leaves.  What a weird kind of pointless angle.  Maybe they're trying to put over the idea of substitutions before the Hogan win that's coming up soon?  Fans chant USA vociferously.  Sheik dominates while Finkel does a voiceover offering charter subscriptions to Victory Magazine.  Sheik slams Dorsett down, stomping him the curl toed boots.  Dorsett fights back briefly but Dorsett takes a boot to the face then hits him with a back suplex and taps him with the camel clutch.  Iron Sheik takes the mike and does his "Iran Number One" schtick.  

One Of These Men Probably Killed Someone...

The Invaders d.Ken Jugan & Israel Matia in 3:31.

Holy shit, Brody's murderer on 1984 WWF TV.  Guessing this was some sort of talent trade deal between WWF and WWC.  Weird absence of commentary at the beginning of the match.  Jobbers are playing heel here as Matia who is bald claims one of the Invaders pulled the hair.  Matia gets bounced around the ring with a bunch of hiptosses.  Quick tags in and out from the Invaders. Vince seems to be building a rivalry between Invaders and Samoans based on how difficult each team is to tell apart from each other.  C'mon, Afa and Sika don't look THAT much alike.  You even bothered to give them their own names unlike Samoan #3.  Vince announces Paul Orndorff versus Tony Garea for next week.  In a finish I've never seen before, Invader#1 hooks Jugan under the arms like a double arm chicken wing while invader#2 comes off the top onto Jugan with a swanton splash for the pin.  The camera strangely focuses on some guy returning to his seat holding concessions.

Hot Rod Berating A Poor Jobber

Paul Orndorff d. Rudy Diamond in 3:41.

Somehow McHugh butchers "Rowdy" when introducing Piper as Orndorff's manager.  Vince keeps pushing Piper's prowess as a wrestler, so perhaps the plan wasn't always for him to stay as a manager.  Orndorff and Piper warn the coat boy to take care of his robe as the crowd chants "Paula" drawing Ordorff's ire.  Diamond is barefoot which I don't think I've ever seen in a jobber.  Finkel does a voiceover that is so quiet as to be barely audible.  Orndorff viciously stomps Diamond then tosses him from the ring.  He is a really great brutal heel, the total jock jerk who picks on everyone.   He hammers Diamond who falls back into the ring and stomps him more. Piper yells loudly at Diamond from inside the ring.  Diamond tries to fight back with headbutts, the go-to for every black wrestler back in the day.  Orndorff drops Diamond with a suplex but pulls him up at 2 at Piper's behest.  Orndorff hits his excellent piledriver, pinning Diamond with his foot.  Piper yells at McHugh causing McHugh to chuckle as he announces Orndorff as the winner.  

Jose Luis Rivera d. Frankie Williams in 2:35.

Williams of course will become the first victim of Piper in the Pit when it debuts next week, I believe.  He is indeed announced as being from "Columbus, Ohio."  They lock up and Rivera grabs a headlock which Williams reverses into an arm bar.  Another inaudible voiceover from Finkel.  There is more parity in this match then I've seen in an enhancement match this side of Primetime Wrestling. They push the Orndorff-Garea in a loser becomes an agent match.  Vince announces that Hogan will be here, no doubt to push the title win that happens Monday.  Williams swings at Rivera, who ducks and picks Williams up in the fireman's carry for the pin.  This was pretty much just a filler segment to get other stuff over on commentary.  A graphic for next month's feature bout of Orndorff vs. Garea.  

And the episode weirdly cuts off.  No Victory Corner this week, which is just as well I suppose as the Pit is coming soon and is a 100x improvement.  This seemed like a filler episode as it was the last of the taping set.  If I didn't know better I'd say there were only like 10 people on the roster as over the past three weeks they've only put over a select few guys.  Next week should be focused around the debut of Piper's Pit and the announcement of Hogan as the new champ.   

Before I review the Janaury 28 episode, I'll review the MSG Show from January 23 where Hogan wins the title, so be on the lookout for that soon.  

"Best Picture"?!! 5 Times The Academy Got It Wrong

The annual spectacle in which Hollywood notoriously celebrates itself (while occasionally giving kudos to standout independent fare so as to seem too self effacing), The Oscars will be upon us in a few short weeks.  Aside from a few exceptions (most notable being the 1992 ceremony in which "The Silence Of The Lambs" swept the big 5 (Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Actor & Actress), the Academy is notorious for overlooking genre films and performances in favor of maudlin dramas overwrought with heavy handed messages.  Not that some of these films aren't great. I for one squeed with glee when, for the first time in my entire life, my favorite film of the year, "The Shape Of Water" claimed the trophy for Best Picture last year.

That said, over the next few weeks leading up to the announcement of the nominations and the eventual telecast itself, I'll be taking a look at instances in which a film or performance were unjustly snubbed by the academy.  

In this entry, I'll be looking at 5 times the Academy flat out picked the wrong film for Best Picture.  While most of these choices made sense initially, through the lens of time we have seen certain films stand out as more enduring than the one initially deemed to be superior.  

1964: 

"My Fair Lady" Beats "Dr. Strangelove..."

There is perhaps no other decade in film that more exemplifies the schmaltz, gushy triteness of the film industry at it's most banal and artificial (though the 80's with it's overindulgence on wanna be blockbusters trying to vainly recapture the glory initiated by Star Wars and the like comes the closest) than the sixties.  There is no more perfect illustration of this notion than the fact that no less than four grand Hollywood musicals were awarded the gold statue in this decade (West Side Story, The Sound Of Music, and Oliver! also got the nod).  To be fair, there are also a pair of grittier, more progressive films that were recognized (In The Heat Of The Night and Midnight Cowboy--imagine, if you can, that a film originally given the dreaded "X" rating won the academy award in 1969.)  

The tale of Best Picture in the 1960s is reflective of the divergent wedge being driven through the heart of the culture: the faction that wanted to pretend that everything was as it was always would be, and were so happy that they were going to sing about it,  and the more socially conscious sector that wanted the ills of society to be met head on, transgressed, and banished henceforth.  

The division in the current of mainstream culture that was beginning to emerge at this time is no better epitomized than when comparing "My Fair Lady" and "Dr. Strangelove...or how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb".  Both films were released in the wake of the most tumultuous period that the country had experienced since the end of World War II, beginning October 1962 with the Cuban Missile Crisis and ending 13 months later with the assassination of President Kennedy, a pair of piercing pinpricks that popped the protective bubble of safe and sanitized domesticity that the 50s have come to be romanticized for in the following decades. 

Certainly, George Cukor's film is a treasure, but its tale (later co-opted and updated in "Trading Places") of a phonetics professor who tries to transform a commoner (Audrey Hepburn) into an accepted member of high society, while skillfully executed and deservedly one of the most beloved musicals of all time, falls short when compared to "Strangelove", which could be considered not only the greatest of Kubrick's films, but also the finest performance of the virtuoso career of Peter Sellers, as well as the greatest example of satire ever put to film.   

1977: 

"Annie Hall" Beats "Star Wars" 

                                             


























One might chalk this up to all things Woody Allen seemingly falling out of favor as time goes on. Admittedly, especially in the "Me Too" era, the alleged grooming over your teen aged step-daughter into your eventual lover and then bride wouldn't do much for anyone's artistic legacy.  It does make George Lucas' embrace of CGI and Rastafarian humanoid lizards seem rather innocuous in comparison.  All controversy aside, those with the ability to separate the artist from the art simply cannot deny Woody Allen's influence on comedy in the twentieth century.  His tireless deluge of films from the early seventies through to today can be seen as nothing less than prodigious.  

As influential as Allen and "Annie Hall" is, it's hard to argue that for the past forty years any film has been more influential,  especially in the manner in which films are produced and marketed than the original "Star Wars".  For better or worse, after the release of George Lucas' seminal space opera fantasy, studio executives, who had initially doubted the low-budget workmanlike film's ability to appeal to a wide audience, were left with stars (or perhaps more appropriately, dollar signs) in their eyes.  

Another thing that "Star Wars" had going for it that "Annie Hall" does not was mass appeal.  While Allen's film essentially appealed to post-hippie era intellectual thirty somethings (no doubt the late '70s version of hipsters, all the way down to the title character's affinity for ironic fashion choices), the appeal of "Star Wars" crossed most boundaries of age, gender and income.   

Legendary sci-fi auteur James Cameron has even felt compelled to chime in on the debate, predictably landing on the side of Skywalker and friends in this article for Wired.  In the article he lambasted the Academy for engendering the notion that “science-fiction is not humanistic enough, that it’s not about real people.”  Certainly, while the notion of entering a bar filled with thirty different varieties of humanoid aliens, or travelling from one galaxy to another in the time it takes most of us to drive to our local gas station might seem far fetched, there is nothing more universal than Luke's conflicting need to follow his own destiny while wanting to still do good by the Uncle that adopted him, or Princess Leia's fierce resistance to the encroach of the Empire, no matter the cost to herself.  

Granted, when comparing these two films, it's really apples and oranges. Once could definitely state with great temerity that today's theaters could use a few more films in the spirit of "Annie Hall" and a few less in the mold of "Star Wars".  That said, I believe that the Academy should've looked past Allen's status as the auteur darling du jour, as he was at the time, and honored "Star Wars" as the truly landmark, industry altering masterpiece that it was and will always be. 

1980: 

"Ordinary People" Beats "Raging Bull" 

                   

When it came along, "Ordinary People" was the perfect film for it's time, at the end of the seventies: a melodrama about a family mired in malaise that was emblematic of an American culture in a state of spiritual fatigue after a tumultuous decade of social and political unrest.  Even Mary Tyler Moore, who famously "turned the world on with her smile" in her ultra popular sitcom is cast against type as an emotionally cold woman who's son's accidental has laid bare all of her emotional shortcomings for her husband and son remaining son to behold, eventually tearing the family apart.  Though very prescient in 1980, the film's focus on Conrad's (Timothy Hutton) psychiatric treatment seems passe today when our culture has become self aware and self analyzing nearly to the point of puerility.

"Raging Bull", while also depicting a tale of the dark side of the American Dream, does it in a style that while acclaimed by critics and film buffs but left mainstream audiences cold and distant, barely eking by with  box office receipts ample enough to surpass it's 18 million budget.  After being convinced to kick his cocaine addiction by friend and frequent collaborator Robert DeNiro (who won Best Actor for his role his as champion boxer turned burnout Jake LaMotta), and DeNiro convinced that he'd never make another film due to the damage he'd done to his reputation in tinsel town, poured his heart and soul into the broody, extremely violent biopic.  

The Academy clearly chose the more accessible film that closely reflected the state of the culture at the time.  However, by the end of the decade, "Raging Bull" was lauded in numerous top ten lists as the greatest film of the 1980s, while "Ordinary People" has seemed to fall into the cultural ether.  Whether it's the black and white photography or the archetypal nature of the story it tells, but "Raging Bull" could stand the test of time no matter and fit in perfectly had it been made in the forties or been released this year. 

1994: 

"Forrest Gump" Beats "Pulp Fiction" 

To me, this is the might be the most glaring oversight in the history of the Academy Awards.  Adding to the travesty is the fact that "The Shawshank Redemption" a masterpiece in its own right, was also nominated this same year.  While I believe that "Pulp Fiction" is superior to the Stephen King adapation, choosing that over "Forrest Gump" would've been a far less erroneous faux pas.  

"Pulp Fiction" was an absolutely revelatory film at the time of it's release.  Not only did it launch it's writer/director Quentin Tarantino into the stratosphere for good as the film not only satisfied audiences critically but also proved to be an absolute sensation at the box office, tallying an incredible $213 million of its modest $8 million budget, it spawned an entire generation of Tarantino copycat films and filmmakers.  Even the recent "Bad Times At The El Royale" bears some smudges of Tarantino's handiwork.  

"Forrest Gump" meanwhile, was also a huge hit but for very different reasons.  While "Pulp Fiction" took risks with its narrative structure and excessive violence, challenging audiences while concurrently transfixing them, "Gump" does quite the opposite. It is basically a film about the joy and comfort of familiarity, from Forrest's placid life at his Greenbow, Alabama homestead that is intermittently interrupted by his inexplicable intersection with famous events, conveyed to the viewer with almost mythical television clips from the past fifty years.  

"Pulp Fiction" is a moralist fable told through the eyes of a group of small time criminals, some whose choices compel them to  leave this world and survive, while others are destroyed by their failure to heed the ominous events transpiring around them.  Beneath its saccharine surface, "Forrest Gump" conveys a admonishing moralist warning to it's viewers.  While Forrest simply does as what he's told, whether it be by his Mama, drill sergeant, or the simple nature of his heart, these choices, or lack thereof, bring him great bounty.  Conversely, Jenny, a physical embodiment of the rebellious counter culture that sprung up in the sixties is finally brought back crashing down to when she is diagnosed with AIDS.

"Forrest Gump" is not completely without merits. It is exactly what it set out to be: a fun and occasionally somber yarn that explores the loss of America's innocence through the eyes of an innocent.  However, choosing "Gump" over "Fiction" was the cinematic equivalent of filling your plate with chocolate chip cookies at a Brazilian steak house. At the Oscar ceremony in 1995 after winning the statue for Best Screenplay, Tarantino confessed that he'd "gotten sick of losing to Forrest Gump" throughout the awards season.  However, that season has long past and "Pulp Fiction's" impact on cinema continues to resonate today.

1996: 

"The English Patient" Beats "Fargo"

Like most of us, Hollywood often likes to fall back onto what is staid, familiar and comfortable. ("Driving Miss Daisy" winning out over a field of four arguably more qualified contenders immediately jumps to mind.) To me, the most glaring example is the 1996 Best Picture.  While "Forrest Gump" might be a bit sweet and sentimental, it continues to be a beloved film that even enjoyed an IMAX revival a couple of years ago.  "The English Patient", however, seems to have fallen into the ether much like the nearly comatose character named in the film's title.  Contrarily, "Fargo", the brilliant crime/comedy from the Coen Brothers, whose witty and workmanlike filmography had produced a decade of memorable crime and comedy films before they wisely decided to combine the two genres and place it in the seemingly placid, blank canvas of the American Midwest.  

"The English Patient" has all of the trappings of what is known both affectionately and derisively as "Oscar Bait."  An excessively long historical drama depicting a tale of love lost told in flashback.  Indeed, just a capsule description of the film's plot makes it "sound important".  "Fargo", meanwhile, on the surface at least, comes off like a tawdry tale that one might've come across watching an episode of "Hard Copy" or "Inside Edition" in the 90s.  An inept car salesman, having deeply entrenched himself in debt hires a pair of inept two-bit crooks to kidnap his wife and bilk his wealthy employer/father-in-law to secure the necessary funds.  The plot could have easily been encapsulated in an episode of "Law And Order".  

However, what sets "Fargo" apart is the even keeled hand that the Coens put on the balance between the comedy and drama in the film.  Part of us feels deeply for Jerry Lundegaard, the sad-sack portrayed brilliantly by William H. Macy in the role that put him on the map as the best American character actor of the past twenty years this side of Phillip Seymour Hoffman, while the other half can't help but laugh as he helplessly circles the drain further and further into despair, utterly destroying his own life as well as that of his family. Equally splendid is Coen mainstay Frances McDormand who rightfully one the first of two Best Actress trophies for her portrayal of the measured, meticulous but mellow Marge Gunderson who finds herself pulled into Jerry's poorly fashioned scheme.  

"Fargo" continues to stand apart as one of the key films from a team that have served up more than their share of bonafide classics, even inspiring a television show that premiered in 2014 and continues today.  Meanwhile, "The English Patient" has fallen into the pack of other Best Picture winners that too closely follow the Oscar mold. 

Classic Wrestling TV Review: WWF Championship Wrestling January 14, 1984

WWF Championship Wrestling: January 14, 1984 

From the Agricultural Hall Allentown, Pennsylvania Taped January 3, 1984

The copy I have cut out the opening, so we start out with our trusty geriatric ring announcer Joe McHugh. 

Sgt. Slaughter d. Mike Dorsett in 3:43.

Slaughter comes out to the "The Marine's Hymn," one of the few on the roster to have music played for their entrance which really sets him apart. I think the story goes is that The Freebirds were the first to employ music in the entrance, Slaughter second and Hogan third.  A fan in the crowd holds a sign that reads: "Gomer Is A Maggot".  Gene uses a favorite phrase of his: "Forty Miles Of Bad Road", describing Dorsett's eventual fate in this match. A heel fan has a sign that says "Join The Cobra Corps in 84" while another holds Sarge's photo from the calendar, so he's already starting to catch on with the crowd.  Slaughter pinches the ref's belly and Vince states he prefers everyone to stay "slim and trim" which is funny considering the pot belly he was rocking when he returned in 1990 for his title run.  That said, Slaughter is in pretty good shape here.  He basically just beats the shit out of Dorsett.  Another forty miles of bad road" from Gene.  Slaughter slingshots Dorsett face first into the turnbuckle with Vince calls "the slaughter cannon".  Dorsett tries to fight back but Sarge no sells it until Dorsett rakes the eyes.  However, this just pisses Sarge off and he cuts Dorsett off and drops him gut first on the top rope before finishing him with the cobra clutch.  After the match Sarge lifts Dorsett to his feet only to knock him back onto his ass with a stiff clothesline. 

Gene with some arena promos. In an incredible slip up, Gene announces Hogan as beating Sheik for the title in the Garden in the match that doesn't even happen for another 9 days.  Ivan Putski comes in to plug the Battle Royal at the Olympic Auditorium in L.A.  Putski isn't much without the polish accent.  Halfway through the promo Gene informs Putski that the purse for the battle royal has been raised from 30 grand to 50 grand which compels Putski to exclaim loudly before charging away.  Next is Sheik and Ayatollah Blassie. "Listen, that pencil neck geek can't even count to fifty thousand," Blassie insists referring to Putski. Blassie then refers to Sheik losing the belt to Hogan as well, so someone fucked up here and dropped the wrong week's promo into this slot. I can't imagine the coronary Vince would have these days if someone made such a mistake.  Tito Santana comes in.  Tito panders to the L.A. fans and talks about watching the Rams win the Superbowl recently and compares the Battle Royal to the Superbowl of wrestling.  Now we have Andre, who was on Letterman just a few days before this.  Andre and Gene surmise that there will be 6 thousand pounds in the ring.  Andre seems to think that Battle Royals are called "Royal Royals" but that just might be his accent.  

They keep teasing ads for the WWF Calendar but whoever clipped this episode cuts it out. 

"Superfly" Jimmy Snuka d. "Butcher" Paul Vachon in 2:55.

Up until last week, Snuka was the most over face in the company. He's still quite popular here, though there are a few audible boos in the crowd so perhaps they were hip to his recent "troubles".  Vachon dominates early, taking Snuka down with punches, Snuka selling quite a bit probably just out of respect for the veteran.  Vachon is classic old school heel down to the eye rakes.  Vachon beats Snuka in the corner then choking and biting Superfly.  Snuka fights back, pulling Vachon to the middle of the ring and knocking him down with a headbutt, then climbing to the top and rather than hitting a splash hits another awkward looking headbutt.  So Snuka's offense consisted of two moves. 

Victory Corner with Dr. D David Schultz

Host Robert DeVord joined by guest Dr. D David Schultz, sans Roddy Piper. Schultz says he's here for competition naming all the top faces, then confesses that he wanders the streets going into honky tonks and bars looking for a fight. He says when he can't do that he sits at home and turns on the tv and dreams about fighting the wrestlers on there.  He then threatens DeVord who brushes Dr. D off and quickly ends the segment.  Wrestling needs more guys like Schultz who just come off like a dude who would try to fuck you up in a bar if you looked at them wrong. 

"Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff (with Roddy Piper) d. Hercules Vasquez in 4:41.

Piper reaches in and grabs the ref by the belt towards the rope, insisting he give Orndorff more time to prepare before starting the match. Fans are immediately on Orndorff with the "Paula" chants.  Vince reads a letter from a fan mentioning Orndorff's tendency to stall at the beginning of his matches.  Piper takes his time helping Orndorff with his robe.  Yet another full minute of stalling and Vasquez is getting restless. They finally lock up and Orndorff pushes him into the ropes, teasing a clean break then beating Vasquez down.  Orndorff slams him down hard and drops a knee across the throat, then jumps off the top with an elbow.  Orndorff drops Vasquez with another fist before rocking Vasquez with the most legit looking piledriver in the business.  How he doesn't fucking kill guys on this I'll never know but that's the magic.  Vince drools a little over Orndorff's physique ("Oh my!").  

Magnificent Muraco d. Special Delivery Jones in 4:30.

Captain Lou Albano is notable by his absence here. The green title belts in this era was an odd choice.  Fans chant "beach bum" at Muraco who is just mr. cool here.  Muraco backs Jones into the corner but backs off, seeming incredulous that the ref would even think he would do something cheap.  S.D. tries for a test of strength but Muraco backs off.  Jones tries to fire up and slaps Muraco who smiles. Jones continues to slap Muraco, finally drawing him in allowing Jones to get the best of him as Muraco finally sells the slaps.  Jones grabs a headlock After some selling Muraco counters with a reverse snapmare then stomps Jones on the mat.  Muraco comes off the ropes with an asian spike to the throat and a kneelift to the face as Jones staggers back to his feet.  Muraco downs Jones with an elbow to the back of the head then taunts him, drawing fists to the gut from Jones who backs Muraco into the corner.  Muraco counters a charge, then climbs to the top and drives his knee into Jone's head as he does a free fall from the top driving his knee into Jones' head.  As they climb to his feet Jones hits a quick suplex, but Muraco counters this into a cradle as they land and cinches Jones in for the pin. 

Jose Luis Rivera d. Tony Colon in 3:10.

Color me shocked that Joe McHugh pronounced "Colon" properly because he had no idea with "Jose Luis Rivera".  Colon tries some funny business but immediately gets sent out of the ring.  Rivera keeps taking Colon down with arm drags, sending him out again.  Rivera grabs a headlock, taking him over to the mat.  Gene puts over the "maturation process" that has occurred with Hulk Hogan in the past few years.  Vince calls Hogan "one of the greatest wrestlers in history" and "300 pounds of hunk".  Rivera works Colon down with a leg hold. Colon tries to whip Rivera into the corner, but Rivera counters by leaping over the top, swinging around the post and knocking Colon's head into the turnbuckle before climbing back in.  Rivera whips Colon in for a high dropkick, then drops him in what looked to be an attempted fireman's carry, immediately trying again and turning it into an airplane spin, dropping him to the mat for the pin.  I think that has to be the first time in my life i've ever seen a match end with an airplane spin.  Rivera is fine but in a world where you also have Tito Santana as a latin babyface he doesn't stand much of a chance. 

We now cut to a clip taken from WWE Classics on Demand from this episode in much higher quality than the rest of the video, as Gene interviews Hogan and Backlund.  Based on the commentary in the previous match, I think this originally aired at the beginning of the episode but whoever put this together saw fit to put it on the end. Hogan and Backlund shake hands.  Hogan says that the reception he got coming back made him feel like a babe in new arms.  He said he's been training hard with Backlund and "the excitement he puts off gives me chills" which is a stretch, to say the least. Backlund said nothing here, which is just mean. If he didn't see the writing on the wall here, he's a fool, whether or not he can rattle of the names of all the U.S. Presidents in order.

Hulk Hogan & Bob Backlund d. Mr. Fuji & Tiger Chung Lee in 4:12.

McHugh confirms that this is the opening match.  Backlund starts off of course, gotta make the fans wait for Hogan.  Lee pushes Backlund into the corner, but Backlund crawls beneath his legs and quickly tags Hogan.  Fuji grabs an armbar but Hogan reverses it, bringing Lee back in.  Hogan and Backlund essentially just work Lee's arm, tagging in and out frequently.  Lee works Hogan down with some blows to the ribs until Hogan just decides to no sell them and gives him the Hulk-up face. Hogan backs Lee into the corner with punches them tosses him into the other corner, downing him an atomic drop, Fuji breaking up the pin. Backlund is back in, but Lee quickly takes control, and he and Fuji work the arm. Gene states that "the past few weeks must have been terribly traumatic" for Backlund in light of his title loss.  Did Backlund fire Skaaland in story line due to the finish of the Sheik match or did he just appear in his corner for arena matches? Hogan is back as a house of fire, quickly sending Fuji out then quickly defeating Lee with the trademark clothesline-bodyslam-legdrop combo.  

Paul Orndorff d. S.D. Jones in 5:45. 

This is a match that ended up on the end of this tape somehow. Monsoon is on commentary with Gene and they inform us this is from the All-American Wrestling episode that aired the next day. Wasn't going to review this match since it wasn't actually from the show, but then I fast forwarded and saw that there is a Piper promo afterwards and there isn't any point in history where I'm not going to watch a Roddy Piper promo from 1984 if I come across one. Short story here is that Orndorff destroys Jones with piledriver. 

Piper & Orndorff join Gene at the interview set. "M-o-o-s-e! M-o-o-s-e!" Piper exclaims discussing the women who are gawking at Mr. Wonderful's body.  He say the men who call Orndorff Paula "all weigh 280 pounds and the girls next to them weigh 20 pounds more!" Piper says all the women need are "antlers and fur".  Gene cuts off the promo as Piper continues to go on and on.  

This was a fine episode, not as legendary as last week. There is definitely a select groups of guys they are trying to get/keep over (Hogan, Orndorff, Dr. D & Piper, Muraco, Santana, Sheik, Slaughter). Hogan's arrival has turned the entire promotion upside down, and in 15 months the two top faces before he arrived, Backlund and Snuka will be gone. It will be interesting to see how that lineup expands in the next few weeks. 

Classic TV Review: WWF Championship Wrestling January 7, 1984

I recently finished Tim Hornbaker's excellent book, Death Of The Territories, which chronicles Vince McMahon's WWF's incredible rise to the wrestling promotion of choice in the national marketplace and the subsequent, seemingly inexorable decline of territorial wrestling system that was beaten into submission by Vince's brilliant, cunning and at times Machiavellian business practices.  There are in-depth reviews of the book to be found around the net so I'll simply say that it carries my recommendation as the wrestling book of 2018, at least until I finish up the new Nitro book. 

I'm always looking for new wrestling to re-watch, especially older stuff that I might've missed the first time around.  While I've seen most of the big stuff from 80's WWF from about 1985-on, but as I didn't start watching regularly until November 1987, I thought it might be fun to go through starting with January 1984 and review the weekly WWF  TV to track the story in real time.

WWF Championship Wrestling January 7, 1984 

This is the legendary episode where Hulk Hogan, Gene Okerlund, David Schultz and Roddy Piper (Hogan, Okerlund & Schultz all infamously poached in the middle of the night from the AWA) all made their first appearance in what can be only viewed now as nothing less than a very strong "statement of purpose" from Vince McMahon as to where the tone and timber of his rapidly expanding promotion was heading.

I have never understood why in the Backlund-era intro to this show the shot of Snuka doing the Superfly splash with no boots in from one side of the ring suddenly cuts to a different shot of him jumping from the other side of the ring with boots on?  Either way, he absolutely KILLS the dude on impact.  Also the clip of pre-buzz cut "recite every President or I won't give you an autograph" high school assistant principal Bob Backlund is a testament to the fact that he was indeed over at one point before Billy Graham destroyed his belt, he cut his hair and became a lot less likable.

From the Agricultural Hall  Allentown, Pennsylvania Taped January 3, 1984

We open with an ever broad-shouldered 38 year old Vince McMahon in a powder blue suit who introduces the debuting "Mean" Gene Okerlund as his "sidekick". They push the debut of "Dr. D" as well as the first appearance of The Iron Sheik since defeating Backlund for the WWF Title in Madison Square Garden on December 26. They announce that Backlund will be taking on "Samoan #3" in a bout that was "originally supposed to be a tag team match, more on that later" (Spoiler: it's never explained why it was changed for a tag match).

Joe McHugh, who throughout this program has a curious affinity for mispronouncing names, is the ring announcer.  He also can't be anywhere south of seventy years old which makes me sad for Howard Finkel.

WWF Tag Team Champions Rocky Johnson & Tony Atlas d. Bill Dixon & Charlie Fulton  in 3:12.
Perhaps already figuring out that the jobbers are wrestling Johnson & Atlas, they are booed by the contingency here in Allentown. Johnson looks like he's eyeing someone in the crowd before the bell rings, perhaps a young Rock was in the crowd?  Throughout the program each match features an overdubbed advertisement from Howard Finkel pushing a different house show card.  Gene describes an armdrag from Johnson to Dixon as "some kind of armbar", which is why he's a better interviewer than commentator. Johnson escapes from a leghold at the hands of Dixon with an impressive reverse roll up onto his feet in one smooth movement. Atlas is decidely less graceful, dominating their opponents with power moves.  The finish off Dixon with a graceful doubleteam as Atlas whips Dixon tagging Johnson, allowing Rocky to catch him with a sunset flip on the rebound for the pin.

"Dr. D." David Schultz (with Roddy Piper) d. Steve Lombardi in 1:48.
McHugh announces Lombardi as "Lombardo" which Gene repeats throughout the match.  Though Piper is a heel, he is cheered by a fair portion of the crowd, probably a sign that they were tape traders or at least read the magazines and knew that Piper was the hottest baby face aside from Ric Flair in Mid-Atlantic before being lured by McMahon just a month after Starrcade 83. Vince calls Piper "a wrestler extraordinaire apparently now trying his hand as a manager".  It seems as though Piper was brought in to take The Grand Wizard's spot after his death a few months earlier.  Schultz puts the hurt on "Lombardo" clearly trying to get over strong in his first appearance, finishing him off with a backwards elbow off the top.  Schultz goes back onto the apron to have his hand raised by the referee.

Schultz and Piper cut a promo with Gene immediately following the match.  Whatever goodwill Piper might've had with the fans when he was first introduced was quickly erased with his classic aggravating, rapid fire, quick witted master heel interview.  That said, as good as Piper was, Schultz didn't really need a manager as he could get over pretty well on his own with his redneck shtick, so this was a good example of the old WWF philosophy of every heel needing a manager proving itself to be a bit out-dated.

Gene does some promos with Sgt. Slaughter, Tito Santana and The Samoans with Capt Lou Albano plugging a Battle Royal in Los Angeles, which I believe was the first WWF card held in Los Angeles.

WWF Heavyweight Champion The Iron Sheik (with "Ayatollah" Fred Blassie d. John Callahan in 2:14.
Well, the fans HATE Sheik, except for the one smart ass teen aged heel fan who is displaying Sheik's pic from the WWF 1984 calendar. As tasteless as it is, I can't help but get a kick out of "Ayatollah" Fred Blassie, complete with Arabian head scarf, grinning like the Cheshire cat.  Fans begin chanting "We Want Backlund" as Sheik makes quick work out of his opponent, finishing him off with the camel clutch. We see a shot of a fan holding a sign that reads: "Backlund Is My Champion".

More arena promos with Gene promoting the MSG card later that month where Hogan will replace Backlund and win the title from The Sheik.  Gene brings in Sheik and "Ayatollah" Blassie who calls Arnold Skaaland Backlund's "Chicken liver manager" who threw in the towel and informs us that "they'd have to kill the Sheik" before he'd willingly sacrifice the title. Sheik gives praise to the real Ayatollah, compelling Blassie to look to the heavens and proclaim "Bali Bali!" Tito Santana comes in for his second promo of this show, building up his challenge to Magnificent Muraco for the Intercontinental Title. Muraco was pretty much the perennial champion in the early days of the title, but Santana was about to begin a solid 2 year off and on run with the strap.  Muraco and Albano follow, with Captain Lou delivering some butchered Spanish to insult Santana's fan.  Muraco delivers a great promo about how when you come to MSG  you don't come to see the Stones, you come to see Jagger.  When you come to see wrestling you come to see Magnificence. He does a great job starting out very mellowly before becoming quite animated as he gets into the promo, compelling Albano to howl with laughter and proclaim proudly, "He's sick, my man is sick"!  I haven't seen much of heel Muraco but he seems pretty great.

Tito Santana d. Bob Bradley in 2:40.
Bradley is a perennial jobber in the Duane Gill and Reno Riggins category up into the early 90s on WWF TV.  Finkel does voice over promo for a bunch of house shows, all which take place in New York state which speaks to the density and incredible financial windfall that the area provided.  Vince reads a question from a fan, "What's the highest that Jimmy Snuka has ever leaped and has anyone ever leaped any higher?" Vince refers to the cage dive that Snuka did in MSG, incorrectly referring to the match as a "victory" (he lost to both Backlund and Muraco in those cage matches).  Vince informs us that Mildred Burke wrote in to correct and errenous comment from Pat Patterson a couple of weeks before where Pat claimed that Moolah beat Burke for her Women's title.  Tito knocks Bradley out with the flying forearm.

Victory Corner with The Iron Sheik and Ayatollah Blassie
Very odd to see the set that would become Piper's Pit later in the month.  Sheik states that Iran is known for two things: "Oil and wrestling."  He uses his shoot name and refers to his Olympic experience.  It's kind of funny that they give Sheik a manager, presumably due to his accent but he, not Blassie ends up carrying most of the promos.  Blassie didn't say a word here.

Masked Superstar d. Victor Mercardo in 1:17.
McHugh calls Puerto Rico "Puerto Rica".  Wrestling needs more masked gimmicks that aren't just luchadores.  Superstar finishes Mercardo off quickly with a swinging neck breaker.  Some fans in the crowd wear grocery bags on their heads with stars written on them.  Vince slips up and announces that we'll find out "why we won't see Backlund in the title match, er, the tag team match rather", showing their hand on the angle where Hogan replaces Backlund against Sheik in the Garden.

Bob Backlund d. Samoan #3 by disqualification in 4:34.
For some reason they didn't bother to give the future Samu a name.  Afa & Sika along with Albano keep trying to grab at Backlund from outside the ring, so he quickly goes back and brings in Hogan to an enormous pop.  All I can say watching this is that I hope Backlund saved his money and if he didn't see the writing on the wall here then he needs to get his eyes checked because this was like walking from one dimension into another.  Okerlund reminds us of Hogan's appearance in "Rocky 3". Quickly enough, it all breaks down and The Samoans and Hogan all run in.  In a very subtle but telling spot, Backlund punches Albano who merely does the windmill sell, but when Hogan punches him he takes a bump which is very rare for Albano. It's those little touches that you don't see in wrestling anymore, these days they hit you over the head with everything. The fans stand and crane their necks to watch Hogan and Backlund as they leave, absolutely electrified.  Vince seems like he's going to blow a gasket. "That's 300 pounds in there!"

Hogan and Backlund join Gene.  The fans loudly chant "Hogan!" Backlund assures us that Hogan's "changed his ways and won't have Blassie around anymore," referring to Hogan's heel run in 3 years earlier.  Imagine them referring to story lines from 3 years ago today. Turns out if you treat that stuff like it matters, it well, and your angles and characters will have more depth and resonance.  Hogan thanks the fans and so overwhelmed with excitement that he just has to tear his shirt off, sending the fans into a frenzy of excitement.

More promos for the January MSG show.  Backlund comes in.  Maybe it's because I mainly know him from his heel run in 1994, but his hushed, charisma vacuum delivery just makes him come off like your boring Uncle who tries to read you bible verses after dinner.  Bob says the worst day of his life was having to tell his daughter that he was no longer the WWF Champion and she said simply, "Dad, we have to get that back."  Backlund promises to be champ again, which he was though it took him almost 11 years to do so.

Mr. Fuji d. Denny Hill in 2:19.
Hill is announced as "Dennis" Hill.  Fuji is winding down here and will take Albano's spot as heel manager when Albano turns face later this year.  He's one of those workers that you watch today and shake your head wondering "how did people think this was real?"  Fuji is about as phony as it gets with weak kicks and chops that the much larger Hill has to sell unbelievably.  Vince announces Fuji & Tiger Chung Lee vs. Hulk Hogan & Bob Backlund for next week.  Fuji pins Hill after a running back splash.

As simple as it was, this one was of the best hour long wrestling shows I've seen.  The debut of Hogan was like switching from black and white to color when comparing him with Backlund.  Frankly, I was excited when the show was over to see what was in store for next week.  WWF is off to a great start in 1984.