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Justin Parker, Torch Specialist

Hey guys, I’m back with another feature that will be a monthly feature here at the Torch. I know that a lot of people that visit this site would like to expand their wrestling horizons and I’m hoping that this feature will allow people to pick up some wrestling media that is not available on most major retailers. Every month I will be reviewing what I feel is the best of the previous month in terms of DVD’s, book, and other things that I feel should be a part of every fan’s library With that said, on to the picks….

DVD’s

RF Video’s Shoot Interview with Diamond Dallas Page

Of all the shoot interviews I’ve seen, this is one of my favorites due to the amount of details that Page remembers about his career. I know that some people on this site like to make light of DDP’s self-absorbed nature, but in this case it makes for quite the entertaining interview. Page talks for nearly four hours on this release about his life before he got involved with the wrestling business, as well as his journey in the business from being a manager to one of the major superstars of the Monday Night War era.

DDP also seems to be genuinely excited about telling his story to the audience, as a lot of subjects of these interviews do not which leads to the interview being very upbeat and allows the viewer not to lose interest. Page tells his career and life story with astonishing detail and enthusiasm. This is truly one of the best shoots that I have seen in quite some time.

LOOK OUT FOR: The story that Page tells about getting stripped nude by the Steiners at a house show when he first began working for WCW.


RF Video’s Shoot Interview with Kevin Nash

This shoot was one that I was eagerly anticipating for a number of years due to Nash being a part of so many historical events in the past 10 years. Nash is known for being one of the funnier guys in the business and this shoot showcases his quick wit and the sarcastic side of his personality. From this interview, you can tell that Kevin has a passion for the wrestling business and has gotten a chance to step outside of the wrestling bubble and put things in perspective. As Sean wrote in his review, I don’t necessarily agree with a lot of Kevin’s philosophies on the business, but he does present some interesting ideas.

The only complaint that I have about this interview is that there is not enough follow-up questioning on some of the key questions. It almost feels like RF is just going through his line of questioning and will not steer from that path. Kevin leaves a lot of topics open for discussion and I don’t think that is fully taken advantage of by RF. I would prefer in future shoot interviews with major talent that the interview flows more like a conversation (such as the Torch Talks, cheap plug) as opposed to a third degree line of questioning. The conversationalist interview style with allow the interviewee to expound on a lot of his points and allow the viewer to get a more detailed account of the subject’s career and opposed to a high level viewpoint that I feel this interview gives off.

That said, there is a lot of subject matter packed into this nearly three hour shoot interview and I would highly recommend it as Nash was a very instrumental player in the mid 90’s WWF, as well as one of the catalysts of the rise and fall of WCW. Nash also allows the viewer to hear some of his philosophies of the business as well as telling some pretty hilarious stories involving him and his fellow Clique buddies.

To pick up this DVD, please head over to www.rfvideo.com.

LOOK OUT FOR: A road story that Nash tells about an incident in a diner involving the entire Clique as well as a good number of the local law enforcement.

Kayfabe Commentaries Presents Guest Booker with Gabe Sapolsky

Sean Radican and I have already wrote longer reviews about this disc which are linked below, but I definitely wanted to include it in this month’s recommendation because I feel that it is an amazing DVD for anyone who studies this business to watch. This DVD allows you to hear the philosophies of one of the more highly regarded bookers today as well as giving you a chance to see what the new ECW could have become if placed in the hands of someone who had its best intentions at heart.

For those who don’t know, Gabe is the current booker of ROH and the protégé of Paul Heyman. Gabe got his start in the business working for the original ECW, so booking the re-launch of ECW is a subject is one of passion for him as you can see by his diligent notes and clearly though out ideas. As I said in my earlier review, the card that he books for the December to Dismember PPV would have been one of the highlights of the WWE PPV year, instead of one of its most embarrassing.

If you are interested in how ideas of derived in this business, there really is no better DVD that I have seen that showcases the creative process than this one. Please do yourself a favor and head over to www.kayfabecommentaries.com and pick this one up.

LOOK OUT FOR: Gabe’s plan for Ric Flair to regain credibility and maximize his drawing potential by utilizing him in a serious, meaningful role. Take notes, WWE.

ROH Respect is Earned DVD (2 Disc Special Edition)

This is the official release of ROH’s first PPV and one of the better PPV’s of the year. This is a historical show and is great from top to bottom. There have already been reviews of this show all over this site, so I won’t rehash old points, but I would recommend this to any fan who wants a starting point for getting into ROH as well as any casual ROH viewer who wants to check out a good show. ROH has even added special packaging to make this a truly special edition.

To pick up this release, please head over to www.rohwrestling.com

LOOK OUT FOR: The rabid NYC crowd which adds so much to the show and gives the show a “big fight atmosphere” that makes you feel like everything you’re seeing is spectacular. This is also a good companion to the current ROH PPV, “Driven.”

Upcoming Releases to Look For:

RF Video’s Shoot Interview w/ Scott Hall (October)
RF Video’s Shoot Interview with the Outsiders (October)
Kayfabe Commentaries’ “You Shoot” DVD with the Honky Tonk Man (Fall 2007)
RF Video’s Shoot Interview with Billy Graham (Out Now)
ROH Death Before Dishonor Nights 1 and 2 (October)


BOOKS

Brody: The Triumph and Tragedy of Wrestling's Rebel by Co-authors Barbara Goodish, Brodys widow, and Larry Matysik

This is one of two books that chronicles the life of one of the most complex, intriguing and tragic figures in the history of pro wrestling. This book was written by Barbara Goodish, Brody’s widow, and Larry Matysik, a close friend who provide a close perspective on his days as a performer as well as the details leading up to his tragic death in Puerto Rico. This book is great for readers who didn’t see much of Brody’s career live, but want to see why he is so highly regarded by those who did. After reading this book, you will truly want to hunt down some Brody footage to witness his greatness.

Please check this book out by going to http://highspots.com/product.asp?id=17574.

Bruiser Brody by Emerson Murray, Edited by Scott Teal

Another book that chronicles the life of Bruiser Brody from a different perspective and contains a lot of rare photos and information that is not touched on in the other publication. This book also contains a as in-depth account of the night of Brody’s death as there is out there. This is a great book as well, and if you were interested in the life of Brody, I would suggest giving both books a shot.

You can get your copy of this book at http://www.1wrestlinglegends.com/crowbarpress/brody/index.html

Upcoming Releases to Look Out For:

A Lion’s Tale: Around the World in Spandex by Chris Jericho (10/25/2007)
Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon world of Pro Wrestling by Bret Hart (10/16/2007)
Batista Unleashed by Dave Batista and Jeremy Roberts

Justin Parker can be reached at parjustin@gmail.com if you would like to recommend anything to him or have something to submit for next month's review.

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