Part 1 of 3 of a long-form interview with Mikey Whiplash.
Social & External
The people behind it
Mikey Whiplash
Billy Kirkwood
Documentary that goes behind the curtain, exploring the intimate relationships and untold stories that shape the pro wrestling industry.
19-year-old Alessandra is a wrestling student. As a newbie, her goal is to develop a so-called "gimmick" for herself. A ring character of her own, which should become very similar to her due to her biographical cornerstones. This film documents this development process, which at the same time also represents an inner journey of self-discovery for Alessandra. But on her way to becoming a full-fledged wrestler her life changes in an unexpected way, which forces her to grow up faster than expected.
The Official WCW/nWO Biographies Of Wrestling's Most Explosive Superstars
Inductees into the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame included Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Ultimate Warrior, Razor Ramon, Lita, Paul Bearer, Mr. T and Carlos Colón.
Andre the Giant was a man larger than life, so large his nickname was "The Eight Wonder of the World." Lord Alfred Hayes hosts the matches that built the legend of this Hall of Famer. Matches Include: vs. Moondog Rex 8/1/81 18-Man Battle Royal with Sgt. Slaughter, Big john Studd, Jimmy Snuka, Pat Patterson, "Hollywood" Hogan, Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik, & Tito Santana. vs. Black Gordman & Great Goliath 1/12/76 vs. Jack Evans, Johnny Rodz, & Joe Butcher Nova vs. Gorilla Monsoon with the Grand Wizard Andre the Giant and Jimmy Snuka vs. the Wild Samoans 2/18/83 vs. the Masked Superstar 2/20/84 Andre the Giant & S.D. Jones vs. Big John Studd & Ken Patera with Bobby Heenan 12/15/84. This is the legendary haircut match. vs. Ken Patera 1/21/85 Revenge of the Giant vs. Big John Studd 3/31/85 WrestleMania - commentary by Michael Cole & Tazz.
When Khosrow Vaziri became the World Wrestling Federations Iron Sheik and camel-clutched his way to fame in the 1980s, he achieved the American Dream by personifying a foreign villain. Losing his world championship belt to Hulk Hogan became a defining moment in professional wrestling. These days, the Sheiks smackdowns are on Twitter, where hes gained a new following. Once an Olympic hopeful, bodyguard to Irans Shah and pop culture icon, we witness Vaziri struggling with addiction and despair as a family man. But with the help of Torontos Magen brothers, the Sheik begins a road to redemption and renewed status as a public figure. Showcasing his powerful past and at times painful present, this is an insightful look at one of wrestlings biggest stars, but also a powerful story of personal sacrifice that, in the Sheiks own words, will make you humble.
Jeff Towne revisited four years after the release of the original film.
An ambitious and wide-ranging documentary exploring Andre’s upbringing in France, his celebrated career in WWE, and his forays in the entertainment world.
A moving, inspirational story that gives viewers a rare glimpse into the world of high school wrestling at one of Los Angeles' most elite and highly touted prep schools. Filled with drama, laughter, and heart, "Junkyard Dogs" is an underdog story that captures the essence of what it takes to be a champion and sheds light on the power and importance of one of the world's oldest sports.
A look into the mind and life of Zac Amico! Learn about the early years of the Real Ass Psycho, his work with Lloyd Kaufman and TROMA films, his Deathmatch with Jeff Cannonball, how he met Luis J. Gomez and more!
Documentary that reflects on the WWE career of the Undertaker, the franchise's longest serving wrestler with over two decades of action behind him. Known for his trademark finishing move, the tombstone piledriver, the Undertaker has entered battle with generations of WWE stars. Among those to offer their thoughts on what it is like to face him in the ring are Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Big Show, Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar who ended The Streak.
Devon Nicholson dreamed of becoming a World Wrestling Entertainment wrestler since he was a child. After years of sacrifice Devon finally achieves his dream and earns a WWE contract. Little does he know his whole world is about to change with one visit to the doctor.
Documentary film about Tony Halme, masculinity and populism. The film follows how Tony Halme created a mythical, highly masculine freestyle wrestling character, The Viking, who gained fame both in the ring and in the public eye and eventually became captivated by it. With his brash speeches, Halme fired the starting shot for the rise of the Finns Party. The voice of a forgotten section of the population, a protest against the ruling elite, were the building blocks of Halme's popularity. Halme's great popularity has served as a good example of a populist figure, admired within the deep ranks of the nation, who comes from outside the political elite and changes the direction of politics. Also, despite - or perhaps because of - his openly racist statements, he was part of changing the political climate in Finland to a more acrimonious one.
No-holds barred matches that take place in secret underground teenage clubs, Backyard Wrestling is a new phenomenon that has across swept the US. Some of the highlights of these bouts are collected here - which include 25-foot dives onto tables covered in thumbtacks and human torch fights.
A journey into the lives of the famed Vachon wrestling family through the eyes of Paul “The Butcher” Vachon, the last living member of the dynasty.
The story of the one of the most distinctive and storied championships in the world of sports entertainment and the men who held it.
¡Que viva la lucha! is a 2007 film directed and produced by Gustavo Vazquez about Lucha libre in Tijuana, Mexico, considered to be a form of extreme lucha libre. The film follows Extreme Tiger, an up-and-coming professional luchador from Tijuana, on a journey that places him in a mask vs. hair match against Joe Líder. In addition, he follows other new talent, Angel Negro Jr. and Pancho Cachondo. In the process, the film also interviews other luchadores, promoters, commissioners, families, and fans who discuss the cultural significance of lucha libre as sport, ritual, and spectacle.
In the 2000s, Vicente Viloni and La Masa became legendary wrestling rivals and idols for kids across the country. The hit television show "100% Lucha" brought a spectacle of skill and drama to every home, forging a famous rivalry that transcended the screen, leaving a mark on national culture. After the conflict that separated them for ten years, they face each other in the ring and relive great moments from their careers.
Go beyond extreme and join the unrivaled Paul Heyman for a unique look at ECW, featuring Tommy Dreamer, The Dudley Boyz, and Tazz!
Wrestlers Shane Douglas and Chris Candino make their debuts in this television premiere of the XPW Wrestling League -- a concentrated explosion of hardcore wrestling action culminating in the XPW World Championship. Prepare for excitement in the ring from such intrepid fighters as Big Dick Dudley, Homeless Jimmy, "White Trash" Johnny Webb, Kristi Myst, Lizzy Borden, Supreme and the Messiah.
Ten of Muhammad Ali's former rivals pay tribute to the three-time world heavyweight champion.
Alex Gibney explores the phenomenon of Stuxnet, a self-replicating computer virus discovered in 2010 by international IT experts. Evidently commissioned by the US and Israeli governments, this malware was designed to specifically sabotage Iran’s nuclear programme. However, the complex computer worm ended up not only infecting its intended target but also spreading uncontrollably.
Drawn from a never before seen cache of personal footage spanning decades, this is an intimate portrait of the Sri Lankan artist and musician who continues to shatter conventions.
Fueled by a raging libido, Wild Turkey, and superhuman doses of drugs, Thompson was a true "free lance, " goring sacred cows with impunity, hilarity, and a steel-eyed conviction for writing wrongs. Focusing on the good doctor's heyday, 1965 to 1975, the film includes clips of never-before-seen (nor heard) home movies, audiotapes, and passages from unpublished manuscripts.
A subjective documentary that explores various theories about hidden meanings in Stanley Kubrick's classic film The Shining. Five very different points of view are illuminated through voice over, film clips, animation and dramatic reenactments.
This searing investigative work shadows a group of activists risking unimaginable peril to confront the ongoing anti-LGBTQ program raging in the repressive and closed Russian republic. Unfettered access and a remarkable approach to protecting anonymity exposes this under-reported atrocity–and an extraordinary group of people confronting evil.
A love letter from a young mother to her daughter, the film tells the story of Waad al-Kateab’s life through five years of the uprising in Aleppo, Syria as she falls in love, gets married and gives birth to Sama, all while cataclysmic conflict rises around her. Her camera captures incredible stories of loss, laughter and survival as Waad wrestles with an impossible choice– whether or not to flee the city to protect her daughter’s life, when leaving means abandoning the struggle for freedom for which she has already sacrificed so much.
In 1972, a seemingly typical shoestring budget pornographic film was made in a Florida hotel: "Deep Throat," starring Linda Lovelace. This film would surpass the wildest expectation of everyone involved to become one of the most successful independent films of all time. It caught the public imagination which met the spirit of the times, even as the self-appointed guardians of public morality struggled to suppress it, and created, for a brief moment, a possible future where sexuality in film had a bold artistic potential. This film covers the story of the making of this controversial film, its stunning success, its hysterical opposition along with its dark side of mob influence and allegations of the on set mistreatment of the film's star.
Documentary about legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans, based on his famous 1994 autobiography.
The most famous murder scene in movie history comprises 78 camera settings and 52 cuts: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. 78/52 tells the story of the man behind the curtain and his greatest obsession.
An investigation of how Hollywood's fabled stories have deeply influenced how Americans feel about transgender people, and how transgender people have been taught to feel about themselves.
A detailed account of the life and artistic career of legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, from his early days as a video club manager to the scandalous fall in disgrace of producer Harvey Weinstein. A story about how to shoot eight great movies and become an icon of modern pop culture.
50 years after the legendary fest, Barak Goodman’s electric retelling of Woodstock, from the point of view of those who were on the ground, evokes the freedom, passion, community, and joy the three-day music festival created.
Over the past 25 years, Lauren Greenfield's documentary photography and film projects have explored youth culture, gender, body image, and affluence. Underscoring the ever-increasing gap between the haves and the have-nots, portraits reveal a focus on cultivating image over substance, where subjects unable to attain actual wealth instead settle for its trappings, no matter their ability to pay for it.
While crafting his Grammy-nominated album "Astroworld," Travis Scott juggles controversy, fatherhood and career highs in this intimate documentary.
A funny, intimate and heartbreaking portrait of one of the world’s most beloved and inventive comedians, Robin Williams, told largely through his own words. Celebrates what he brought to comedy and to the culture at large, from the wild days of late-1970s L.A. to his death in 2014.
An investigation of "disaster capitalism", based on Naomi Klein's proposition that neo-liberal capitalism feeds on natural disasters, war and terror to establish its dominance.
Controversy erupts when an unassuming young man floods the American wine market with fake vintages valued in the millions, bamboozling the wine world elite, in this humorous and suspenseful tale of an ingenious con on the eve of the 2008 stock market crash.
Andrew Dominik's One More Time With Feeling is a remarkable black and white documentary which chronicles the creation of Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds' album Skeleton Tree. Originally a performance based concept, the film evolved into something much more significant as Dominik delved into the tragic backdrop of the writing and recording of the album. The result is stark, fragile and raw, and a true testament to an artist trying to find his way through the darkness. It documents the writing, recording and performing of Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ sixteenth studio album, Skeleton Tree.
Using archival footage, cabinet conversation recordings, and an interview of the 85-year-old Robert McNamara, The Fog of War depicts his life, from working as a WWII whiz-kid military officer, to being the Ford Motor Company's president, to managing the Vietnam War as defense secretary for presidents Kennedy and Johnson.