JAStewart Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3e/The_Wrestler_poster.jpg 98% on Rotten Tomatoes...55th in the the iMDB top 250...3 Golden Globe nominations...2 wins... (best actor in a drama, best original song)Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice film festival. This film is just rather brilliant and deserves all the praise it is currently getting. I watched it just after New Year and would recommend it to everyone. Rourke's performance is a joy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twerto Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Yeah I have heard this has potential of being a cult film. looking forward to seeing it myself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeemsie1989 Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 I have been a big fan of pro wrestling for many years now (originally as a mark, but nowadays to appreciate the performing art side of it as I practice stage combat) and I am very much looking forward to seeing this gritty, well-acted and well-directed film that shows the behind the scenes of pro wrestling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted January 14, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Its not so much a 'behind the scenes' Jeemsie. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-l-ntX45E Check out 'Beyond The Mat' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spinner72 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 An Absolutely brilliant film, and though I am also a lifetime wrestling mark/fan like Jeemisie, that really has minimal bearing on the enjoyment of the film. (save the inevitable one or two nice, discreet, references and appearances) The closest I can compare this to is Christian Bale's performance in "The Machinist" - total immerion of mind and body in becoming what is now, sadly, an all too real american (and elsewhere) folk hero. It's not Beyond The Mat. Whilst that was a great documentary, it focussed n the multi-million dollar WWE/F vision of wrestling, with doctors and medics in plentiful supply, and the wrestlers themselves making tousands, up to millions, per appearance. This is the $50 per night, sleeping your car, supporting whats left of yor family reality of the hundreds, if not thousands, who ply their trade in the gym halls and bars all over the world. Despite wrestlings reputation - this is as real and gritty a film as you will see in a very long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeemsie1989 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Its not so much a 'behind the scenes' Jeemsie. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rH-l-ntX45E Check out 'Beyond The Mat' No, I know not behind the scenes but shows some of what really goes on. I have seen "Beyond The Mat," which is a fantastic documentary. Well, said spinner72, I couldn'tv'e put it better myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Nice way of summing it up, Spinner. I think that having been a Wrestling fan since the glory years (late 97-late 2001) I appreciated the film more in certain areas. Seeing Rourke do Enziguri's, hurricanarana's and the like made me appreciate the work that he had done for the role. I was on iMDB's forums and someone posted a topic saying how they didn't realise that Wrestler's used real blood by cutting themselves - its things like this that really made me appreciate the fact that the film was released. Having been a Wrestling fan while my friends were Rugby or Football fans I used to get a lot of stick for it being 'fake' or whatever but all that's face is the little things like punches and who wins. A slam still hurts. Such a good film. I see its now #52 on iMDB.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeemsie1989 Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Nice way of summing it up, Spinner. I think that having been a Wrestling fan since the glory years (late 97-late 2001) I appreciated the film more in certain areas. Seeing Rourke do Enziguri's, hurricanarana's and the like made me appreciate the work that he had done for the role. I was on iMDB's forums and someone posted a topic saying how they didn't realise that Wrestler's used real blood by cutting themselves - its things like this that really made me appreciate the fact that the film was released. Having been a Wrestling fan while my friends were Rugby or Football fans I used to get a lot of stick for it being 'fake' or whatever but all that's face is the little things like punches and who wins. A slam still hurts. Such a good film. I see its now #52 on iMDB.. Spot on JAStewart. I do Stage Combat for play or for singled out performances. You can work punches (either by pulling short or hitting your own hand on your partner's head) but landing in any way still hurts. Wrestlers have a hard time of it. There is a reason that wrestlers die from being addicted to pain-killers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM Posted January 18, 2009 Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 Having been a Wrestling fan while my friends were Rugby or Football fans I used to get a lot of stick for it being 'fake' or whateverWhat's your take on boxing? It is supposedly less fake, but I guess its all about the show so...? I went to see the recent Vitali Klitschko title fight and it seemed to be a 100% formality that he'd win. That actually probably made it more interesting. Incidently as an AC/DC fan you will perhaps be interested in Vitali's walk in: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlJ66CuIRdw The AC/DC bell begins at 0:30 and the riffs around 2:30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAStewart Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2009 I don't watch Boxing. Never been a fan of it tbh. I do want to see Raging Bull though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomblands Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I thought it was excellent, but being a wrestling fan I would. It was also fun playing the game of "how many wrestlers can you spot". Rourke is outstanding, I can't claim to have seen any of the other likely candidates for best actor but it would have to be some performance to beat him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeemsie1989 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 How many wrestlers did you spot? I hear that in it, there is Necro Butcher, Ernest Miller and someone else? Is that correct? I do like boxing, but personally I prefer UFC. Seeing Brock Lesnar win the UFC title made me mark out like a female dog!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtothet Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I couldnt care less about wrestling, but the Wrestler was the film of 2008. In fact it would be hard to name a film as good in the last three years or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeemsie1989 Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 I absolutely agree with you. it has been a long while since we have had a film of this calibre. Just for the record, the film is a release of 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtothet Posted January 19, 2009 Report Share Posted January 19, 2009 Just for the record, the film is a release of 2009. I think it's a UK release of 2009 isn't it? As I am a major torrent-geek I end up going by the American release date, which I guess in this case is 2008. Also, with the Wrestler they did that thing where they release it in about 8 theaters dotted about the place, then in a week they put it in another 30 theaters, then next week another hundred etc, until its been getting such good word of mouth that once it hits a regular number of screens even regular joes have heard all the rave reviews and go check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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