| | | Feature length movie!
Features: DVD, Aspect Ratio 1.33:1, Dolby Surround Sound
Beyond The Mat, Barry Blaustein's honest, intimate, revealing, highly entertaining, and critically acclaimed behind-the-scenes look at wrestling, takes viewers beyond the ring and into the lives of the men and women who inhabit this colorful, competitive, and surprisingly complex world. Beyond The Mat offers a compelling examination of the inner workings of professional wrestling and the larger-than-life personalities who have dedicated their lives to the sport. The combination of personal and professional struggle is the core of Beyond The Mat. Blaustein spotlights professional wrestlers who are best known for being exaggerated figures, always larger than life, and shows us their humanity. Focusing on Mick "Mankind" Foley, Terry Funk, "Jake the Snake" Roberts, the Rock, Chyna, and other wrestlers, Beyond The Mat depicts remarkable, unscripted moments in lives that are often built on illusion. During the five years he spent working on the film, Blaustein discovered that the control wrestlers exert in the ring is often contrasted by the lack of control they have in their own lives. Some pursue dreams -- others are pursued by personal demons. Mick Foley, a dedicated family man, wants to be known as the world's most polite wrestler. Veteran Terry Funk pushes himself to stay in the ring, even though his battle-scarred body rebels. And Jake Roberts, whose life has taken many dark turns, finds it impossible to maintain the very relationships that might have alleviated his pain. Always relaying his love and respect for his subject matter, Blaustein travels on the open road with the wrestlers, shares their most intimate moments with their families, and witnesses their victories and defeats in the ring. Capturing the grit and the glory and the humor and the pathos of wrestling, Blaustein takes us beyond the spotlight, beyond the pain, Beyond The Mat of the World Wrestling Federation.This Special Edition. features an additional 36 minutes of exclusive interviews with Mick Foley, Chyna and other favorite wrestling celebrities.
"Fascinating documentary." Rita Kempley, Washington Post
Editor's Note
Filmmaker Barry W. Blaustein takes a look at the professional wrestling game at every level, from the hopeful, perhaps deluded beginners who spend their money on wrestling schools, to the lower levels of the profession, to the pinnacle of wrestling success: national fame in the WWF. Particularly fascinating are Blaustein's examinations of Jake "The Snake" Roberts and Mick "Mankind" Foley. Roberts was once a superstar in the WWF, but evidently drugs and alcohol destroyed his career, and left him a broken and bitter man, wrestling on the outer reaches of the pro circuit. In a poignant scene, Blaustein captures a painful reunion between Roberts and his adult daughter. Foley, on the other hand, is a tremendous success in the WWF and a devoted husband and father. But the violence of his profession still threatens to tear his family apart. Blaustein makes no bones about his perspective in making his film. He's a wrestling fan. That said, the film offers an honest view of the outrageous and controversial world of professional wrestling. Though the outcomes of matches are usually predetermined making it a different kind of sport, pro wrestling is certainly a demanding and brutal way of life.
| Features | Production Notes | | Cast & Crew Bios | | English Dolby Digital Surround | | Feature Commentaries By Nick Foley, Terry Frank And Barry W. Blaustein | | Theatrical Trailer |
| Technical Info
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Release Information
| | Studio: Universal |
| Release Date: 5/22/2001 |
| Running Time: 108 minutes |
| Original Release Date: 1999 | | Catalog ID: 21109 | | UPC: 00025192110924 | | Number of Discs: 1 |
Audio & Video
| | Original Language: English | | Available Audio Tracks: English | | Video: Color |
Aspect Ratio | | 4:3 |
| Cast & Crew | Barry W. Blaustein - Director | | Michael Grady - Director of Photography | | Mick Foley - Featuring | | Terry Funk - Featuring | | The Rock - Featuring | | Vince McMahon - Featuring | | Jake "The Snake" Roberts - Featuring | | Chyna - Featuring | | Nathan Barr - Musical Score | | Barry W. Blaustein, et al. - Producer | | Barry W. Blaustein - Writer |
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| | Professional Reviews | Variety
"...An emotional and evocative document of the professional wrestling scene....A gently and genuinely observed film..." 10/25-31/1999 p.38-9Sight and Sound
"...There is something moving, challenging and surprising about these men's lives..." 09/01/2000 p.38 Premiere
"...Spirited....[Wrestling] nonfans will be simultaneously appalled and fascinated..." -- 3 out of 5 stars -- A Satisfying Rental 10/01/2000 p.88 Box Office
"...BEYOND THE MAT is fun for the fans who scour the Internet for the latest gossip and rumors, and perhaps even a little enlightening for non-fans..." 04/01/2000 p.240 Los Angeles Times
"...BEYOND THE MAT connects the antics of professional wrestlers with their lives out of the ring with such compassion, humor and perception that the result is utterly captivating..." 10/22/1999 p.C9 Chicago Sun-Times
"...Roberts opens up in an extraordinary way to the camera....It has a hypnotic quality..." 03/17/2000 p.26 Boxoffice Magazine 8 of 10
... An attempt to humanize a profession that relies on garish performances, director Barry Blaustein's Beyond the Mat thoroughly evaluates the non-sport from a fan's point of view, tracking down the heroes from his boyhood and profiling one of the hottest stars in the industry today... [its] greatest asset is its rare behind-the-scenes footage. Current fans will delight in seeing superstars the Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin out of character, just being regular guys backstage. Likewise, WWF owner Vince McMahon's brainstorming sessions in creating a new character are fascinating. - Annlee Ellingson
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