The Wrestling Menu - Hulk Still Rules (DVD Review). Or Does He...???
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Wednesday, February 12, 2003 at 6:31 AM EST




THE WRESTLING MENU #34

Before I even give my introductory line today, I would like to pass on my condolences to Curt Hennig’s family. 'Mr Perfect' Curt Hennig will truly be missed by all wrestling fans. He arguably had a positive influence on so many of the top superstars in professional wrestling, and that was only on the screen. From what I have been reading, he was just as influential behind the scenes. Curt will be truly missed.

Welcome one and all to the 34th edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.

Hulk Hogan will pretty much dominate this column today. So before I start, I suppose I should tell you all my quick thoughts on him. I pretty much started watching wrestling in 1985 around WrestleMania 1, when he was the World HeavyWeight Champion. Like any kid at the time, I liked the preaching face that he was then, and continued to all the way through to 1998 when Randy Savage had become champion. I didn't even mind it when Hogan won the title back at WrestleMania 5. Sometime during 1989 though, Hogan's act began to annoy me. This is why I was truly barracking for The Ultimate Warrior to win the title at WrestleMania 6. Warrior's win actually made me think more of Hogan.

I did not watch wrestling between 1991 & 1995, and happened to return just before Hogan turned heel with the NWO. In my opinion, this was a great move, which helped prolong Hogan's career to this very day. The heel persona had a good 1-2 years in it. It might have had more, had it not been for Hogan's obvious powers at WCW. Even a non-internet fan could tell that he was controlling the main event scene around him. This eventually resulted in what I can best describe as 'tedious crap', and arguably is the major ingredient why WCW does not exist today.

I won't get into his 2002 & 2003 WWE runs just yet, as I will include that in my 'Dessert' section. Your 'Appetizers' & 'Main' section today will be an in-depth review of the 6-hour DVD 'Hulk Still Rules'. Take your seats ladies & gentlemen, as your meal will now be served:


APPETIZERS - 'Hulk Still Rules' Review

This is a 2 DVD set which runs for approximately 6 hours. I watched it in 3 separate sessions of approximately 2 hours over the same weekend. Disc-1 has what I refer to as the main section of the DVD, plus some extras. While Disc-2 totally comprises extras. The main section of the DVD runs for approximately 65 minutes, and definitely should have been longer. Ninety minutes would have been more appropriate for a wrestler such as Hogan, who has almost 25 years of experience in the industry.

We kick off the DVD with a decent little introduction of how Hogan got into wrestling. He actually was playing in a rock band in 1978, and his entrance into the WWF was through the legendary Brisco Brothers. Hogan started off as a heel, and had an almost contradictory gimmick, in that he practically played a big strong prettyboy. The major factor he had going for him at the start though, was the managerial services of Classy Freddy Blassie. Hogan seemed to be able to draw heel heat on his own, but Blassie was the icing on the cake.

From there we go to an interesting little discussion concerning Hogan's part in Rocky 3. Vince McMahon Sr basically stated that it was either wrestling or movies. When Hogan chose Rocky 3, he basically walked out the door & surfaced in the Minneapolis based AWA. That wasn't for long though, as he returned to the WWF in 1983 as a face. Within a year, he had defeated The Iron Sheik to become the World HeavyWeight Champion.

This was the time that the WWF was starting to get mainstream audiences tuning in. Pat Patterson is quoted as saying that Hogan was the main ingredient that helped Vince Jr realize his dream of the WWF being more than just wrestling. Arguably the focal point of this was March-31 1985 at WrestleMania. Hogan briefly talks about this & claims that Roddy Piper only "looked after #1 (himself) & never let his guard down", which was a very bad thing. He goes on to comment about King Kong Bundy ("Tough to work with") and Paul Orndorff ("Occasionally took it too far" & genuinely hurt Hogan in the ring).

A little more emphasis is then placed on the legendary WrestleMania 3 match, and Andre The Giant himself. Apparently the 2 gained respect for each other when they were in Japan & Tatsumi Fujinami basically turned a bout against Hogan into a shoot-fight. Andre really wanted to help afterwards, but Hogan fought his own battles. Obviously, parts of the WrestleMania 3 match are shown, including the bodyslam finish. Hogan then moves on and speaks about Randy Savage. He says that they were once best friends, and it was Elizabeth's fault that they no longer see eye to eye. He calls Savage "ignorant" and implies that he was always paranoid about Hogan stealing his girlfriends (even Gorgeous George years later in WCW).

This is the point on the DVD where the major downfall is. It jumps to a quick discussion about Vince thinking that Hulkamania should start coming to a close, because both it & Hogan was getting old. From there, we go straight to Hogan's WCW debut. Hang on a moment!!! What happened to the direction-changing face vs face WrestleMania 6 title match against The Ultimate Warrior??? How did he feel about passing the torch that night? What about the subsequent angles against Yokozuna? Even a brief discussion on Bret Hart wouldn't have looked out of place. But basically, 3 years of his career is just ignored & we jump straight to his WCW debut.

The WCW portion was also a little too brief, as he only really discussed Savage (again), his Bash At The Beach NWO heel turn ("The NWO was successful because I was the leader") & Vince Russo ("A huge mistake in WCW"). Throughout this section, many segments are shown, including parts of Hogan's after-match interview at BATB '96.

Back to the WWE we (too quickly) go, as Hogan discusses his February 2002 debut & the subsequent WrestleMania 18 match against The Rock. Hogan is quoted as saying "I thought I was the best until I got in the ring with The Rock". Rock stuck with him (referring to his own slow pace I presume) throughout the match, and handled the surprising booing of him perfectly. Hogan feels the shaking of hands after the match was the true passing of the torch. Hogan would have liked to remain a heel a little longer, but both he & Vince knew that they had to go with the crowd momentum & not only turn him face, but have him win the Undisputed Championship. This happened at Backlash against Triple H (who he calls "a great ring general"). Hogan also discusses how hard it was to calm down after the 10 minute applause he got from a Montreal crowd. He had obviously been genuinely touched by this moment.

The main section of the DVD ends with a rather nice touch, as some lifelong fans meet & greet the Hulkster at an autograph signing. This was good to end with, as it showed the stature that Hogan was held in by his fans. Overall, this was a very good watch. But it definitely deserved to be more complete with an additional 20-30 minutes. The extra time could have perfectly been split in half by the last years of Hulk's WWF run (including the matches with Warrior, Yokozuna, etc..) and further detail on his WCW run.


MAIN - Extras, Extras & More Extras

I tossed & turned about how I was going to structure this, but at the end I just said "stuff it" & decided to list all the extras & give a brief opinion.

December '79 vs Ted Dibiase: This was Hogan's MSG debut. It was a slow but fascinating match, as watching these 2 at a very young age was interesting. Of all things, Hogan won with a bearhug.

August '80 vs Andre The Giant: This is truly classic footage. Held outdoors at Shea Stadium, this took place almost 7 years before the legendary WrestleMania 3 match. Hogan actually body-slammed Andre during this match as well, showing the potential that he truly had. Hogan was the heel in this match, and it was the only bout on the DVD which Hogan lost. That's right folks, the Ultimate Warrior match is not included.

December '83 Return to the WWF: This was during a match between Bob Backlund & a Wild Samoan. After constant interference, Backlund goes to the back for help, and brings out the returning (face) Hulkster. An after-match interview is shown discussing Hulk's reasons for returning.

January '84 vs The Iron Sheik: Apart from it being a little short (6 minutes), this was actually an excellent match. Hogan goes for the quick win & dominates the first 3 minutes. The Sheik then takes control, only to see the Hulkster come back to drop the Legdrop of Doom to win the HeavyWeight title for the first time. An after-match interview is also shown.

August '84 training Mene Gene: This was a segment on the Tuesday Night Titans show setting up a match which is shown later. Classic footage with a few laughs (including Vince wearing a pink suit). Another segment is shown later where Hogan blends a health drink & preaches about vitamins.

August '86 vs Paul Orndorff: This match also took place outdoors, this time in Toronto. A very good grudge match, with a disappointing DQ finish.

March '87 vs Andre The Giant: I can't really add much more to what you already know about this WrestleMania 3 match, other than that it's worth watching for the legendary commentary of Gorilla Monsoon & Jesse Ventura alone.

August '89 teaming with Brutus Beefcake vs Randy Savage & Zeus: This took place at SummerSlam, and includes a pre-match interview, plus commentary by Tony Schiavone. I remember as a kid being scared by the cross-eyed monster known as Zeus. In retrospect, I realize he couldn't actually wrestle. But Savage was at his best here & carried Zeus (and arguably the other 2) to a decent match. It was far from perfect, but was huge at the time.

DISC-2

January '80 vs Ben Ortiz & Angelo Gomez: An All-Star Wrestling handicap match against 2 jobbers. Should have been excluded, and is only worth watching for a very loud guy in the crowd, and the after-match interview, where you can really tell how much Hogan improved in subsequent years.

July '94 vs Ric Flair: Bash At The Beach '94 match which also has Jimmy Hart & Sensational Sherri running around at ringside. This was the much-anticipated, but slightly anti-climactic first match between the two legends. Not that bad, but should have been better due to the occasion.

October '85 Tuesday Night Titans Clip: Includes the usual preaching, a 3 minute match against perennial jobber Tiger Chung Lee, and a poem by Leaping Lanny Poffo. Should have been excluded.

August '84 teaming with Mene Gene vs George 'The Animal' Steele & Mr Fuji: Includes a pre-match interview, and is basically a vehicle for Hogan to be over-shadowed by the sight of Mene Gean in wrestling tights. I'll give you one guess who got the pin. Should have been excluded.

December '91 vs The Undertaker: I absolutely loved this. This was the rematch held a few days after Survivor Series when The Undertaker won his first world title with the help of Ric Flair. It was far from a match-of-the-year contender, but watching The Undertaker playing his original gimmick was so fascinating. This was also one of the few times Hogan was involved in a feud with a newcomer. Hogan won, but the title was once more held up, leading to Ric Flair's classic win at the '92 Royal Rumble.

October '85 vs Big John Studd: This was an outdoor match in Puerto Rico, and was progressing terribly until something interesting happened. It started to pour with rain. I'm not talking a light shower either, it was genuinely bucketing down. The wrestlers couldn't keep their feet, so the referee ad-libbed & called a countout victory to Hogan.

October '85 vs Nikolai Volkoff: Short & decent mid-80's big man match stressing Hogan's patriotism to the USA. Includes interviews both before & after the match.

April '90 vs Mr. Perfect: This match took place less than a month after Hogan's title loss to The Warrior. I was really looking forward to this bout, but it was disappointingly short, and didn't prove anything about how Hogan would handle a wrestler with Hennig's style at the time. The Genius Lanny Poffo was with Hennig at ringside.

November '85 teaming with Andre The Giant vs Big John Studd & King Kong Bundy: Holy cow, there were a lot of pounds in the ring during this match. Hogan was the smallest of the competitors!!! The bout actually moved quite swiftly for it's five minute length, and ended in a DQ when Andre got caught in the ropes & the heels wouldn't stop beating on him.

November '85 vs Roddy Piper: To be honest, this match wasn't all that different to those the two fought 12 years later in (1997) WCW. Hmmm, playing the devils advocate, it just goes to show how far some wrestlers can go without improving their in-ring skills. As previously touched on, Piper wouldn't let Hogan beat him, so this one ended with a DQ when Bob Orton interfered.

January '90 Royal Rumble: The footage starts when Hogan enters at #25. It's always fascinating watching old Rumbles. The highlight of this one was seeing a brief one-on-one contest between Hogan and The Warrior just 2 months before their WrestleMania showdown. The crowd just loved it. Hogan wins the Rumble, last eliminating Mr. Perfect.

November '88 Survivor Series Match: Hogan teamed with Randy Savage, Hercules, Koko B.Ware & Hillbilly Jim vs Ted Dibiase, Haku, Akeem, The Big Bossman & The Red Rooster. Well, I won't say that watching the old 5 on 5 elimination format is as good as watching old Rumbles, but they're still interesting. Hogan & Savage survived, last eliminating Haku. This was the start of the dissension between the two, as Hogan hogged the spotlight & Elizabeth after the match.

Promos on Harley Race, The Genius, The Big Bossman, The HonkyTonk Man & with a cardboard (The) Rock: All are short, and are only used to close the DVD.


All in all, this DVD is a 'must-buy' for any wrestling enthusiast, and is the best WWE DVD I have seen so far. You don't necessarily have to be a fan of Hogan to have this one in your collection, as there is such an array of wrestlers & matches included. You also get classic commentaries from the likes of Monsoon, Heenan, Ventura, Vince, Okerlund & Hayes. The DVD format allows you to be able to pick & choose what you want to watch, and with 6 hours of footage, there is bound to be quite a few things that tickles your fancy. The major drawbacks are not speaking on & including the WrestleMania 6 match against The Ultimate Warrior, having the extra matches out of chronological order, and including 2 or 3 boring matches in favor of larger ppv bouts.


DESSERT - Does Hulk Still Rule?

This topic has already been discussed by other columnists and on the LOP forums. But I thought this would be a timely & opportune time for my take on Hogan's 2002 WWE run, as well as his current one. I have to admit that when Hogan returned in February 2002, I thought it was the right move. Completely ignoring the fact that he returned with Hall & Nash in the NWO, I thought that Hogan could spend a year or so in the company that he helped make successful, and then retire gracefully. It would be an opportunity for both the fans & Hogan to say goodbye the correct way.

While I thought he should have remained a heel a little longer, the crowds spoke clearly saying they wanted Hogan as a face. It was a tidal wave that couldn't be stopped. Fair enough, but I believe for the good of longevity, he was given the World HeavyWeight title too soon. I initially appeared to be wrong though, as Hogan seemingly put over The Undertaker, Kurt Angle & Brock Lesnar successfully, while also giving Edge a helping hand by teaming with him.

It all came quickly crashing down in late July though, when 2 factors saw Hogan & McMahon go into dispute. The first one revolves around my hometown of Melbourne, as Hogan would not travel to the large houseshow (with a crowd of 56,734) for the amount that Vince was willing to pay him. I believe the argument was over the definition of a houseshow in Hogan's contract, and whether the Melbourne show fell into this category. Obviously, Hogan was not getting any younger either, and a 16 hour flight would not do his back & knees any good. The other rumored factor causing the dissension between the two, was Hogan's reluctance to job to Lesnar for a second time at Survivor Series, without having the title around his own waist coming into the match.

But after all this, we see Hogan back in a WWE ring only 5 months after the dispute. That seems fairly quick to me, so either Vince gave into what Hogan is asking for this time around, or (the more realistic answer) the dispute was never really that big in the first place. So what does DaveyBoy think should happen during Hogan's 2003 WWE run...???

The first question is how long should it last? I'm thinking 4 months. The 2002 run proved that the WWE won't be able to control the timing of Hogan's angles & feuds. A 4 month run would include his No Way Out match with The Rock, a probable WrestleMania 19 match with Vince McMahon, and a couple of feuds to see out his career. I believe the King Of The Ring pay-per-view is an opportune time to have his final match, although I'm yet to decide who his opponent should be. On the Raw or SmackDown following King Of The Ring, Hogan should make his final appearance on a WWE show, and I'm sure the crowd in whichever city that show takes place in, will give Hogan the send off this legend deserves.

I've probably answered a few other questions in that last paragraph, like who his WrestleMania opponent should be & who his final match should be against. I think the McMahon match has to happen. Regarding Hogan & Vince; Quoting Classy Freddy Blassie from the main section of the 'Hulk Still Rules' DVD; "one couldn't have done without the other". This in itself is a strong basis for a feud; Who made the WWE what it is today? Fans who disagree with this WrestleMania match site Stone Cold Steve Austin as the preferred opponent. While this would be a great match to witness, I cannot see how this can happen with the 2 faces, in such a short span of time. It is better off happening in subsequent months, and possibly as the farewell match in June.

The only other question to answer here is; Should Hogan win the World HeavyWeight Title once more? While it will probably happen in either April or May, my gut feeling is to answer "NO". The WWE is currently in a delicate position, and Hogan's world title run in 2002 did nothing positive for ratings or interest. I believe the good that can come of Hogan this year, would be just as effective if he didn't win the title. So the only reason to award Hogan the title would be for nostalgic reasons & a thank-you. While I agree with those reasons, I believe it has already happened in 2002, therefore there is no reason to do it once more in 2003. The King Of The Ring & subsequent television show send-off should be more than enough.

Whatever happens with Hulk Hogan in 2003, I just hope that prior to Hogan's return, he & Vince spoke clearly about what would happen during this run. Obviously things can change, but if the 2 haven't at least made a rough draft of what is to happen over the next 3-5 months, then I can see another dispute taking place. This would ultimately result in probably the biggest star professional wrestling has ever seen, not being sent off in the correct fashion. That would be an absolute tragedy.


That just about does it for this Hulk Hogan filled column. I feel like I know the guy after writing this. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope that I have helped make up your mind on whether or not to purchase 'Hulk Still Rules' if you were thinking about it. Questions or opinions about the DVD are welcome, and possible scenarios for Hogan's last few months in the WWE would be appreciated. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com

Next Wednesday in The Wrestling Menu, I am going to continue the reviews. I will review another DVD focusing on a WWE superstar, and then speak in detail about that wrestler's current situation in the WWE. It's probably not that hard to guess who I am speaking of. Also included next week, will be my predictions for No Way Out, as they went over pretty well with my readers last month. Look out for the column same Wednesday time & same LOP channel next week. Until then, this is Davey Boy signing off & asking you to remember that dinner is best served in 3 courses.












Brooke Hogan Hanging from a Tree at the Beach! WOW!

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