DaveyBoy's Wrestling Menu - DVD REVIEW: Mick Foley's Greatest Hits & Misses
Submitted by DaveyBoy on Wednesday, March 16, 2005 at 7:03 AM EST





THE WRESTLING MENU #122

Welcome one and all to the 122nd edition of The Wrestling Menu, the column that is sure to satisfy your taste buds when it comes to discussing all things wrestling.

I'm back from my week away. My partner & I had the pleasure of driving the 700 kilometres (about 450 miles) to Adelaide, South Australia. It's one of the smaller capital cities in Australia, but is a rather nice place. It also includes a region, called the Barossa Valley, which is Australia's (if not the world's) #1 winemaking region. I can't even begin to explain how many grape vines we saw on our journey!

Anyway, the batteries are now a little recharged & it's back into the world of professional wrestling. I haven't caught up with all the news as yet, but will do so over the next 24 hours. I also have to watch the most recent episodes of SmackDown & Raw, which I videotaped while I was away.

I already had a column written up for this week & that is this Foley DVD review. I figured it might have been rather timely as I thought this would be the period that Mick would have been unveiled as returning for WrestleMania 21. But unless he showed up on this past week's programming, I'd say it appears as if Mick may be a no-show in Los Angeles in just over 2 weeks time. Oh well, I'm sure the event will still be great without him.

So here goes. Hopefully, you guys like the review & the opportunity to read in detail what's on the disc before you make that final decision to purchase it. I will actually split this up into 5 sections (I don't think I've ever done that before in 121 previous editions of 'The Wrestling Menu') to keep the review as easy to read as possible. I don't think there is a need for any explanation as to the structure of the review. It will become fairly clear as you read on.

Enjoy.....


APPETIZERS

Body Of Disc-1: WCW, ECW & SMW

NOTE: All matches within the body of both discs of the 2 DVD set are complete (ie: unedited) & introduced well by Mick himself. Some of the introductions also include fascinating promos or interviews.

vs BIG VAN VADER (April '93): This television bout is from 'WCW Saturday Night'. Vader was the heel World Champion at the time & Cactus got a big countout win in this 10 minute (excluding commercial time) brawl. And it most definitely was a brawl, as Vader just pummeled Foley over & over with legitimate punches & forearm shots. There was the occasional wrestling move, but not a lot. There is also a lot of outside the ring action. Note that the family friendly WCW version is mixed with Mick's uncensored personal footage. Match Rating...6

with MAXX PAYNE vs THE NASTY BOYS (April '94): This was a 'Chicago Streetfight' at the 'Spring Stampede' pay-per-view, and took place not long after Mick lost his ear. No tags here, as it was predominantly two sets of 1 on 1 matches taking place all over the arena, and very rarely in the ring. Fairly fun to watch, but nothing too hardcore or special. And don't even think about any psychology being used here. It's simply prop shot after prop shot. Foley gets pinned at the 9 minute mark after a shovel shot to the head. This type of match later became synonymous with WCW's Uncensored ppv. Match Rating...6

vs SABU (June '94): This bout was from the ECW 'Hostile City Showdown' event & Foley was basically on loan from WCW at the time. In his intro, Mick explains why he didn't show any offense in the first 4 minutes. Unfortunately, that ploy didn't really work & threw the match off kilter a little. When Mick did finally fight back, it turned into the prototypical early ECW style bout. Extremely spotty, yet not a drop of blood was seen. Nowhere near their best match, but still a fascinating watch. Sabu wins at the 13 minute mark with help from Paul E. A 6 minute aftermath is included & helps get the rating up a notch... Match Rating...7

vs CHRIS CANDIDO (November '94): Terrific match from Smokey Mountain Wrestling with an excellent performance by Candido (who I had previously only seen as Skip, or was it Zip, in the WWE). Unfortunately, it's only 8 minutes in length, but the action is non-stop for that entire duration. It's also a great mix of technical & aerial wrestling, with a little hardcore action thrown in. Cactus wins with his patented double arm DDT. I'll be a little kind on the rating due to Candido's surprising all-around talent & the length of the match. Match Rating...8

vs THE SANDMAN (February '95): This was an ECW 'Texas Death Mach', which is basically a 'Last Man Standing' match, except you have to get a 3 count pinfall before the 10 count (if that makes sense). In his intro, Foley admits this isn't a great bout (saying he didn't choose it for the DVD), but notes that he & Sandman were both badly injured during the match. I just thought Sandman was drunk or stoned, rather than concussed. A bit of a mess & more like an ECW undercard bout, than a main event match. Still fascinating in some strange sort of way though. Cactus wins with 3 DDTs to the floor at the 16 minute mark of this too slowly paced bout. Match Rating...5

with RAVEN vs TERRY FUNK & TOMMY DREAMER (November '95): This was from the ECW 'November 2 Remember' show & is preceded by a Foley story of setting Funk on fire, which almost made Mick quit wrestling. Simply put, this is a 14 minute prop-fest. Name an object & it's used as a weapon here. There are far too many to name. Everyone hits, everyone gets hit, everyone bleeds, everyone has fun... I think. Not exactly my cup of tea, but the pace was kept up & it included a hilarious moment when Dreamer pulled Foley's shirt, which had a picture of Eric Bischoff on it, to head level, just so he could pummel it over & over again. No real wrestling or selling is anywhere to be seen. Match Rating...6

vs MIKEY WHIPWRECK (March '96): This bout was from the ECW 'Big Ass Extreme Bash' show & was Mick Foley's last ECW match. In the intro, Mick actually admits that the cheers from the crowd during this bout may have been his most memorable moment ever! Solid match which I think best sums up ECW. There was a decent mix of hardcore, high-flying, brawling & technical wrestling for the 18 minute duration. There was also a good 'never-say-die' feel from both competitors, as it genuinely appeared like they were both striving to get an important win. Cactus ended up leaving ECW victorious. Match Rating...7


ENTREE

Disc-1 Extras & Easter Eggs

POST VADER MATCH INTERVIEW: Decent little interview including Jack mentioning turning face & using his family to help the turn along.

vs STING (June '92): This is from WCW's 'Beach Blast' show & was a 'Falls Count Anywhere' match. It also has voiceover commentary from Mick himself & Jonathan Coachman. This is a gem of an 11 minute match. Most of the encounter takes place outside of the ring, but that actually helps these 2. It's difficult to explain, but the 2 play off of each other really well & their styles mesh superbly. Non-stop action & a whole bunch of great moves, without being too spotty. It's also easy to see why Sting was destined for big things as a youngster; There is just an electricity about him here. A forgotten gem. Match Rating...9

CACTUS SPITS ON THE WCW BELT: Terrific & classic ECW promo relating to the Sabu feud. It was actually conducted at the time Mick was on loan from WCW & that played heavily in the promo. This extra also includes a Paul Heyman interview as well.

"CANE DEWEY" PROMO: Mick introduces this well. Truly one of the greatest promos ever! Directed at Tommy Dreamer, Foley uses a crowd sign to deliver an emotional speech which difficultly is 100% heel. Using the fans, ECW & WCW, Cactus hits absolutely every correct nerve. Sensational.

"ANTI HARDCORE" PROMO: Another excellent 8 minute promo in the same vein as the last one, but a bit more specific towards Tommy Dreamer. This time Foley uses some of his own history, as well as Dreamer's.

vs SABU (September '94): This also includes commentary from Mick & The Coach. The ECW rematch, this is pretty much more of the same, except it's a tad longer because a break is needed not long after the start of the bout, because Sabu almost kills himself on the guardrail. Entertaining, as per usual, with Sabu's spots & Mick's craziness. Includes some wicked glass bottle shots to Mick's head, and this is definitely real glass! Match Rating...7

ECW FAREWELL SPEECH: Heartfelt speech thanking the ECW fans & putting over ECW as a possible future threat to the big 2, with great people involved in it.

with LES THORNTON vs THE BRITISH BULLDOGS (September '86): The second ever Cactus Jack match is introduced by Mick & is from the 'WWF Superstars' television show. I have to be honest & say that I was being far too much of a Bulldogs fan to worry about what a young & skinny Mick was doing here. Usual 'Superstars' squash that lasted less than 4 minutes. I won't rate it, but watching the Bulldogs was great fun.

WWE CONFIDENTIAL FEATURE: Ok 6 minute feature detailing Mick's 19 month absence from the WWE, what he did during that time & how he felt upon return.

EASTER EGGS:

DUDE LOVE VIGNETTE: On Disk-1, go to the 'Chapters' menu & highlight 'Cactus Jack vs Chris Candido'. Then press 'right' twice to see a 1 minute long Dude Love vignette.

FOLEY'S FIRST LEAP: On Disk-1, go to the 'Extras' menu & highlight 'Main Menu'. Then press 'left' twice to see the infamous footage of Foley jumping off the roof of a house as a teenager. I'd actually never seen the "busted wide open" ending before.


MAIN

Body Of Disc-2: The WWE

NOTE: Before we get into the matches, Mick introduces the Mankind character by talking about Vince's idea & that stinky mask. We also see an excellent introductory vignette including George The Rat.

vs SHAWN MICHAELS (September '96): Foley calls this his "greatest match ever". Taking place at the 'Mind Games' pay-per-view, this is a truly superb match which proved that HBK could get the job done in the ring against practically any type of opponent. On his DVD, Shawn said that Mick's style gave him the opportunity to do something a little different & show the fans something new in his matches. I think it's probably the best ever mix of 2 different styles in the 1 bout. Intense, well-paced & very psychological, the Disqualification ending (Vader running in) is the only real low point of this bout. Match Rating...10

vs TRIPLE H (September '97): This is a 'Falls Count Anywhere' match from Raw. This was the WWE arrival of Cactus Jack & was introduced by a great 3 character promo by Foley. Entertaining ECW style match with a great array of spots all over the arena. Worked a treat & the fans really got involved. Excluding commercial time, this was 10 minutes in duration. Practically a pay-per-view main event on free television. Match Rating...9

vs TERRY FUNK (May '98): 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin guest commentates on this Raw 'Falls Count Anywhere' match where Mick wrestled as himself. Slower paced hardcore bout which took a real long time to get going. But these 2 worked extremely hard to make it very much worthwhile after all was said & done. Nothing special, but as a television match, this was more than sufficient. Excluding commercial time, this lasted 15 minutes. Match Rating...7

vs 'STONE COLD' STEVE AUSTIN (May '98): From the 'Over The Edge' ppv, Vince McMahon was the special guest referee, but The Undertaker was at ringside to make sure he did his job properly. This is one of those rare times where gimmicky overbooking actually helps the bout a little. I get the feeling a couple of times during this match that Foley & Austin are attempting to replicate the 'Mind Games' HBK bout, but it's very much a poor man's version. But with help from gimmicky ringside props (especially 2 cars) & various Vince/Brisco/Patterson shenanigans, we get what is a very good all-around entertainment package. Stone Cold wins by pinfall at the 23 minute mark when he lifts Vince's unconscious hand up & down for the 3 count. Match Rating...8

vs THE UNDERTAKER (June '98): This is the infamous 'Hell In A Cell' match from the 'King Of The Ring' ppv. In his intro, Foley states that when it comes to the memory of fans, what he did in this match pretty much overshadows everything else he did. It's really hard to argue with that opinion, as I know his 2 huge bumps will forever be etched in my mind. I actually wouldn't have minded the match ending at the 1 minute mark, as the commentary table spot has to be seen to be believed. How Foley survived that & the subsequent mat bump, which genuinely knocked him out for a little while, is amazing. And to think that after all that, an actual match took place..... including thumbtacks! I'll say it was 18 minutes in total, although I can't actually recall when the opening bell rang. Almost impossible to rate, as it's hardly a wrestling match. Entertaining in a rather sadistic sort of way & really has to be seen to be believed. Match Rating...9

vs THE ROCK (January 1999): This is the Raw 'No Disqualification' bout where Mick (as Mankind) won the WWE Championship. Nothing really special about the match, except that Foley caused the huge upset & won the title. It works as a television bout with that upset win & a huge ending (where Stone Cold comes out & clocks Rocky with a chair). However, I have to be honest, and state that it would only just scrape a pass rating on pay-per-view (especially without a Foley win). Still, the match had to be on this 2 disk DVD set & is fun to view. At only 9 minutes in length, it needs the entertaining celebrations afterwards to cap it off. A generous rating for this television bout. Match Rating...7

vs TRIPLE H (January 2000): This is the 'Streetfight' from the 2000 'Royal Rumble' ppv. 27 minutes of brutal hardcore action. But to call this just a "hardcore" match is not giving it enough credit. It was intense, pretty much non-stop & very hard hitting. Hell, it even told a story. Make no mistake that this was the moment that truly elevated Triple H to a main event superstar. Complete with thumbtacks, chairs & a barbed-wire covered 2x4, this match had it all. Probably fairly easy to find faults when viewed under a microscope, but the entertainment value was too high to do that. A classic. Match Rating...10


DESSERT

Disc-2 Extras & Easter Eggs

4 MANKIND TEASERS: All are short snippets at about 20 seconds each & focus on Mick's bad ear.

MUSIC TO MY EAR: Another Mankind introduction vignette, this one focusing on his injured hand & how he used to be a concert pianist!

MIND GAMES: A Jim Ross in-ring interview of Mankind before his 'Mind Games' title shot.

JIM ROSS INTERVIEWS MANKIND: A sit-down interview where Foley shows a human side to his heel Mankind character. Again, Mick walks a tightrope with this promo & gets safely to the other end. Of course, it all ends in JR getting the mandible claw.

THE BIRTH OF MR SOCKO: The hilarious skit where Mick & his clown friend try to cheer an injured Vince McMahon up in hospital. Does not show the Austin ending.

MICK & AL SNOW IN VEGAS: Short skit of Mick & Al wandering around a casino getting heckled by a Rock fan.

MORE MICK & AL SNOW IN VEGAS: Pretty much the same again, but this time a gentlemen's club gets involved.

COMMISSIONER FOLEY & KURT ANGLE: Short little backstage segment which pretty much sums up Mick's face commissioner run. It includes his nonsensical booking of a match & the usual cheap hometown pop.

EASTER EGGS:

CHEF BOYARDEE COMMERCIAL: On Disk-2, go to the 'Chapters' menu & highlight 'HBK vs Mankind'. Then press 'left' twice to see Mick's Chef Boyardee television advertisement.

DX's "HAVE A BAD DAY" SKIT: On Disk-2, go to the 'Extras' menu & highlight 'The Birth Of Mr Socko'. Then press 'right' twice to see a DeGeneration X comedy skit entitled 'Have A Bad Day', where a rather thin Mankind goes to the unemployment office to be berated by Triple H. The funniest thing here is Triple H wearing a fake big nose!!!


THE MIDNIGHT SNACK

Conclusion & Other DVD Review Links

This is actually a hard 2 disk DVD set to sum up. On the whole, it works. But, as is obvious from some of my match ratings, individual parts don't shape up too well. I think Foley is definitely a different type of wrestler to do a compilation of, than most other superstars. His history truly is a rags to riches story. And that's why I suggest that the set works as a whole. Without the early matches & promos, the tremendous later bouts haven't got the background that truly makes them stand out. I hope that makes sense, as it is a little difficult to explain.

Most of the promos, vignettes & interviews on this 2 disk set are genuinely classic. Especially on disk-1, they very much help to give substance to what are otherwise nothing more than ok matches. If anything, I simply would have included less ECW matches on disk-1. There are only 5, but overall, they're a little too much of the same style. I'm fairly surprised that at least 1 Japanese match wasn't included here, and I think that (along with the SMW bout included) would have made a better mix.

So, all in all, this is a bit of a mixed bag. But as a Foley history, it definitely works. Plus, there is enough very good matches (Sting, HBK, Undertaker & Triple H) to make it more than worthwhile. Foley's introductions are also quite good & informative. Recommended, especially if you are a Foley fan.

OTHER DVD REVIEW LINKS:

If anyone is interested & has the time, here are links to other DVDs that I have reviewed in my column previously:

- Before They Were Superstars & Global Warning Tour: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2002_/articles/1039597822.php

- AWA & ECW: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003/articles/1044434402.php

- HULK Still Rules: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003/articles/1045049504.php

- AUSTIN What: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003/articles/1045648984.php

- NWO Back In Black: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003/articles/1046845939.php

- REY MYSTERIO 619: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003_/articles/1057125061.php

- From The Vault; SHAWN MICHAELS: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2003_/articles/1063203147.php

- Before They Were Superstars 2: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2004/articles/1082580284.php

- Hard Knocks; The CHRIS BENOIT Story: http://www.lordsofpain.net/news/2004_/articles/1090844349.php


Ok, that's another one in the books. And a long one at that. I thought it was worth it, as I always presume that my DVD reviews may help someone decide on whether or not they will purchase it or not. Please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions about the 2 Disc Set. I will endeavor to answer them as best I can. Also, let me know if you liked the review & ratings, whether you have seen the DVD or not. As always, I will reply to all feedback. My e-mail address is DaveyBoy123@bigpond.com

I'm really uncertain with what I will have in store for you all next Wednesday in 'The Wrestling Menu'. It's actually possible that I may skip next week, as I am quite busy over the next 10 days or so & the following 6 weeks after that should see a whole host of options to more than fill my columns. But nothing is a certainty right now, as I may be motivated to write something after viewing this past week's television shows. Whatever comes your way whenever, this is DaveyBoy signing off & asking you to remember that dinner is best served in 3 courses..... but sometimes 5 can be nice..... with wine to finish it off..... lots of wine!












*NEW GALLERY* Vince & Stephanie McMahon Playing with the NEW BABY!!

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